THE fourth McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars hurling team was announced on Tuesday evening at a gala dinner in the Whitla Hall and is dominated by Antrim under-age players.
St Louis Ballymena, defeated in the Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup final by St Patrick’s Maghera, have two players included in the selection – Loughgiel’s Eddie Smyth and Cushendall’s Fionntán Bradley.
There is a second Ruairí Óg player in the team, Conor McCann from St Killian’s Garron Tower, and a second Loughgiel player, Ashdon McGarry, who helped Cross & Passion Ballycastle win the Foresters’ Shield.
CPC have two others on the team, Caodhán Crawford and Oisin McCallin, and all three played in the Mageean Cup final at the start of January. Their inclusion means that Cross and Passion have had at least three players on each of the four Future Stars hurling teams announced to date.
At the other end of the spectrum are five schools gaining their first awards, including three Belfast schools and St Benedict’s Randalstown.
Dylan McLarnon helped St Benedict’s win a first ever Danske Bank Noone Cup at the start of March while Caolán McFerron (La Salle), Caolán Wilson (St Mary’s CBGS) and Rónán Taylor (Rathmore Grammar) have all featured prominently for their schools last term.
Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup champions St Patrick’s Maghera not surprisingly have three players included in the team. Full-back Niall McNicholl, team captain Pádraig O’Kane and top-scorer Ruairí Biggs all made the cut in trials held over the Easter break at the Dub.
Padraic McKeever managing director of McKeever Sports who sponsored the awards said:
“We are delighted to be involved with the Queen’s Future Stars programme and are always proud to be involved in showcasing the talent, pride, and passion of the students around the country.
“We are committed to continuously finding new ways of improving the performance of our products, and in turn the athletes who wear them. Our goal is to bring freshness, innovation, and excellent service to each of our customers.
“We look forward to the success of all the Queens Future Stars athletes in 2023 and beyond.”
Ruairí Taylor, Performance Sport Development Officer with Queen’s, congratulated the hurlers who had made it through to the Future Stars final team.
“We at Queen’s are delighted to continue to support and celebrate the work carried out within Ulster Schools for the promotion of all codes of gaelic games.
“The level of skill and commitment shown by all those who took part in the trials is a tribute to the work being done right across the province and the final 15 have really earned their jersey.”
“There were outstanding candidates all over the field, especially in the final trial and there was plenty of evidence on show that Ulster Schools’ hurling is in a very strong place in 2024.”
McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars:
(HURLING)
1 Sean Og McLaren (De La Salle Belfast)
2 Ashdon McGarry (Cross & Passion Ballycastle)
3 Niall McNicholl (St Patrick’s Maghera)
4 Eddie Smyth (St Louis Ballymena)
5 Conor McCann (St Killian’s Garron Tower)
6 Pádraig O’Kane (St Patrick’s Maghera)
7 Dylan McLarnon (St Benedict’s Randalstown)
8 Rónán Taylor (Rathmore Grammar)
9 Caolán Wilson (St Mary’s CBGS Belfast)
10 Fionn Bradley (St Louis Ballymena)
11 Caodhan Crawford (Cross & Passion Ballycastle)
12 Patrick McDaid (St Colm’s Draperstown)
13 Oisin McCallin (Cross & Passion Ballycastle)
14 Ruairí Biggs (St Patrick’s Maghera)
15 Paul McNicholl (St Colm’s Draperstown)
McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars 2024
TWO Antrim players, Leah Stewart and Maeve Devlin “doubled down” when they collected Future Stars awards in both camogie and Ladies football at the awards ceremony.
These awards are made to players in the GCSE age-group and this is the third season of the camogie awards and the second for the LGFA.
Moneyglass forward Leah Stewart is a student in St Mary’s Magherafelt with whom she collected Ulster titles at junior and senior level in camogie before going on to eclipse the All-Ireland junior title.
Her Antrim team-mate in both codes Maeve Devlin is a student in St Dominic’s on the Falls’ Road and she won a senior title in camogie with her school last year as well as picking up Player of the Match in St Dominic’s defeat by Assumption Ballynahinch in the Junior Medallion Shield back in November.
In total there are eight under-age Saffron players featuring in the camogie team including Stewart and Devlin. There are three from Cross & Passion Ballycastle, two from St Killian’s Garron Tower and Cara Boyle from St Louis Ballymena.
The three from Ballycastle are midfielder Eobha McAllister and forwards Marie Laverty and Mary McArthur while Cushendall pair Amy and Maeve McAlister make the cut for St Killian’s. Maeve’s sister Orlaith featured in the very first Queen’s selection two years ago.
Maghera is the top camogie school in the grade for the past three years and that is reflected in the addition of three players to the selection including a third dual star Branagh Brolly.
In the LGFA selection, apart from Maeve Devlin, there are two more St Dominic’s players, Ciara Murray and Niamh McAllister, while Holly McGahey (Coláiste Feirste), Aoibheann Monaghan (Dominican Fortwilliam) and Anna McArdle (Aquinas Grammar) have also made the cut from the schools in the city.
Ulster schools’ camogie chairperson Catherine McGourty feels that the awards scheme raises the profile of ladies’ sport and is a great addition to the schools’ sporting calendar.
“The trials in both codes this year were of a very high standard and it is great to see emerging talent get the recognition they deserve. Some come from schools that are strong in that sport while others are playing at a much lower level in our competitions and making an impression.
“These awards will hopefully give everyone the boost they need to push on into senior schools’ and minor inter-county teams and ultimately have a long and successful career at senior level.”
The McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars in camogie are:
1. Lily Collins – Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock
2. Ellie McCabe – Assumption Ballynahinch
3. Maeve McAlister – St Killian’s Garron Tower
4. Cara Boyle – St Louis Ballymena
5. Ellie McCartney – St Conor’s Kilrea/Clady
6. Mary Therese McCullagh – St Patrick’s Maghera
7. Brannagh Brolly – St Patrick’s Maghera
8. Eobha McAllister – Cross & Passion Ballycastle
9. Maeve Devlin – St Dominic’s Belfast
10. Amy McAlister – St Killian’s Garron Tower
11. Marie Laverty – Cross & Passion Ballycastle
12. Eimear McGeary – St Patrick’s Keady
13. Leah Stewart – St Mary’s Magherafelt
14. Mary McArthur – Cross & Passion Ballycastle
15. Aoibh Mulholland – St Patrick’s Maghera
2023-24 McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars in Ladies Football are:
1. Holly McGahey – Coláiste Feirste
2. Elsie Druse – St Catherine’s Armagh
3. Maeve Devlin – St Dominic’s Belfast
4. Aimee Freeman – Inver College Carrickmacross
5. Ciara Murray – St Dominic’s Belfast
6. Brannagh Brolly – St Patrick’s Maghera
7. Dara Rose McElhinney – St Patrick’s Dungiven
8. Catherine Moohan – St Patrick’s Academy
9. Erin McGinn – St Ciarán’s Ballygawley
10. Leah Stewart – St Mary’s Magherafelt
11. Amy Sheehy – St Patrick’s Academy
12. Aoibheann Monaghan – Dominican Fortwilliam
13. Anna McArdle – Aquinas Grammar
14. Niamh McAllister – St Dominic’s Belfast
15. Aoibhin Donohue – St Ronan’s Lurgan