Local players honoured with All Star awards

Pictured are Tiarnan Butler, Cross & Passion Ballycastle; Matthew McGleenan, Chairman of Ulster Colleges GAA; Brenda Kerr, Danske Bank and Alex OBoyle, Cross & Passion Ballycastle. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Players are selected over the course of two trial games, after being initially nominated by their own school to attend the trials.

The scheme rewards excellence in skill and in sportsmanship and a player who has been sent off in any game between September 1st and the dates of the trials is ineligible for selection.

St Louis, Ballymena have six players in the final line-up, which equals the biggest ever representation from a single schooland four of the six are from the Dunloy club, that won the Antrim minor title this year – Ryan and Ciarán Elliot, Eoin O’Neill and Conal Doherty-Cunning.

Goalkeeper Ryan Elliott is a son of former Dunloy, Antrim and Ulster goalie Shane, who was the very first Ulster Colleges’ All-star goalie in 1988.

James McNaughton, another St. Louis pupil has proved his talents as an all round sportsman.

As well as his All Star selection, James has won Antrim and Ulster boxing titles.

His father Seamus was a member of the Loughgiel All-Ireland winning team of 1983 and his brother Nicholas was a Colleges’ All-star four years ago.

Cross and Passion’s Tiarnan Butler, last year’s midfielder, who is now at centre-half back, picks up his second All Star award. Tiarnan (TT) was Player of the Match in Cross and Passion’s All-Ireland final win last April.

Tianan is joined in the All Stars by his Cross and Passion teammate Alex O’Boyle bringing the tally for the Ballycastle school’s total to 55 hurling All Star awards.

Meanwhile Year 13 Cross and Passion pupil Caoimhe Wright and Aine Donnelly have received Camogie awards.

This is a great achievement for the pupils and recognition of the huge amount of hard work and dedication put in over the years by themselves and their club and school coaches.