Ulster Schools GAA announce hurling All-Star team

ULSTR Schools GAA have announced their 2022-23 hurling All-Stars with Ruairí Ó Mianáin and Tomás Galvin picking up their second awards.

Ó Mianáin is on both Derry u-20 football and hurling panels, while breaking to the Sleacht Néill senior team in both codes.

Galvin has played in the NHL for Armagh, with Oran Donnelly following in his father Ronan’s footsteps who was a winner in 1990.

Mageean Cup champions St Louis Ballymena lead the way with four awards with St Killian’s Garron Tower on three.

“Ulster Schools would like to congratulate all these young men who have now joined a long list of previous winners,” commented Chairman of Ulster schools’ GAA Jimmy Smyth.

“The hope is that they will emulate the many former winners who have gone on to have a long and successful career with their club and county.

“Their selection today has brought great joy to their schools, especially in Gaelcholáiste Dhoire and St Patrick’s Keady, to where Ruairí Ó Mianáin and Tomás Galvin bring their second awards.”

Danske Bank Chief Executive Vicky Davies also

“The Ulster Schools’ Al- Stars is a celebration of GAA youth sports and is something that Danske Bank is very proud to support. The players’ passion and dedication is inspiring and it’s great to see so many young people thrive through sport,” she said.

2022-23 Danske Bank Colleges’ Hurling All-star Profiles

1
John V Morgan
St Killian’s Garron Tower
Cushendun
John V holds a Danske Bank MacNamee Cup medal with St Killian’s and was between the posts in the Mageean Cup final. He has won two McMullan Cups, two under-age Antrim leagues and a Darragh Cup at club level. He has also collected silverware in rugby and soccer and has been junior captain in Cushendall Golf Club.

2
Kevin O’Boyle
St Louis Ballymena
Cloughmills
Kevin has collected Danske Bank Ulster schools’ medals for the Thompson, Leonard and Mageean Cups. He holds a two under 16 championship, an under 17 league and a minor B championship at club level and was a member of Antrim side that won the under 16 Leinster B championship.
He also plays rugby and has won an Ulster u-16 title.

3
Ben McGarry
Cross & Passion Ballycastle
Loughgiel
Ben comes from a strong hurling family with both his father and grandfather All-Ireland club medallists with Loughgiel. Ben has won a Danske Bank Thompson Cup with CPC and an array of county medals with his club, including three minor and two under 20 championships and an Ulster club title in December. He also holds a provincial title with Antrim

4
Fionn McEldowney
St Patrick’s, Maghera
Sleacht Néill
Fionn picks up two awards here tonight as he is also a defender on the Football team. He has helped St Patrick’s win the Danske Bank Gallagher Cup.
Fionn has u-14 and u-16 medals with Sleacht Néill 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.

5
Enda McGurk
St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast
Naomh Eoin
Enda has represented his school and club right through the age-groups in both hurling and football. He has also claimed an Irish Waterpolo title as captain of his team and has represented Ireland in the European qualifiers. His father is a MacRory Cup medallist.

6 Liam Glackin
Cross & Passion Ballycastle
Loughgiel
Liam has collected Danske Bank MacNamee, Gallagher and recently Foresters’ Cup medals with CPC. With Loughgiel he has won a large number of county medals with his club, including two minor championships and an Ulster club title in December. He also holds a provincial minor title with Antrim as well as a Harry Gregg Cup soccer medal.

7 Aodhán McGarry
St Louis Ballymena
All Saints and Dunloy
Aodhán captained St Louis to the Danske Bank Mageean Cup this year and was Player of the Match in the final. He holds Thompson and Leonard Cup medals and has captained Antrim to the Leinster B title as well as lifting two Ulster titles. A dual player he holds an All-Ireland Féile football title with All Saints. His brother Ryan, a current Antrim senior player, was an All-star in the half-back line six years ago.

8 Darragh Patterson
St Louis Ballymena
oughgiel
Darragh holds Danske Bank Thompson, Leonard and Mageean Cup medals with St Louis as well as a host of county medals with Loughgiel, including three minor and an Ulster club title in December. He holds an Ulster u-20 medal with Antrim and helped them to win a Leinster minor B title. His other interest is Ju-Jitsu and he is a world title holder at under age level.

9 Oran Donnelly
Cross & Passion Ballycastle
Ballycastle
Oran is a former county Féile na Gael skills’ champion and comes from a strong hurling family. His father Ronan was at midfield in the 1990 hurling All-star team before going on to represent Antirm and Ulster at senior level and playing for Ireland in the Shinty International. Oran has represented Antrim at underage level winning a Leinster title and he is currently playing for Cliftonville.

10 Ruairí Ó Mianáin
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire
Sleacht Néill
Ruairí is winning his second All-star. He featured in the half-forward line in last year’s selection. Since then he has captained Gaelcholáiste Dhoire to a first ever Danske Bank Casement Shield and was a regular in the Sleacht Néill senior team that won last year’s Derry championship. A dual player, he has won under-age Derry titles in both codes and represents the Oak Leaf u-20s.

11 Shea Pucci
Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock
Ballygalget
Shea is following in his brother Eoin’s footsteps as Eoin collected an All-star award in hurling last year. Eoin has a Danske Bank MacNamee Cup and captained Down at minor level.
He holds Down championship medals at u-15 and 17 levels and was player of the Match in the minor final. He was in Ulster rugby squads for two seasons

12 Cormac McKeown
St Killian’s Garron Tower
Glenravel
Cormac captained St Killian’s to last year’s Foresters’ Cup and also holds two MacNamee Cup medals. Another Leinster minor B medallist, he recently won an Ulster u-20 medal. A dual player, he has won medals in both codes with Con Magee’s. He has also represented his school in Cross Country and Athletics and represented his province in Athletics

13 Joseph McLaughlin
St Killian’s Garron Tower
Cushendall
Joseph has collected two MacNamee and a Foresters’ Cup medal in the St Killian’s colours. Recently he won an Ulster u-20 medal and also holds a Leinster Minor B medal. With Ruairí Óg he has won an All-Ireland Féile na nGael title, an u-14 championship and McMullan Cup.

14 Tomás Galvin
St Patrick’s Keady
Keady
Like Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Tomás was selected in last year’s All-star forward line and he has won a Danske Bank MacFarland Cup with St Patrick’s. He has won Armagh championships at various levels, including two minors and this season he made his debut on the senior county team when he came off the bench against Louth in the National League

15 Jack McCloskey
St Louis Ballymena
Loughgiel~
Jack has won Leonard and Mageean Cups with St Louis as well as Leinster minor B and Ulster u-20 medals with Antrim.
A prolific scorer he has helped Loughgiel to many county medals, including three minor and two u-20 championships as well as an Ulster minor club title in December.

Schools’ Hurling All-stars 1988 – 2023

St Mary’s CBS, Belfast 93
St Patrick’s, Maghera 83
Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 67
St MacNissi’s/ St Killian’s, Garron Tower 63
St Louis, Ballymena 55
La Salle, Belfast 33
St Patrick’s, Downpatrick 17
St Patrick’s, Keady 21
St Patrick’s, Armagh 16
Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock 17
Rathmore Grammar, Belfast 7
Loreto, Coleraine 7
St Patrick’s Dungannon 6
St Columba’s, Portaferry 4
St Michael’s, Enniskillen 4
Coláiste Feirste, Belfast 4
Aquinas Grammar, Belfast 3
St Colman’s Newry 3
St Louis, Kilkeel 3
Edmund Rice CBS Glengormley 2
Omagh CBS 2
St Mary’s Magherafelt 2
St Malachy’s Belfast 2
Abbey CBS 2
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire 2
Glen Rd. CBS, Belfast 1
St Eunan’s, Letterkenny 1
St Aidan’s Cootehill 1
St Patrick’s Dungiven 1
St Columb’s Derry 1
St Ronan’s Lurgan 1