Armagh’s Oisin Conaty has won the inaugural Rising Star Award at this year’s Irish News Ulster All-Stars on Friday night.
Newly-introduced for 2024, the Rising Star Award recognises the player who has made the most significant breakthrough in the past 12 months, as chosen by the Irish News Editor Chris Sherrard.
Conaty received the award at Friday night’s award ceremony in the ICC Belfast, capping a memorable for himself and his county.
The former Northern Ireland schoolboy soccer international chose Gaelic football two years ago and lit it up this summer.
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
“I felt as if the world was going to end...” St Colman’s College sports studies students submit articles on the game, fight or issue that mattered most to them this year…
His man-of-the-match display in the All-Ireland final came on top of an outstanding afternoon in the Ulster final too, where he penned Ryan McHugh back and tracked him with real diligence.
The Portadown man tore into Roscommon and really hurt them in the quarter-final and then after a dip against Kerry, he took advantage of a switch of wings in the final.
His confidence was up after his first score and he never looked back.
Frighteningly quick and with youth on his side, he’s sure to play a big part in his county’s fortunes for years to come.
