*UL’s Jack O’Neill.
CLOONEY/QUIN’s Jack O’Neill has been named on the 2026 Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education rising stars hurling team of the year.
O’Neill is one of seven members of the victorious University of Limerick Fitzgibbon Cup side named on the team of the year. He is included at midfield alongside his UL teammate Adam English.
Croke Park hosted the Fitzgibbon Cup final for the first time in forty years when UL overcame Mary Immaculate College 4-31 3-21, winning their tenth title and fourth in five seasons.
Jack got their first goal in the final and was one of six Clare hurlers forming part of the panel alongside Clonlara’s Diarmuid Stritch with Seán Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona), Keith Smyth (Killanena), John Conneally (Clooney/Quin) and Patrick Crotty (Scariff) missing out through injury.
Quin man O’Neill is the sixth Clare hurler in five seasons selected on the team of the year. He follows in the footsteps of Crotty (2025), Feakle’s Adam Hogan (2024), Diarmuid Ryan of Cratloe (2024), Banner’s Shane Meehan (2024) and Mark Rodgers of Scariff (2024 & 2022).
UL dominate the selection with seven hurlers followed by four for Mary I with two each from semi-finalists University of Galway and Dublin City University Dóchas Éireann.
Each recipient of a Rising Star Team of the Year award will be presented with a unique award made from renewable Beechwood. The Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Player of the Year will be revealed during the awards event on Monday 30th of March.
2026 Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Rising Stars Hurling Team of the Year:
1: Liam Hoare, University of Galway and Carrig & Riverstown, Offaly
2: Cian Scully, Mary Immaculate College Limerick and Dromin Athlacca, Limerick
3: Mark Fitzgerald, University of Limerick and Passage, Waterford
4: Daniel O’Meara, Dublin City University Dóchas Éireann and Maynooth, Kildare
5: Killian Doyle, University of Limerick and Emeralds, Kilkenny
6: Colin Coughlan, University of Limerick and Ballybrown, Limerick
7: Jimmy Quilty, Mary Immaculate College Limerick and Blackrock, Limerick
8: Adam English, University of Limerick and Doon, Limerick
9: Jack O’Neill, University of Limerick and Clooney Quin, Clare
10: Sam O’Farrell, University of Galway and Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary
11: Aidan O’Connor, University of Limerick and Ballybrown, Limerick
12: Denis Walsh, Dublin City University Dóchas Éireann and Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny
13: Adam Screeney, University of Limerick and Kilcormac Killoughey, Offaly
14: Shane O’Brien, Mary Immaculate College Limerick and Kilmallock, Limerick
15: Oisín O’Farrell, Mary Immaculate College Limerick and Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan, Limerick
