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Orlagh McCall is getting fairly used to the Ulster Colleges’ Council announcing their annual Camogie All-star team.
Colleges’ Secretary Sr Mairead Fearan called out the St Genevieve’s player’s name for the third time in four years in launching the 2008 Bank of Ireland Ulster Colleges’ team at the Bank Headquarters in Belfast yesterday – Monday 14th January.
She first made the team in the 2005 selection, but missed the whole of the 2006 season after undergoing surgery on her knee before returning to action last year.
Her Rossa and school colleague Mairiosa McGourty on the other hand gains her first award – adding to the family haul that her brothers Kieran, Kevin and CJ have achieved in hurling and football over the years.
Both Mairiosa and Orlagh are Antrim county players and the Saffrons have done pretty well in this selection.
No fewer than 9 of the Antrim Minor team that eclipsed the All-Ireland title in August have been included – Emma Connolly, Emma McMullan and Louise McKeown (Cross & Passion College Ballycastle), Shannon Graham, Louise McAleese and Katie McAleese (St Louis Ballymena) and Clare Laverty and Cathy Carey – both from Creggan but students in St Mary’s Magherafelt.
St Mary’s, the current All-Ireland senior Colleges’ champions, have staked claim to six places on the selection.
Full-back Aileen McCusker is included for the second year in succession – an honour she shares with Emma Connolly, Shannon Graham, Louise McAleese, Kerrie Graham (St Pius X) and goalie Catherine Toner from St Patrick’s Keady.
Ballinascreen couins Eimear and Christine McKenna along with Keelin Bradley complete the All-Ireland champions’ haul.
Cross & Passion Ballycastle have four players selected suggesting they are the main threat to Magherafelt retaining their Ulster title over the next couple of weeks.
Ballycastle play Keady, while Magherafelt have a derby semi-final with St Patrick’s Maghera on Saturday. Both Keady and Maghera as Senior A semi-finalists will be disappointed with single representatives each.
Elsewhere there is a first award for St Mark’s Warrenpoint. Clonduff forward Paula Gribben however is joined on the team by her club and county colleague Sara Louise Carr.
Sara Louise is daughter of Down football manager Ross and sister of Fionnuala who gained a national All-star nomination last November.
Another former player Down and Ulster hurler Chris Mageean will be pleased to see daughter Mßire make the team as well.
Billy Kehoe, Head of Bank of Ireland Branch Distribution for Northern Ireland said: “”We’ve enjoyed some hard fought battles on the pitch before Christmas and seen some stunning individual performances from the players. Indeed we look forward in anticipation to some great semi-finals and finals over the next couple of weeks.””
“”On behalf of Bank of Ireland I’d like to congratulate all the players on being awarded an All Star and wish you all the best of luck in your sporting futures.””
23 players in total have been selected and – as has been the case since the introduction of the All-stars in 2004 Camogie Centenary Year – they will represent Ulster in the inter-provincial Colleges’ tournament in the middle of March.
Sr. Mairead on behalf of Ulster Colleges’ Council congratulated the players on their selection.
“”The selection however is only the first step in the All-star process. We look forward to working with the players in preparing for the inter-provincials. The trials were of a very high standard and I’m confident this group of players will do their province proud in March.””
The All-star Presentation Dinner will take place shortly after the inter-pros.
Colleges’ All-star pen-pics :
Name : Aine Kelly
School : St Patrick’s College, Maghera
Club : Dungiven
Aine captained Derry to the All-Ireland under 16 title in a replay over Waterford in September and has played for her club senior team. She has won several Ulster Colleges’ medals and was on the school team that reached the All-Ireland Junior final in 2006.
Name : Kerrie Graham
School : St Pius X College, Magherafelt
Club : Ballinderry Shamrocks
Kerrie has a runner-up medal from the Liatroim Fontenoys’ Cup final last year. She also holds schools’ medals at under 14, 16 and 19 levels. She has several under-age medals with Ballinderry and also plays Gaelic football. This is her second All-star.
Name : Sara Louise Carr
School : Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry
Club : Clonduff Shamrocks
Sara Louise won 2 Ulster and 1 All-Ireland minor medals and was top-scorer as her club Clonduff won their first ever Down senior title last year. She was a key player in Our Lady’s taking their first Ulster Colleges’ title last year. Sara Louise – a sister of Fionnuala who was nominated for a national All-star in 2007 – is on the Down senior panel.
Name: Clare Laverty
School: St. Mary’s, Magherafelt
Club : Creggan Kickhams
Clare played in the Antrim half-back line that won the All-Ireland title in August, and was also prominent in St Mary’s first senior All-Ireland Colleges’ success last spring. She holds Ulster Colleges’ medals at all levels.
Name : Aileen McCusker
School : St. Mary’s, Magherafelt
Club : Ballinderry Shamrocks
Aileen has won a total of 10 Ulster Colleges’ medals with St. Mary’s and played full-back for the senior team in their run to the All-Ireland title. She holds an Ulster U-14 medal with Derry and various under-age league and championship medals with Ballinderry. This is her second All-star.
Name : Christine McKenna
School : St. Mary’s, Magherafelt
Club : Ballinascreen
Christine was centre-half back on the St Mary’s team that won the All-Ireland Colleges’ Senior title last spring. She holds Ulster Colleges’ medals at all levels and also many under-age medals with her club Ballinascreen including an All-Ireland FÚile na nGael title.
Name : Cathy Carey
School : St. Mary’s, Magherafelt
Club : Creggan Kickhams
An All-Ireland minor medallist in the Antrim forward line in August, Cathy played at midfield for St Mary’s in last year’s All-Ireland success. She holds Ulster Colleges’ medals at all levels.
Name : Eimear McKenna
School : St. Mary’s, Magherafelt
Club : Ballinascreen
Eimear was corner-forward on the St Mary’s team that won the All-Ireland Colleges’ Senior title last spring. She has won a number of Ulster Colleges’ medals in both defence and attack and has many under-age medals with her club Ballinascreen including an All-Ireland FÚile na nGael title.
Name : Keelin Bradley
School: St. Mary’s, Magherafelt
Club : Greenlough
Keelin was centre-half forward on the St Mary’s team that won the All-Ireland Colleges’ senior title last spring. She holds Ulster Colleges’ medals at all levels and has played senior for her club for the past three years.
Name : Shannon Graham
School : St. Louis Grammar, Ballymena
Club: Creggan Kickhams
Shannon was on the Antrim side that won the All-Ireland minor title last August. She has also played at senior level for Antrim and has won one Ulster Under 14 and two Under 16 championship medals. She has a number of Antrim medals with Creggan as well as an Ulster club medal. Last year she helped St. Louis win the Fr Davies’ Cup. Shannon is also an accomplished Gaelic footballer with 4 provincial medals. This is her second All-star.
Name: Louise McAleese
School: St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena
Club: Geraldine’s Portglenone
Louise was on the Antrim side that won the All-Ireland minor title last August. She has won one Ulster Under 14 and two Under 16 championship medals and scored the goal that clinched the All-Ireland under 16 title for Antrim in 2004. Last year she helped St. Louis win the Fr Davies’ Cup. She plays Gaelic Football with her school. This is her second All-star.
School: St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena
Club: Geraldine’s Portglenone
Louise was on the Antrim side that won the All-Ireland minor title last August. She has won one Ulster Under 14 and two Under 16 championship medals and scored the goal that clinched the All-Ireland under 16 title for Antrim in 2004. Last year she helped St. Louis win the Fr Davies’ Cup. She plays Gaelic Football with her school. This is her second All-star.
Name : Katie McAleese
School: St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena
Club: Geraldine’s Portglenone
Club: Geraldine’s Portglenone
Katie is an All-Ireland minor medallist with Antrim and has two Ulster under 14 medals. She captained St Louis to the Liatroim Fontenoys’ Cup title last year and also won a Fr Davies Cup medal.
Name : Br¾nagh Heggarty
School : St. MacNissi’s College, Garron Tower
Club : RuairÝ Ëg, Cushendall
Br¾nagh captained St MacNissi’s to their first Ulster Colleges’ under 16 title in October. She has also played in two Colleges’ Senior finals. She holds an Ulster under 14 medal with Antrim and has played at all levels for her club.
Name : Emma McMullan
School : Cross and Passion, Ballycastle
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Emma captained Cross & Passion to last year’s Corn Eimhear and was in the Antrim team that won the All-Ireland minor title. She holds two Ulster under 14 medals with Antrim and played in the Antrim senior final for Loughgiel against Rossa.
Name : Louise McKeown
School : Cross and Passion, Ballycastle
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Louise won a Corn Eimhear medal last year and was in the Antrim team that won the All-Ireland minor title. She holds two Ulster under 14 medals with Antrim and played in the Antrim senior final for Loughgiel against Rossa.
Name : Emma Connor
School : Cross and Passion, Ballycastle
Club : McQuillan’s, Ballycastle
Emma captained Antrim to the Ulster under 14 title – one of three medals she has won at that level. With Cross & Passion she has won a Corn Eimhear title and with her club three successive Antrim FÚile na nGael titles and two All-Ireland FÚile titles.
Name : Emma Connolly
School : Cross and Passion, Ballycastle
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Emma has played at all levels with Antrim winning Ulster titles at under 14, under 16 and under 18 championship and also All-Ireland under 16 and Minor titles.
School : Cross and Passion, Ballycastle
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Emma has played at all levels with Antrim winning Ulster titles at under 14, under 16 and under 18 championship and also All-Ireland under 16 and Minor titles.
With Cross and Passion, she has won the Liatroim Fontenoys’ and Fr Davies’ Cups, while she has many under-age medals with her club Loughgiel Shamrocks. This is her second All-star.
Name : Orlagh McCaul
School : St. Genevieve’s Belfast
Club O’Donovan Rossa
Orla is winning a third All-star, her first coming in 2005, followed by a second last year. She holds All-Ireland minor and under 16 championship medals with Antrim and Ulster league and championship medals at under 16 and under 18 level.
With Rossa, Orla has 4 Antrim and Ulster Senior league and championship medals and played in an All-Ireland Senior club final.
Name : Mairiosa McGourty
School : St. Genevieve’s Belfast
Club O’Donovan Rossa
Mairiosa has won Ulster medals at under 14 level and represented the Saffrons at under 16 level. With Rossa, she has 3 Antrim and Ulster Senior league and championship medals and played in an All-Ireland Senior club final.
Name : Mßire Mageean
School : Assumption Grammar Ballynahinch
Club : Portaferry
Mßire has played at under 14 and under 16 level for Down and is a regular for her club senior team having collected a number of county medals at under-age level. Mßire was Down under Player of the Year a couple of seasons ago.
Name : Paula Gribben
School : St Mark’s Warrenpoint
Club : Clonduff Shamrocks
Paula holds Ulster and All-Ireland Minor medals with Down and played in midfield for her club Clonduff when they won the Down Senior title for the first time last July. She is the first player from her school to gain an All-star.
Name : Catherine Toner
School : St. Patrick’s Keady
Club : St. Brenda’s Ballymacnab
Catherine has won Ulster championship medals at under 14 and under 16 with Armagh and collected Liatroim Fontenoys’ and Fr Davies’ Cup medals with her school. She also holds numerous Armagh championship and league titles with her club as well as two All-Ireland FÚile na nGael titles. This is her second All-star.
Name : Noleen McKenna
School : Southern Regional Campus Armagh
Club : St. Patrick’s Keady
Noleen has won Ulster championship medals at under 14 and under 16 with Armagh and collected Liatroim Fontenoys’ and Fr Davies’ Cup medals with her previous school (St Patrick’s Keady). She also holds numerous Armagh championship and league titles with her club.
Noleen broke through into the Keady club senior team this year and won Armagh and Ulster medals. She scored in the All-Ireland club final defeat to Harps of Laois.
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