Camogie All Stars Celebration Night

Ulster Schools’ Camogie All-stars 2022-23

ULSTER Schools’ camogie held their celebration night on Thursday in the Elk restaurant at Toomebridge where they handed out their Player of the Match awards for their senior finals and their All-star awards.

The panel of 24 players is dominated by the three north Antrim schools and St Patrick’s Maghera who featured in the schools’ senior A competition, Corn Uan Uladh earlier this year. Eventual winners Maghera have three All-stars including captain Eavanne Martin who collected her second award and was one of the speakers at the awards dinner.

Since captaining St Patrick’s to last month’s All-Ireland schools’ final where they lost to Loreto Kilkenny, Creggan club player Eavanne has linked up with the Antrim Intermediate team and they lost last weekend’s Very National League final to Wexford by 1-5 to 0-9.

Eavanne Martin with her Camogie Coach Catriona Scott

Joining Eavanne on stage at the Elk were Kilrea club-mates Abi McNeill and Blathnaid McLaughlin also representing St Patrick’s Maghera.

There were also two players from St Colm’s Draperstown – Sinéad McGuigan and Anna McDaid. Anna has just joined the Derry senior squad who play Antrim in the Ulster senior final this weekend (April 29th).

Another Ballinascreen player Amy-Rose Mulligan was also receiving an award. Amy-Rose is a student at St Mary’s Magherafelt and was joined on stage by her team-mate Rachel Keenan, who was receiving her second camogie award – and also won a football All-star award as well.

The three north Antrim schools accounted for 13 of the 24 All-star awrds with four each for Cross & Passion Ballycastle and St Killian’s Garron Tower and five for All-Ireland Mary Moran Cup winners St Louis Ballymena.

The fourteen Antrim players on the Colleges All Star selection

Included in the awards were three Ballycastle sisters, twins Elen and Fay McIntosh, and younger sister Janey, making history as it is the first time three siblings have been included in the same All-star camogie team.

All three played on the same Antrim minor team that won the 2022 Ulster title with Janey adding a second medal last month – both years Antrim beat Derry in the final.

The twins helped the Saffrons to the 2021 All-Ireland minor title and played in last weekend’s Very national league Division 3A final when they lost narrowly to Wexford. Indeed six of the All-stars played for Antrim in that league final and will feature in the All-Ireland Intermediate series against Derry later in the summer.

Already half of the team have represented their county in adult competitions, a clear indication that the competition for places in this year’s All-star team was one of the toughest ever.

The Schools’ camogie council also invited the winning captains of their senior competitions to the dinner and Gavan Duffy of Queen’s GAA Academy presented Player of the Match awards to the following players from those four finals:

Cara Donnelly, St Patrick’s Maghera who scored 1-1 in the final v St Killian’s Garron Tower

Lára Devlin, St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon who captained her team and scored 10 points in the final v St Mary’s Magherafelt

Kellie Shields, Our Lady’s Newry who scored 1-3 in their final against Loreto Cavan

Rachell Mulholland who captained St Dominic’s Belfast to a first title in over 60 years and scored 1-3 from centre half back against Gleann na Ró

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Abbi McNeill of St Killian’s College

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Anna McDaid of St Colum’s Draperstown

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Cara O’Boyle of St Killian’s Garron Tower

Maeve Kelly presents an All Star Award to Janey McIntosh of Cross & Passion College Ballycastle

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Eimear Johston of St Louis, Ballymena.

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Kaitlin Gallagher of St Joseph’s Donaghmore

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Lara Haughey of St Killian’s College

Guest of honour Maeve Kelly presents at All Star award to Sarah Fyfe of St Louis Ballymena.

The All Stars team with chief guest Maeve Kelly (back centre)

Ulster Schools’ Camogie All-stars 2022-23

Eimear Johnston, Eimear McGivern, Erin Coulter, Katie Molloy, Sarah Fyfe (St Louis, Ballymena)

Aoibheann Donnelly, Elen McIntosh, Fay McIntosh, Janey McIntosh (Cross and Passion, Ballycastle)

Abi McNeill, Blathnaid McLaughlin, Eavanne Martin (St Patrick’s, Maghera)

Abi McNeill, Cara O’Boyle, Lára Haughey, Orlaith McAlister (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)

Anna McDaid, Sinéad McGuigan (St Colm’s Draperstown)

Amy-Rose Mulligan, Rachel Keenan (St Mary’s Magherafelt)

Ciara Fitzsimons (Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock)

Kaitlin Gallagher (St Joseph’s Donaghmore)

Lára Devlin (St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon)

Sinéad Quinn (St Patrick’s Keady)

Player of the Match Awards

Gavan Duffy of QUB presents the Senior A – Corn Uan Uladh Player of the Match award to St Patrick’s Maghera’s Cara Donnelly scorer of 1-1 in the final v St Killian’s Garron Tower