Dual star Keating is named 2019 West Cork Junior Sports Star of the Year

FIONA Keating is the 2019 West Cork Junior Sports Star of the Year.

The talented Ballinspittle teenager is one of the rising stars of Cork GAA and last year the dual player played a leading role as the Rebels won both All-Ireland minor football and camogie crowns.

The Courcey Rovers player scored five points and was player of the match in the All-Ireland minor camogie final in May 2019, as Cork beat Clare by 3-15 to 2-12.

There was more to come later in the summer for the Kinsale Community College Leaving Cert student when she swapped codes and led the Cork minor footballers’ attack. In the All-Ireland semi-final, Keating scored 1-4 and again was player of the match as Cork beat Galway. In the All-Ireland final against Monaghan, she scored 2-1 as the Rebels won 4-11 to 1-8, as Keating finished her minor days on an incredible high.

Last year, Cork minor football selector Anne O’Grady from Bantry described Keating as ‘an incredible talent … and refreshingly modest.’

Her talent is unquestionable, and the evening after she received her West Cork Youth Sports Star quarterly award, Keating scored 4-4 for Courcey Rovers in their senior camogie championship hammering of Milford. Keating also started for the West Cork ladies’ senior football team that reached the 2019 county final.

One to watch in years to come, Keating is a deserving winner of the 2019 West Cork Junior Sports Star of the Year. She will receive her award at the annual West Cork Sports Star gala awards on Saturday, January 18th, at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery. For details on tickets to the banquet and overnight accommodation contact Lisa in the Celtic Ross Hotel on (023) 8848722 or [email protected].

Also in the running for this award were three more rising West Cork Junior Sports Stars, who received quarterly awards in 2019: Daire O’Brien of Enniskeane (camogie), Ryan O’Donovan of Barryroe (Gaelic football) and Liam Murray of Caheragh (soccer).

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