QUB Announce First Future Stars Hurling Team

QUEEN’S GAA last evening announced their first ever Queen’s Future Stars hurling team and while there is a significant presence from Antrim and the Ards, biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Oisin Marley from St Columba’s Stranorlar.
The Setanta club player has already made his mark in under-age hurling in Donegal and has won back-to-back Ulster Poc Fada title. Slotting into the half-forward line he is the only player from outside Antrim and Down to make the team announced by Gavan Duffy, Queen’s GAA Development Officer.
EIGHT of the Antrim contingent come from the schools situated in the north of the county with four of those in the Cross & Passion Ballycastle panel that eclipsed the Danske Bank Mageean Cup last month.
Christy McGarry scored a point in that win over St Mary’s CBGS Belfast, while club mate Ruairí McCormick also makes the team along with McQuillan’s goalie James Bakewell and midfielder Oisin Elliott from Dunloy.
St Louis defender Conor Dickson brings the Loughgiel representation to three while they also supply a second Dunloy player, Daire McMullan whose father Damian hurler for the Saffrons.
Continuing the Loughgiel and Saffron connection, Sean Paul McKillop’s son Pádraig makes the forward line representing St Killian’s Garron Tower who also have Daniel Kearney in defence.
Ballygalget’s Eoin Pucci is one of two players from Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock in the selection. Eoin’s father Michael is a former Down hurler while his school-mate James Clarke and the three players from St Patrick’s Downpatrick all hurl for clubs from the lower Ards.
Clarke is from Ballycran, Oisin Coulter, like Pucci from Ballygalget, while Ryan O’Neill and Finn Turpin hurl for Portaferry.
Gavan Duffy welcomed the addition of a hurling team to the Future Stars programme.
“Queen’s are now into the 5th year of our Future Stars programme and with the inclusion of hurling this year for the first time we are delighted with its continued progress. We at Queen’s will continue to support and celebrate the work carried out within Ulster Schools.
“The level of skill and commitment shown by all those who took part is a tribute to the work being done at schools level across the province.”

2019-20 Queen’s University Future Stars Hurling team is:
1 James Bakewell (Cross & Passion Ballycastle and McQuillan’s Ballycastle)
2 Conor Dickson (St Louis’ Ballymena and Loughgiel Shamrocks)
3 Daire McMullan (St Louis’ Ballymena and Dunloy Cúchulainn’s)
4 Daniel Kearney (St Killian’s Garron Tower and Oisin’s Glenarriffe)
5 Ryan O’Neill (St Patrick’s Downpatrick and St Patrick’s Portaferrry)
6 Enda McCartan (St Malachy’s Belfast and Sarsfield’s)
7 Ruairi McCormick (Cross & Passion Ballycastle and Loughgiel Shamrocks)
8 Oisin Elliot (Cross & Passion Ballycastle and Dunloy Cúchulainn’s)
9 Eoin Pucci (Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock and Ballygalget Mitchel’s)
10 Oisin Marley (St Columba’s Stranorlar and Setanta Hurling Club)
11 Christy McGarry (Cross & Passion Ballycastle and Loughgiel Shamrocks)
12 Padraig McKillop (St Killian’s Garron Tower and Ruairí Óg Cushendall)
13 Finn Turpin (St Patrick’s Downpatrick and St Patrick’s Portaferrry)
14 James Clarke (Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock and St Joseph’s Ballycran)
15 Oisin Coulter (St Patrick’s Downpatrick and Ballygalget Mitchel’s)

Buíochas le Sean Paul McKillop Photography