Cronin and Quinlan nominated

CLUB players will have plenty of interest in the Ulster Bank League Awards which takes place on May 17, with Neil Cronin and Tomás Quinlan nominated for the top awards.

There are 16 different categories in total with Garryowen scrum-half Cronin and Cork Con out-half Quinlan up for the Ulster Bank League Division 1A Player of the Season. Eamon Mills and Adam Leavy of Lansdowne are the other nominees.

Three of the nominees for the Division 1A rising star are from the province, with Young Munster’s Alan Tynan, joined by Bill Johnston from Garryowen and Alex McHenry of Cork Con. Cork Con coach Brian Hickey and Conan Doyle of Garryowen are two of a quartet competing for the Division 1A coach of the year.

Will Leonard and Tony Cusack from Shannon are both in line to win the Division 1B player of the season. Paul Kiernan of UCC is also up for that award.

Highfield’s Fintan O’Sullivan is up for the Division 2A player of the season. Old Crescent have two representatives in the 2B award with Val McDermott and Seaghan Gleeson nominated. Thomond’s Evan Cusack could win the Division

2C player of the season award. Neil Cronin, Tomás Quinlan, Val McDermott and Will Leonard are the Munster nominees for the Provincial Player of the Year.

And Quinlan was on form for Cork Con when they came up short against Lansdowne in the Division

1A final at Aviva Stadium last weekend. It was an agonising 19-17 defeat.

But Bruff retained their Ulster Bank League status when they got the better of Bandon at Kilballyowen Park. It finished 24-17 in favour of the hosts in the Division

2C promotion/relegation clash.