Ulster Schools GAA announce football All-Star team

DERRY minor football captain Fionn McEldowney is a dual All-Star after being named on both the hurling and football teams.

Hogan Cup champions Omagh CBS have one representative on the team, Beragh’s Conor Owens.

Finbarr Roarty becomes the first recipient from St Columba’s Glenties. He is the current Donegal minor captain and scored the insurance point in their recent Ulster league final over Derry.

Ballinderry’s Niall O’Donnell, who has played for Derry seniors this season is one of three players picking up a second award.

O’Donnell’s St Mary’s Magherafelt MacRory winning teammate Conhuir Johnston and Rónán Fox of Loughmacrory are the others.

“Ulster Schools would like to congratulate all these young players who will collect these prestigious awards at the end of the month,” Ulster Schools’ GAA chairman Jimmy Smyth

“Their selection has brought great joy to their schools, especially in the case of Finbarr Roarty who is the first ever from St Columba’s Glenties to gain a schools’ All-star award.

“I would also offer special congratulations to Sleacht Néill’s Fionn McEldowney of St Patrick’s College, Maghera who by winning hurling and football awards in the same year, becomes a member of a small and elite group of dual players.”

Danske Bank Chief Executive Vicky Davies said:

“The Ulster Schools’ All Stars is a celebration of youth sports and is something that Danske Bank is very proud to support. To be nominated for an All Star is an immense achievement and I’d like to congratulate the 29 players across hurling and football receiving this outstanding accolade.”

1
Jamie Mooney
Our Lady’s Castleblayney
Cremartin
Jamie was between the posts as Our Lady’s reached both the Danske Bank Rannafast and MacLarnon Cup finals last year. He has also represented Monaghan at under-age level. With Cremartin, Jamie has won a Monaghan minor championship and is the current minor club captain.

2
Michael Carty
St Patrick’s Dungannon
Killeeshil
Michael has represented the Academy in the Oisín McGrath final and played at all levels for club and school. He has also helped Killeeshil win the Tyrone minor league in 2020.

3
Darragh Mee
Patrician High Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
One of two Carrickmacross Emmett’s players selected in the full-back line, Darragh was on the Patrician High team that won last year’s Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup and helped them reach this year’s MacRory Cup semi-final. He has played at all age-levels for Monaghan including on the u-20 team this year, while at club level he has medals for u-15 championship and minor league.

4
Fionán Carolan
Patrician High Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
The second of the two Emmett’s players, Fionán has shared all of Darragh’s honours for school and club, captaining the minor club league winning team in 2021. He has also represented Monaghan for two seasons at minor level.

5
Finbarr Roarty
St Columba’s Glenties
Naomh Cónaill
Finbarr becomes the first ever player from St Columba’s to win an Ulster schools’ All-star award. He has helped St Columba’s to an Ulster schools’ title at underage level as well as to three schools’ basketball titles. Finbarr has represented Donegal at u-16 and minor level, recently captaining them to the Ulster minor league title. He also holds seven Donegal county under-age titles up to u-15 level.

6
Ryan Duffy
St Colman’s Newry
Culloville
Ryan has captained St Colman’s at every level through the school, wining a Beann Dearg Cup along the way. He has represented Armagh at under-age level including their minor team of 2022, while with Culloville he has won Armagh minor league and championship titles

7
Fionn McEldowney
St Patrick’s Maghera
Sleacht Néill
Fionn picks up his second award as he is also a defender on the hurling team. He has helped St Patrick’s win the Danske Bank Gallagher Cup. Fionn has u-14 and u-16 medals with Slaughtneil and has represented Derry in both codes at under-age level. His sister Céat has won two schools’ camogie All-stars as well as two All-Ireland club medals, while his father Colin has helped Derry win the 2000 and 2001 Ulster senior hurling titles.

8
Niall O’Donnell
St Mary’s Magherafelt
Ballinderry
Niall is picking up his second All-star award as he was a defender on last year’s selection. He was a MacRory Cup winners with St Mary’s last year and this year added a Casement Cup medal. He represented Derry in the Ulster and All-Ireland minor championship in 2022 and featured earlier this year for the county senior team in the Dr McKenna Cup and NFL.

9
Rónán Fox
Dean Mag Uirc Carrickmore
Loughmacrory
Rónán is also collecting his second successive All-star and, like his midfield partner, was a defender in last year’s selection. He has helped Dean Mag Uirc win Rafferty and Markey Cups over the past couple of seasons and he has represented Tyrone at under age level winning an Ulster minor title and under 20 provincial and national titles. With Loughmacrory he holds an u-16 league and championship double.

10
Rónán Cassidy
St Patrick’s Dungannon
Donaghmore.
Rónán has represented the Academy at all levels of schools’ football and has played for Tyrone at under-age level winning an Ulster minor medal in 2021. He has also won a number of county medals with his club through the age-groups

11
Conhuir Johnston
St Mary’s Magherafelt
Cargin
Conhuir is collecting his second schools’ All-star; he was at left half forward in last season’s team. A MacRory Cup medallist last year, he added a Casement Cup hurling medal to his collection this season as St Mary’s went all the way to the All-Ireland final. The Cargin man has represent Antrim at minor level for three years in a row, played in this year’s u-20 team and is currently in the Antrim senior squad. He has a number of under-age medals with Cargin and is also an All-Ireland boxing champion.

12
Eoin Higgins
St Patrick’s Maghera
Dungiven
Eoin has picked up four Ulster schools’ medals during his time in St Patrick’s – at Dalton, Oisín McGrath, Leonard and Rannafast level. He was also part of the Dungiven minor team that took the Derry and Ulster club titles during last autumn.

13
Theo Lowe
St Patrick’s Dungannon
Stewartstown
Another player who has played through the age-groups with the Academy, Theo won a Brian McLarnon Cup medal with Tyrone. This season he was a member of the Harps’ team that won county and Ulster titles before losing in the All-Ireland junior club final in Croke Park.

14
Conor Owens
Omagh CBS
Beragh
Conor previously won a Corn na nÓg medal with Omagh prior to being a key player in their MacRory and Hogan Cup successes of the past few months. He too was part of the Tyrone successes in the Brian McLarnon Cup and Ulster minor championship. Conor also holds multiple Ulster and All-Ireland handball titles representing his club Brackey.

15
Luke McManus
St Macartan’s, Monaghan
Monaghan Harps
Luke has represented the Sem through all the age-groups and has been on Monaghan county squads at all age levels. He is also a talented soccer player, winning the Kennedy Cup and played for the Cavan and Monaghan Underage league at representative level.

Schools’ Football All-stars 1988 – 2023

St Patrick’s, Maghera 60
Abbey CBS, Newry 49
St Patrick’s, Armagh 45
Omagh CBS 44
St Michael’s, Enniskillen 43
St Colman’s, Newry 42
St Patrick’s, Dungannon 31
St Mary’s, Magherafelt 27
St Macartan’s, Monaghan 21
St Michael’s, Lurgan / St Ronan’s Lurgan 14
St Patrick’s, Downpatrick 12
St Eunan’s, Letterkenny 11
Our Lady’s, Castleblayney 11
Patrician High, Carrickmacross 10
St Louis, Kilkeel 9
St Patrick’s, Keady 8
St Paul’s Bessbrook 8
Holy Trinity Cookstown 8
St Mary’s CBS, Belfast 7
St Columb’s, Derry 7
St Patrick’s, Cavan 7
St Ciaran’s Ballygawley 7
Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock 6
St Pius X, Magherafelt 6
De La Salle Ballyshannon 3
Dean Mag Uirc College Carrickmore 3
St Columba’s Stranorlar 2
La Salle, Belfast 2
Loreto, Coleraine 2
Rathmore Grammar, Belfast 2
St Louis, Ballymena 2
Aquinas Grammar Belfast 1
Holy Cross Strabane 1
Pobalscoil, Falcarragh 1
St Joseph’s Donaghmore 1
St MacNissi’s, Garron Tower 1
St Malachy’s, Belfast 1
St Columban’s, Kilkeel 1
Abbey Vocational, Donegal 1
St Mary’s, Limavady 1
Coláiste na Carraige, Carrick 1
Drumragh Integrated, Omagh 1
St Malachy’s, Castlewellan 1
Lumen Christi, Derry 1
Loreto Community School, Milford 1
St Columba’s Glenties 1