Hurling All Stars 2025 Announced
April 07, 2025
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools Hurling All-Stars for 2025đź‘Ź
The 15 players selected for the 2023-24 Danske Bank All-star hurling team are:
1. Cian Clarke, Lecale Trinity Downpatrick
2. James Sargent, St Mary’s Magherafelt
3. Colla Ward, St Killian’s Garron Tower
4. Cathal Ó Mianáin, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire
5. Jack Martin, St Louis Ballymena.
6. Charlie McAuley, St Killian’s Garron Tower
7. Liam Glackin, Cross & Passion Ballycastle
8. Ronan Fitzgerald, Cross & Passion Ballycastle
9. Calum McIlwaine, St Killian’s Garron Tower
10. Oran McCambridge, St Killian’s Garron Tower
11. Callagh Mooney, St Killian’s Garron Tower
12. Fionntán Bradley, St Louis Ballymena
13. Conor Donnelly, Cross & Passion Ballycastle
14. Thomas McLaughlin, St Killian’s Garron Tower
15. Roan McGarry, Cross & Passion Ballycastle
First for the new school of @LecaleTrinity, Goal Keeper Cian Clarke takes this year’s number 1 position. Previously winning Danske Bank Mageean & McGreevy Cup medals, the @BallygalgetGAC player has won Championship & League medals with his club and is a current @officialdowngaa U20 player.
James Sargent is the first corner back on the team and has won Danske Bank Casement Cup and Kirk Cup medals with @StMarysGSM. The @Doiregaa player has also won Minor and U16 Hurling Championships with his club @laveygac .
For the second year running Colla Ward is selected in the full back line, starring for @StKilliansTD in the Danske Bank Mageean Cup campaign over the last two years, the talented Oisin Glenariff Man has picked up a Peadar O’Lathlinn medal with @AontroimGAA .
For the 4th year in a row an Ó Mianáin brother has been awarded an Danske Bank Ulster Schools All Star as Cathal picks up his 2nd award in the full back line. The @GACSlaughtneil Dual player has won many medals with @GCD_DunGeimhin including Casement Cup, Casement Shield & Kirk Cup.
The Half back line select starts with Number 5 Jack Martin who has starred in many Danske Bank Ulster schools’ competitions for @SLGBallymena . The @DunloyGAC player has won numerous club championships & leagues through the years along with an Ulster Minor title.
The first of the @RuairiOgCLG players selected is Charlie McAuley who starred for @StKilliansTD through the years being successful in Danske Bank Mageean, Thompson, Foresters & McNamee Campaigns. The Centre half back also won an Ulster Minor championship medal with @AontroimGAA
For the 3rd year in a row Liam Glackin has been selected in the half back line. The @CpcBallycastle captain added a Danske Bank Mageean Cup medal to his school collection this year & lead the Ballycastle men to All Ireland Glory. Liam previously won a provincial title with his club @loughgielgac along with several County Medals.
The Second player from the Danske Bank Mageean winning @CpcBallycastle team is midfielder Rónán Fitzgerald. The former QUB Future star, has featured for his county @AontroimGAA
& won many medals with school and club @loughgielgac including two Minor Championships.
The 2nd Oisin Glenariff player is Calum McIlwaine, the @StKilliansTD star, is following in his father’s footsteps, who also was awarded an All Star in 1993. The Midfielder played a vital role in Garrontowers Paddy Buggy Success in 23/24 & has starred in many different Danske Bank Schools competitions over the years.
At wing half forward Oran McCambridge from @StKilliansTD takes number 10 spot, another player following in his father’s footsteps, who also won a Colleges All Star in 1993. Oran has won many Danske Bank schools medals & had success with his club @RuairiOgCLG
The 4th player who was also selected on last year’s team is Callagh Mooney. The centre half forward has many won many medals with his club @RuairiOgCLG & county as well as being successful throughout his years at @StKilliansTD in Danske Bank Thomason, McNamee, Forester’s & Mageean Cup campaigns.
Fiontan Bradley fills the final spot in the Half forward line, starring for @SLGBallymena over the years in many Danske Bank competitions & holds a Mageean Cup medal. The @RuairiOgCLG player has produced many impressive performances to win a number of county and provincial medals and recently scored 10 points in @AontroimGAA U20 Ulster Success.
Conor Donnelly who produced a fantastic performance in the Ulster Schools Danske Bank Mageean Cup Final helping @CpcBallycastle to victory is selected at corner forward. The @McQuillanGAC star has a phenomenal CV & has captained his county having success in many competitions including the Celtic Challenge.
Last years Danske Bank Goalkeeper is selected at Full forward this year, taking up the position which was held by his brother in 23/24. Thomas McLaughlin who is another @RuairiOgCLG star & was County minor captain in 2024 produced great performances for @StKilliansTD this year in helping them reach the Mageean decider.
The final spot on this year’s All Star Hurling team is Roan McGarry from Danske Bank Mageean cup champions @CpcBallycastle . Roan’s Father won an All-Ireland medal for his club @loughgielgac & Roan has an impressive medal list himself including the recent all Ireland Success with the Ballycastle College.
With two of the three north Antrim colleges featuring in the 2024 Mageean Cup final, and the other in the semi-final, it is no surprise that the Colleges Hurling All Star team is dominated by the three north Antrim schools. They have snapped up 12 of the 15 jerseys. Four awards go to All-Ireland Paddy Buggy Cup champions Cross & Passion Ballycastle while the six St Killian’s Garron Tower players named featured strongly for the school when they captured the same title in 2023d. St Louis Ballymena students Jack Martin and Fionntán Bradley complete the dozen.
As regards club representation, there are five from RuairĂ Ă“g Cushendall, three from Loughgiel Shamrocks, two from OisĂn Glenariff and one each for Dunloy and Ballycastle.
The six St Killian’s players who won All Star awards were, L-R, Thomas McLaughlin, Colla Ward, Charlie McAuley, Oran McCambridge, Calum McIlwaine, Callagh Mooney
One of the Shamrocks, CPC winning captain Liam Glackin, is joining an elite group of players who have collected three successive All-star awards. In Liam’s case he now will have a complete collection of jerseys from the half-back line.
In addition there are also no fewer than four other players who were on last year’s team including Thomas McLaughlin from St Killian’s. The Ruairà Óg player was goalkeeper on last year’s team when his brother Joseph picked up his second award at full-forward. Thomas now takes over on the edge of the square from Joseph.
Club and school team-mate Callagh Mooney also collects a second award as does Colla Ward, an All-Ireland judo champion and an Ulster minor club winner with OisĂn Glenariffe.
The two St Louis students selected are Jack Martin and Fionntán Bradley, the latter one of the five Ruairà Óg players named. He also holds a Mageean medal – with his school two years ago.
Interestingly two of the St Killian’s All-stars are sons of All-stars. Conor McCambridge picked up two awards in 1992 and 1993, and in that second year his Garron Tower team-mate Pádraig McIlwaine joined him. Oran McCambridge and Callum McIlwaine now follow their fathers.
The fourth double All-star was a member of the Derry team that won Ulster and All-Ireland minor football titles last year. Cathal Ó Mianáin’s brother and current Derry senior hurler Ruairà was also a dual All-star in 2022 and 2023.
The Loughgiel trio of Roan Fitzpatrick, Liam Glackin and Roan McGarry.
Derry All-Ireland football minor winning captain and 2024 minor footballer of the year James Sargent also comes into defence. The Lavey dual player holds three Derry minor hurling medals as well as Kirk Cup and Casement Cup medals with his school St Mary’s Magherafelt.
The other non-Antrim player in the selection is the first to represent the new Downpatrick school, Lecale Trinity. Cian Clarke was the sub goal-keeper on the Red High team that won the Danske Bank Mageean Cup three years ago. He is a son of long-time Down net-minder Graham Clarke and is currently between the posts for Down at under 20 level.
The team will collect their All-star awards at a Gala Dinner in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Belfast on May 2nd.
Oonagh Murtagh, Head of South Business Centre at Danske Bank, announced the teams commenting:
“At Danske Bank, we’ve been passionate about helping our society thrive since our beginnings 200 years ago. One way we do that is through our youth sports sponsorships with Ulster Schools GAA, Ulster Schools’ Cup Rugby and the Northern Ireland Football Association.
“The Ulster Schools All Stars is a fantastic, long-standing initiative that recognises outstanding sportsmanship across Gaelic football and hurling each year – and something we’re really proud to be a part of. This year’s GAA competitions have showcased the very best of our young players. It’s a real testament to how our young footballers and hurlers have been nurtured and developed throughout their school sporting career.
The five Ruairi Og players on the All Star team. L-R, Oran McCambridge, Charlie McAuley, Fiontann Bradley, Thomas McLaughlin, Callagh Mooney
“The commitment and dedication to even be nominated for an All Star is immense, and we’d like to congratulate all of the players selected to participate in the trials as well as the remarkable 30 individuals who made the two All Star teams this year.”
With thanks to thesaffrongael.com
