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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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The 2024 Danske Bank Ulster Schools' All Stars team. Pic by Matt Mackey/ Presseye
THE Danske Bank Ulster schools’ All-star teams in hurling and football have just been announced and last year’s Derry All-Ireland minor football winning captain Fionn McEldowney is the name on everyone’s lips.
This time last year he was included in defence in both teams and this week he has slotted right back into both teams, an incredible achievement as just two other people in the 36 years of the Ulster schools’ All-star scheme can match four All-stars.
Former Antrim dual star CJ McGourty won three hurling awards in succession 2004 to 2006 and then the full-forward jersey for football in the 2006. Monaghan’s Bernard O’Brien, who attended school in St Patrick’s Keady, like McEldowney, was included in both teams in 2003 and 2004.
A couple of McEldowney’s All-Ireland team-mates make the football team, both at school in Magherafelt. Éamon Young from St Mary’s is named in defence while Oisín Doherty from St Pius X gets the full-forward jersey.
Oisín’s two older brothers are currently on the Oak Leaf senior panel, with Conor earning plenty of plaudits for his marking job on Ciarán Kilkenny in the Allianz National League final nine days ago.
A second St Patrick’s Maghera defender makes the team. Tiernán McCormack is from the St Ergnat’s club in Moneyglass and has represented Antrim at minor and under 20 level. His father Darren played for Ireland under 17 team against Australia in the Compromise Rules in 1991.
The All-star hurling team was announced a day earlier and there are two more Derry players in it along with Fionn McEldowney.
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire’s Cathal Ó Mianáin is named at full-back in a remarkable family sequence. His brother and current Derry senior hurler Ruairí was on the last two hurling teams while a sister Clíodhna, also a Derry senior, was the first from her school to make the camogie team a year earlier.
Céat McEldowney, sister of Fionn, also won two camogie All-stars and, like Clíodna Ní Mhianáin, collected All-Ireland club medals.
The third hurler to make the cut is Lavey midfielder Charlie Curley who is a student in St Mary’s Magherafelt. Curley helped St Mary’s to a first ever Danske Bank Casement Cup title last season and Ó Mianáin was a star in defence at Christmas when Gaelcholáiste succeeded them with a 2-11 to 0-11 win over Aquinas Belfast.
The football team is broken down into five players from Monaghan, three each from Derry and Donegal and one each from Tyrone, Cavan, Antrim and Down while the hurling 15 is made up from nine Antrim, three from Derry and one each for Tyrone, Armagh and Down.
Jimmy Smyth, chairman of Ulster schools’ GAA, said:
“Congratulations to all of our young footballers and hurlers who have been selected this year as Ulster Schools’ All Stars, joining a long list of talented players, many of whom have made and are still making waves in the world of GAA.
“This year also, we have some young sportsmen collecting these awards for the second year in a row, a fantastic achievement! This certainly emphasises their selection last year and sees them carving a unique niche in the history of our awards, now in their 36th year!
“We express once again our gratitude to our sponsors Danske Bank for their continued support of our games at all levels and indeed their involvement in our All-star scheme.”
Oonagh Murtagh, Head of South Business Centre at Danske Bank said:
“At Danske Bank, we’ve been passionate about helping our society thrive since our beginnings 200 years ago. One way we do that is through our youth sports sponsorships with Ulster Schools GAA, Ulster Schools’ Cup Rugby and the Northern Ireland Football Association.
“The Ulster Schools All Stars is a fantastic, long-standing initiative that recognises outstanding sportsmanship across Gaelic football and hurling each year – and something we’re really proud to be a part of. This year’s GAA competitions have show-cased the very best of our young players. It’s a real testament to how our young footballers and hurlers have been nurtured and developed throughout their school sporting career.
“The commitment and dedication to even be nominated for an All Star is immense, and we’d like to congratulate all of the players selected to participate in the trials as well as the remarkable 30 individuals who made the two All Star teams this year.”
The 15 players selected for the 2023-24 Danske Bank All-star hurling team are:
The 15 players selected for the 2023-24 Danske Bank All-star football team are:
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