ANDREW TRIMBLE’S SEASON to remember has been marked with another personal accolade but is aware of the ever-present threat for his Ireland jersey.
The Ulster winger took home the IRUPA player of the year award last night and told Scott Quinnell, the ceremony’s M.C, that he had designs on spending some of his summer in Argentina with the Irish squad. With Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, who was also at the event, reflecting that he may rest hard-pushed players from next month’s tour of duty, Trimble’s response was sharp. He is not willing to give up that 14 jersey.
Trimble was on the fringes of the Ireland squad in 2012/13 but shone for his province as Declan Kidney opted for the likes of Tommy Bowe, Simon Zebo and Craig Gilroy. He scored 12 tries in 26 Ulster appearances and willingly travelled to North America when Less Kiss too over as caretaker coach. He scored against Canada but many expected him to drop down the pecking order when the recognised starters got back from the Lions Tour.
He missed out on the November internationals but injuries to Bowe, Zebo and Fergus McFadden gave him a start against Scotland in the Six Nations opener. He scored a vital try before half-time to wilt the Scots’ resistance and never looked back. He scored in Paris and his second-half break led to Jonny Sexton’s second try as Ireland won the championship.
Ulster teammate Bowe was fit enough to feature in the final two games of Ireland’s championship but Schmidt stuck with the man who had delivered for him. The 30-year-old is back in tandem with Trimble as Ulster target a strong finish to the RaboDirect Pro12 season.
Speaking about Trimble at last night’s awards, Bowe told TheScore.ie: “He’s had a fantastic year and, I suppose, a fantastic two years. He was Ulster’s player of the year last season. He won that again and was the Irish player of the year as well.
It is amazing for Andrew and he has had a fantastic season. He’s had a tough time over the last couple of years [before 2014] in the green jersey but it is about taking your opportunity when it comes. He has absolutely grabbed it with two hands.
Upon receiving his Players’ Player of the Year award, Trimble said: “It is an honour to be recognised with this award, especially as it’s voted for by the players. It’s been a great season and this really tops it all off.”
For all of his praise for his provincial teammate, Bowe has his sights on a starting Ireland jersey this summer. Whether he edges out Trimble or Dave Kearney is immaterial, as long as he gets the opportunity to remind Joe Schmidt of his talents.
“Having missed out on the Six Nations, the likes of Andrew, Dave and Fergus McFadden have come in. It is very much their jersey and it is up to us to come and get it off them. For me, I’ll need to be at the top of my game to earn that jersey back.”
Ciaran McDonald is the better footballer I think, O’Connor seems to get a lot of his scores from frees.
Is the last point of the article about Jim McGuiness giving a class on sledging true? First I have heard of it.
Re: the sledging, it is true if you believe what you read it Kevin Cassidy’s book – the book that saw him kicked off the team. Donegal had a team meeting and decided to use it to get into the heads of other teams.
Ciaran McDonald. need I say more…
“He is in the top two or three players in the country” what a joke of a statement. Hardly Mayo bias on Bradys part.
Michael Murphy, James O’Donoghue, Gooch, Paul Flynn to name but a few that are better outside Mayo and I would argue Keith Higgins and Aidan O Shea are better also within the Mayo team. He doesn’t have the speed to ever be the forward Mayo need to win an AI.
Finally saying he is better than Mcdonald should be a form of blasphemy punishable by death.
God, I really wish David Brady would keep quiet! Has he not enough pressure on his shoulders already? He has a long way to go before he can consider himself better than Ciarán MacDonald, James Nallen or even Alan Dillon.
He’s the best cry baby I’ve ever seen
Mayo for Ham
McDonald without a doubt was better,o connor is good but don’t know if he’d make the top 3 in the country even,gooch,brogan,Murphy ahead of him for me
conor McManus is up there too, basically carries Monaghan
He’s a great man to knock over a 14 yard free though in fairness
dosent matter how good he is.all he,ll ever win is connaught medals.
The amount of hype about Mayo in general is unreal. The Newcastle United of Gaelic football
By the most cynical analysts of Ireland Mayo are nowhere outside the top 4 teams of the country, bit of a stretch to compare us to a team nearly relegated in the English league.
Ah come on, I would say we’re the Holland of Gaelic football…
He can be but not yet….
His turning out to be a brilliant footballer. Finally Mayo have a quality scoring forward. Can’t remember Mayo having one of these. Had some serious injuries. Not as good as Ciaran Mc tho.
Id say there’s a few boys who saw Peter Solan, Tom Langan, Eamon Mongey, Pairic Carney, Peter Quinn, and the like who might not agree.
I agree with the Luke fella fully,o Conner is probably the most overated player in the county
He scored one point from play on Sunday…Brady is and always has been a meathead
Era Mayo are only bottlers. They get a dirty nappy when it’s the third Sunday of September. Couldn’t hold it together down in Limerick either.
if he wins an all ireland he will be! your nobody in gaelic or hurling until you have an all ireland senior
NO!
O’connor may be good but better than Ciaran McDonald not a chance.Let me put it this way would O’Connor pull a game out of the fire the way a gooch,brogan or Murphy would??
Conor McManus far better player not just with Monaghan but he was the best player on the pitch in the most recent Compromised Rules match.
No.
When this guy kicks 10 points in an All Ireland then we can have this debate. Bloody hell
This fella comes across as an ignorant fan.