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DAVID SHANAHAN IS AWARDED THE URSC JACK KYLE BURSARY FOR 2015/16

Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy player, David Shanahan has been awarded the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Jack Kyle Bursary for 2015/16.

SUPPORTERS CLUB NEWS

Ulster Rugby’s Operations Director, Bryn Cunningham said: “We are delighted to nominate David as the recipient of this award. He has stepped up to the senior squad training environment this season and acquitted himself excellently. His physical and technical development over the course of his time in the Academy has prepared him well for the demands of top level professional rugby. When you add in his level of commitment and desire to succeed, we have no doubt that he will continue to excel and push hard within the senior starting squad over the coming years.” Jonathan Bill, Chairman of the URSC said: “I hope the Bursary will both help and encourage Dave in his quest to become a professional rugby player here in Ulster. I can’t think of a better place to receive a rugby education than at Kingspan Stadium, in the Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy, and on the pitch with ultimate professionals like Ruan Pienaar and Paul Marshall to show him the way. “Many thanks to our members for funding the award by buying URSC Big Ballot tickets and to all the local businesses who donated prizes for the Ballot.”

In 2007, the URSC inaugurated the Jack Kyle Bursary. The Bursary is funded by the URSC and is awarded on an annual basis to an up and coming member of the Ulster Rugby Academy. The Bursary is now worth £2,500 and its funding is largely covered by the URSC’s annual ‘Big Ballot’, many prizes for which are generously donated by local businesses and for which the URSC is very grateful. 22 year old scrumhalf, Dave, follows in the footsteps of some famous predecessors. The bursary, which is now in its ninth year, has previously been awarded to Craig Gilroy, Paddy McAlister, Mark McCrea, Ian Whitten, Iain Henderson, Stuart Olding and Angelo Marica. Last season saw the URSC, for the first time, award two Bursaries in the same season, second row Alan O’Connor having received a Bursary in January and Adam McBurney receiving the second in April. Kieran Campbell (Academy Manager) commented: “Dave has been an exemplary member of the Hughes Insurance Academy for three years. An extremely dedicated and conscientious individual, he has applied himself diligently to his development on and off the pitch and this is reflected through his successful completion of a degree in Business at Queen’s University. He is a scrumhalf who provides great tempo to team attack, with his excellent service and decisive decision making. These qualities have seen him graduate to represent the Ulster senior team.”

TO BECOME A MEMBER OR FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.URSC.CO

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