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24 | WINTER 2019 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie From the Moycullen club, Ellen Power sparkled at midfield and won the Player of the Match award in July, when Galway defeated Meath to claim a third successive All- Ireland U16 A title. A former county and provincial championship club winner with the Moycullen ladies, Ellen was also a member of the Galway side that won the Connacht and All-Ireland U14 A titles in 2017. Ellen's U16 A successes with her county in 2019 made it two-in-a-row for this talented young player, who featured on the bench in the 2018 All- Ireland U16 A Final victory over Kerry. A secondary school student at Coláiste Éinde, Ellen won a county U16 C camogie title with Moycullen in 2017 and she's a huge admirer of Cork's former dual legend Briege Corkery. Ellen, a superb all-rounder, is also renowned for her basketball skills. Ellen, who will be 17 in January, hopes to study at University of Limerick, and she has her sights set on a career in business or law. Eimear O'Donovan hails from the Éire Óg club in Cork, and she's a secondary school student at Coláiste Choilm in picturesque Ballincollig. She began playing football at the age of six with Éire Óg and after a number of years playing at full- forward, she's found her home at midfield. Eimear, who's also played camogie for her county, was a key player for Cork as they landed the 2019 Munster U16 A title, and a real driving force from the middle of the field. A Sciath na Scol Champion in 2014 and 2015, Eimear is also the proud holder of an U12 County Championship medal, and she's an U16 Mid Cork Championship winner. Hailing from a county with a rich ladies football tradition, 15-year-old Eimear would like to become a Primary School Teacher, and she has her sights set on third-level education at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. When asked for her most inspirational person, Eimear has no hesitation in pinpointing Cork legend Rena Buckley. PROVINCIAL YOUNG PLAYERS OF THE YEAR From the Ballymachugh club in Cavan, Saoirse Kieran attends St Clare's College in Ballyjamesduff. Saoirse enjoyed a brilliant year for Cavan, captaining the Breffni girls to the Ulster U16 A title. Saoirse, a natural leader, was also captain of the St Clare's school team in 2019, and she is also the proud holder of two Ulster U14 A medals. Saoirse, an outstanding athlete, has also won Ulster and All-Ireland gold medals in Athletics, and she's a previous Cumann na mBunscol Cavan Young Player of the Year. In 2017, Saoirse was joint-captain when the Sheelin girls Community Games team were crowned All-Ireland Champions, another notable entry on an already impressive underage CV. Aged 16, Saoirse has her heart set on becoming a maths and PE teacher, or a career in Veterinary, and she would like to pursue third-level studies at Dublin City University. Saoirse, when asked for her most inspirational person, singled out Cavan Senior star Donna English for special praise. PROVINCIAL YOUNG PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Ciara Smyth is a secondary school student at St Michael's Loreto, Navan and plays her football with Skryne. She was deservedly awarded the Player of the Match award when Meath defeated Dublin to win the Leinster U16 A title in April. Joint-winner of the 2018 LGFA John West Féile Peile na nÓg skill stars competition, Ciara was Meath's Player of the Year in the U12 and U14 grades. A fan of world boxing champion Katie Taylor, Ciara also won the Cumann na mBunscol Spirit of the Final awards in 2014 and 2015, and she was Loreto's U14 A Player of the year in 2018. A Leinster Schools Final medallist in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Ciara also won the Player of the Match award with her club Skryne in the 2019 Senior Ladies Masita Cup Final. 15-year-old Ciara, who's also a renowned athlete with Leinster has also won medals for cross-country, would like to become a sports physio and she has her heart set on third-level education at Dublin City University CONNACHT: ELLEN POWER (GALWAY) LEINSTER: CIARA SMYTH (MEATH) MUNSTER: EIMEAR O'DONOVAN (CORK) ULSTER: SAOIRSE KIERNAN (CAVAN)