*Mark Rodgers. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
SCARIFF’s Mark Rodgers has been included in the Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Stars Hurling Team of the Year.
Rodgers collected his first Fitzgibbon Cup medal as part of the UL side which defeated NUIG in the final finishing 1-21 2-15 in their favour. He was missing from that encounter and remains sidelined with a knee injury.
However, his displays in the lead-up to the decider left enough of a marker on the personnel responsible for selecting the team, his knack for finding the back of the net was also pivotal to UL having such a successful run. He raided for a hat-trick in their 5-30 0-16 win over TUS Midwest and was their chief scorer for a dramatic semi-final win over IT Carlow, that tie on February 17th saw Rodgers pick up his knee injury.
Mark is the only Clare representative on the Rising Stars team. His fellow county-men, Mike Gough (Smith O’Briens), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle), Ross Hayes (Crusheen), Daniel Treacy (Scariff) and Rian Considine (Cratloe). Ronan Keane (Éire Óg) is the Gaelic Games officer at the Limerick third level institute.
1. Darach Fahy – GMIT, Ardrahan, Galway
2. Podge Delaney – IT Carlow, The Harps, Laois
3. TJ Brennan – UL, Clarinbridge, Galway
4. Jack Fitzpatrick, NUIG, Killimordaly, Galway
5. Cianán Fahy – GMIT, Ardrahan, Galway
6. Bryan O Mara – UL, Holycross/Ballycahill, Tipperary
7. Niall Brassil – IT Carlow, James Stephens, Kilkenny
8. Ciaran Connolly – UL, Loughmore/Casteleiney, Tipperary
9. Fionán Mackessy – MTU Kerry, St Brendan’s, Kerry
10. Cian Lynch – NUIG, Patrickswell, Limerick
11. Gearóid O’Connor – UL, Moyne/Templetuohy, Tipperary
12. John Fleming – NUIG, Meelick Eyrecourt, Galway
13. Mikey Kiely – UL, Abbeyside/Ballinacourty, Waterford
14. Mark Rodgers – UL, Scariff, Clare
15. Evan Niland – NUIG, Clarinbridge, Galway
