Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Football All Stars 2017-8

2017-8 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Football All Stars

1 Eoin O’Boyle (St Eunan’s Letterkenny)

2 Conor Magennis (St Paul’s Bessbrook)

3 Antoin Fox (Omagh CBS)

4 Conor Quinn (St Ciaran’s Ballygawley)

5 Jamie Haughey (St Ronan’s, Lurgan)

6 Brian Diver (St Eunan’s Letterkenny)

7 Aaron Doherty (Coláiste na Carraige Carrick)

8 Oran Mallon (St Patrick’s Dungannon)

9 Oisín McWilliams (St Patrick’s Maghera)

10 Jude McAtamney (St Patrick’s Maghera)

11 Tiernan Kelly (St Ronan’s Lurgan)

12 Patrick Dolan (St Columba’s Stranorlar)

13 James Garrity (Omagh CBS)

14 Oisin Gallen (St Columba’s Stranorlar)

15 Lorcán McWilliams (St Patrick’s Maghera)

• These All-stars are known as the 2017/18 Danske Bank Football All-stars and this is the 31^st year of the Ulster Schools’ All-star scheme.

• Players are selected over the course of two trial games, after being initially nominated by their own school to attend the trials.

The scheme rewards excellence in skill and in sportsmanship and a player who has been sent off in any game between September 1^st and the dates of the trials is ineligible for selection.

• There are 9 different schools represented in the selection, St Patrick’s Maghera gaining 3 awards with 4 schools –St Ronan’s Lurgan, Omagh CBS, St Eunan’s Letterkenny, St Columba’s Stranorlar – picking up two awards each.

• Just four of the nine counties are represented in the team; Donegal have five players, Tyrone four and Derry and Armagh three each.

• The three Derry players all represent the Swatragh club and St Patrick’s Maghera who are through to the Danske Bank MacCormack Cup league final where they play St Ronan’s Lurgan who have two players in the team.

• Oisín (midfield) and Lorcán (corner-forward) McWilliams are the first set of twins to be named as Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ All-stars. Both are already MacRory Cup winners with the school and both were in the Derry minor team that reached the 2017 All-Ireland minor final where they were beaten by Kerry.

• In the four matches Maghera played in the MacCormack Cup competition Lorcán McWilliams has scored a phenomenal 4-32, averaging 1-8 per game.

• Two schools gain All-stars for the first time ever. Aaron Doherty is the first player from Coláiste na Carraige in Carrick in southwest Donegal to be included, while another Donegal school, St Columba’s Starnorlar have two players in the forward line, Patrick Dolan and Oisin Gallen

• As well as winning an All-Ireland under 17 title with Tyrone, full back Antoin Fox from Omagh CBS is also an outstanding handballer. He won the World title in 2012 and in 2016 took both the USA and Irish titles.

• Only nine of the team still have hopes of winning the MacRory Cup next March while the two from St Eunan’s Letterkenny are the only two left in the MacLarnon Cup.

• The other three Donegal players – Aaron Doherty from Coláiste na Carraige and the two boys from St Columba’s Stranorlar – are all playing for the Markey Cup

• In overall terms, there is no change in the top places of the leader-board for awards won over the past 31 years. St Patrick’s Maghera move further ahead of Abbey CBS with 55 football awards over that period.

2017/8 Danske Bank Ulster Colleges’ Football All Stars – pen pictures

• Goalkeeper : Eoin O’Boyle

School : St Eunan’s, Letterkenny

Club: St Eunan’s, Letterkenny

Eoin has played at all grades for his school and represented Donegal at inter-county under-age level and was part of the county team that reached the Ulster under 17 league final in 2017.

With his club team he has been part of the three in a row Donegal minor championship teams and also collected an Ulster under 16 medals as winners of the Paul McGirr Tournament.

• Right Corner Back : Conor Magennis

School : St Paul’s Bessbrook
Club: Killeavy

Two seasons ago, Conor picked up a place on the inaugural Ulster Schools’ rising Star team and has also won a Danske Bank MacCormack Cup with St Paul’s.

He has been on Armagh under-age panels including this year at minor level, whiel he has enjoyed under-age success with his club, wining an under 14 league and championship double, an under 16 championship Shield and was also part of the team that won the Armagh Intermediate title this year.

• Full-back: Antoin Fox

School : Omagh CBS
Club: Loughmacrory

Antoin has collected a Danske Bank Dalton Cup medal on his way through Omagh CBS, but it is at county level that he has enjoyed most success, being part of the Tyrone team that won the Ulster under 17 league and championship as well as the inaugural All-Ireland title at this age-group. He also won an Ulster minor league with Tyrone in 2017. He has also helped Loughmacrory reach county finals at under 16 and under 21 levels.

Antoin is also an outstanding handballer. He won the World title in 2012 and in 2016 took both the USA and Irish titles

• Left Corner Back: Conor Quinn

School : St Ciaran’s Ballygawley
Club: Galbally Pearse’s

Conor has picked up Danske Bank Ulster Colleges’ medals for Treanor, Rafferty and MacLarnon Cups on his journey through St Ciaran’s as well as a Rising Star award from QUB

He was also part of the Tyrone team that won the Ulster under 17 and minor league titles and has won county Féile and under 21 titles with Galbally.

• Right-half back : Jamie Haughey

School : St Ronan’s, Lurgan
Club: Wolfe Tone’s Derrymacash

Jamie has won last season’s MacCormack Cup with St Ronan’s and is back again in the final in search of a second medal. He has played at all under-age levels for Armagh up to and including minor level last season.

With Wolfe Tone’s he has collected two Under 16 championships and one under 16 league title.

• Centre-half back : Brian Diver

School : St Eunan’s, Letterkenny

Club: Letterkenny Gaels

Brian has played at all levels for his school and is part of the Danske Bank MacLarnon team that has reached the quarter-finals of the competition.

He helped Letterkenny Gaels reach their first under 16 county final last year.

• Left-half back : Aaron Doherty

School : Coláiste na Carraige Carrick
Club: Naomh Columba Gleann Cholm Cille

Aaron is the first student ever from his school to pick up a Schools’ All-star award. With Coláiste na Carraige he has won Arthurs and Markey Cups and also lost finals in both competitions.

At inter-county level, Aaron has won a Buncrana Cup and is currently in the county Under 21 squad and was the Donegal Sportsperson of July 2017.

He has helped Naomh Columba win the under 16 league and championship double as well as the minor county league.

• Midfield : Oran Mallon

School : St Patrick’s Dungannon

Club: Thomas Clarke’s Dungannon

Although Oran has not enjoyed a fruitful career at schools’ level, he has collected Ulster league medals at under 17 and minor level with Tyrone.

With the Clarke’s he has won the under 16 league and championship double as well as a minor league title.

Oran also excels at soccer and has won a NI Cup medal with Dungannon United Youth team

• Midfield : Oisín McWilliams

School : St Patrick’s Maghera

Club: Michael Davitt’s Swatragh

Oisín, along with brother Lorcán, become the first set of twins to claim Danske Bank All-star awards. Both have achieved much success at school and inter-county level winning medals for the Danske Bank O’Farrell, Dalton, Corn na nÓg, Brock and MacRory Cup competitions and they were on the St Patrick’s Maghera side that reached the 2016 Hogan Cup final.

With Derry the pair have collected an Ulster minor medal in 2017 and reached the All-Ireland final. Along the way Oisín picked up an Electric Ireland Minor All-star award

• Right-half forward : Jude McAtamney

School : St Patrick’s Maghera

Club: Michael Davitt’s Swatragh

Jude has enjoyed a successful school career during which he collected medals for the Danske Bank O’Farrell, Dalton, Corn na nÓg and Brock Cup competitions. With the Davitt’s he has won a Hughes McElwee Cup and he hopes to follow his older brothers who have MacRory and Hogan medals with the school.

• Centre-half forward : Tiernan Kelly

School : St Ronan’s, Lurgan
Club: Clann Éireann Lurgan

Tiarnan is the proud owner of Danske Bank Treanor and MacCormack Cup medals and hopes to add a second MacCormack when St Ronan’s meet St Patrick’s Maghera in the final.

Tiernan has represented Armagh at under-age level and is a member of a very successful Clann Éireann club side that has won three Armagh under 16 league and championships and an Ulster under 16 club title. This season they have just won the Armagh minor championship.

• Left-half forward : Patrick Dolan

School : St Columba’s Stranorlar
Club: St Mary’s Convoy.

Patrick, along with full-forward Oisin Gallen, become the first players from St Columba’s Stranorlar to win a Danske Bank schools’ All-star. Although he has not tasted much success with the school teams, Patrick started in the forward line for Donegal minors this year and he is currently in the under 20 squad for next season.

He is part of the St Mary’s Convoy team that is moving up the grades winning the under 21 championship and promotion from Division 4 this season. Patrick’s father has played senior for Mayo.

• Right-corner forward : James Garrity

School : Omagh CBS

Club : St Macartan’s Trillick.

James has won little with his school teams but was a member of the Tyrone Minors that won the Ulster Minor league in 2017.

Two years ago he won an under 16 title in Tyrone with St Macartan’s and he hopes to play senior regularly for his club this coming season.

• Full forward : Oisin Gallen

School: St Columba’s Stranorlar

Club: Seán Mac Cumhaill’s

Oisin scored 1-11 in the 2016 Danske Bank Arthurs Cup final to help St Columba’s to a first title at this level.

He has been part of every Donegal under-age squad right up to minor level and is currently in the under 20 panel for the coming season.

He was player of the Match in the recent Donegal under 21B final, helping Seán Mac Cumhaill’s to the title.

Along with Patrick Dolan he becomes the first players from St Columba’s to collect Danske Bank All-star awards

• Left-corner forward :  Lorcán McWilliams

School : St Patrick’s Maghera

Club: Michael Davitt’s Swatragh

Lorcán, along with brother Oisín, become the first set of twins to claim Danske Bank All-star awards. Both have achieved much success at school and inter-county level winning medals for the Danske Bank O’Farrell, Dalton, Corn na nÓg, Brock and MacRory Cup competitions and they were on the St Patrick’s Maghera side that reached the 2016 Hogan Cup final.

With Derry the pair have collected an Ulster minor medal in 2017 and reached the All-Ireland final.

With four games played in the MacCormack Cup series, Lorcán has already amassed a total of four goals and 32 points, averaging a magnificent 1-8 per game

Schools’ Football All-stars 1988 – 2018

40 SCHOOLS