THREE of Cork’s rising stars were yesterday honoured at The Ambassador Hotel by the Evening Echo.

Nathalie O’Brien, Phil Healy and Margaret Cremen were selected as the first quarter winners as the prestigious Evening Echo Ladies Sports Star Awards rolls into its 12th year.

The high-profile event is as popular as ever, with three different sports acknowledged in the opening phase of 2018.

Soccer ace Nathalie O’Brien was an FAI Cup winner with Cork City Women’s FC last season and to date this year has represented Ireland and is also in line to feature in the Champions League for Doncaster.

Sprinter Phil Healy has set personal bests in the 200-metre and 400-metre events since a move to train and attend college in Waterford. After excelling in the European Indoor meet, her ultimate goal is the Outdoor Championships this August.

Margaret Cremen is another Cork rower who is combining local and international achievement. She captured the Cork Sculling Ladder for three years in a row, as well as medalling for her country.Picture: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Fintan Brennan and Joan Healy in The Ambassador Hotel. Picture: Larry Cummins

Joan Healy, a sprinter in her own right, and Fintan Brennan were on hand to collect Phil Healy’s award, while Margaret Cremen was joined by her father Declan.

Nathalie O’Brien’s family was out in force, including her grandparents Clare and Ted O’Brien, as well as Shannon, Michelle and Alex O’Brien.

Christina Di Federico, sales and marketing manager for The Ambassador Hotel, and Maurice Gubbins, Evening Echo editor, presented the awards and were joined by John McHale, sports editor of the Evening Echo, Karen O’Donoghue, Lisa Coughlan, Nicola Cullinane, Éamonn Murphy, Rory Noonan and Barbara O’Connell.

“We’re very fortunate in the Evening Echo to cover the best athletes in the country,” said John McHale. “Inevitably if you’re the best in Cork then you’re the best in Ireland as well, and often the world.

“This has been the case in the 11 years of our awards so far and the competition was as fierce as ever when it came to selecting the three winners for the first quarter of 2018.”