Ulster Schools clarify An Dun Mageean Cup absence

Ulster Schools have explained the absence of An Dun from this year’s Mageean Cup Schools hurling competition.

The An Dun team, which was an amalgamated team of the best players from the schools in Down, won the Mageean cup last year.

However, this year they are not taking part in the competition.

Portaferry’s Karol Keating took to twitter to complain

Very disappointing to here tor An Dun Mageean team has been pulled by the @ulsterschools @UlsterGAA Surely this has to be appealed and addressed ASAP @AnDunCandG @OfficialDownGAA @portaferrygac @bailecrann @BallygalgetGAC @BredaghGAC1 @CarryduffCLG @NewryShamrocks @newryhurler1

— karol keating (@mursur01) September 12, 2019

Keating argued that An Dun should be playing in the competition.

The Ulster Schools secretary Seamus Woods told Gaelic Life that the entry for the competition should have been made by June this year, but they had no entry from An Dun by July 10.

When they had not entered, Ulster schools then contacted Down and told them:

“Ulster Schools GAA has been reviewing potential entries for the Mageean Cup, and it has been decided that the entry of ‘An Dun’, as presently constituted, does not conform with the criteria specified in Bye-law 44.

“Bye-law 44 (a) states that “The fundamental and only justification will be development”. As such, we could visualise a Down combination in the ‘B’ tier Casement Cup encompassing all Down schools with the exceptions of OLASP Knock and St Patrick’s Downpatrick (who are catered for as individual entities).”

By way of explanation Ulster Schools told Gaelic Life:

“We were therefore offering hurling at senior (u19) level to students in every school in Down, but we received no response to that email.”

This year’s Mageean Cup includes participation of six teams. Cross and Passion Ballycastle, St Mary’s Belfast, St Patrick’s Maghera, St Louis Ballymena, St Killian’s Garron Tower and a Tyrone amalgamation.

Our Lady and St Patrick’s Knock and St Patrick’s Downpatrick will play senior hurling in the Casement Cup.

The Mageean Cup is the A schools hurling competition.