Irish rugby awards 2015: Matt D’Arcy named player of the year

Division 1A winners Lansdowne have three players up for awards in various categories

Clontarf’s Matt Darcy: won both the “Top Try Scorer” and Division 1A player of the year. Photograph: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Clontarf’s Matt Darcy: won both the “Top Try Scorer” and Division 1A player of the year. Photograph: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt presented awards in 11 categories across all four divisions of the Ulster Bank League at a reception in the Aviva stadium.

It is the third year of the awards.

Clontarf centre and Ireland club captain Matt D'Arcy won both the "Ulster Bank Top Try Scorer" and the Player of the Year accolades in Division 1A.

Previous award winners include Connacht's Craig Ronaldson and Old Belvedere's Danny Riordan, while last year's top try scorer was Leinster's Mick McGrath.

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Division 1A winners Lansdowne had three players up for awards in various categories with one of their top players, Cian Kelleher, coming away victorious by scooping the "Rising Star of the Year" having won the monthly award earlier in the season.

Josh Glynn of Old Belvedere bagged the "Top Points Scorer" award, while Young Munster's coach John Staunton took home the "Coach of the Year" in that elite division of club rugby.

Donnybrook club Old Wesley picked up the most awards of the night with Ian Cassidy named "Player of the Year in Division 2A"; Alan Large, a fine tennis player too, collecting the "Leinster Player of the Year"; Thomas O'Brien winning "Professional of the Year" and Old Wesley's 1st XV earning "Ulster Bank's Newstalk Team of the Year".

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer