TIM Prenter was the stand out name yesterday when the 2018/9 Ulster Schools’ All-star hurling team was announced at a reception in Riddell Hall, Belfast hosted by sponsors Danske Bank.
The St Patrick’s, Downpatrick student was the only player from last year’s team in this year’s selection. 12 months ago he was picked at centre-forward, but yesterday he finds himself in possession of the No 6 jersey, joining just three other players who have won All-stars in both key positions in the 32 year history of the scheme.
Prenter was a member of An Dún team that made history last month by winning the Danske Bank Mageean Cup with a 5-13 to 1-10 win over St Patrick’s, Maghera in the final.
Indeed Prenter has already been included in the Down senior hurling panel for the new season – and also the Down under 20 football panel.
The only other member of the winning Mageean team to make the selection is also a student in Downpatrick, but in the neighbouring De La Salle College.
Phelim Savage becomes the first De La Salle College student to become an All-star.
The Ballycran midfielder was busy during the autumn as he was also a key member of his club’s senior team in their run to the Ulster club final.
St Columb’s Derry are also making history with Eoghan Cassidy’s inclusion. The Kevin Lynch’s player is the first hurler from the college to become an All-star, although there have been six footballers in previous selections. Cassidy and his Dungiven teammates recently retained the Ulster minor club title beating Dunloy in the final.
Overall there are no fewer than 11 different schools featuring in the team, with St Louis Ballymena making up for their Mageean Cup semi-final exit to Maghera with four players, two each from the Dunloy and Loughgiel clubs who played two memorable games in the Antrim minor final around Halloween.
Seaan Elliott and Anton McGrath helped Dunloy through that test and the pair collected their fourth successive Antrim minor title. Both won a second Antrim under 21 medal, while Elliott also collected his second minor football title and last year McGrath was a member of the Cúchulainn’s senior squad that won the Volunteer Cup.
The only other school with more than one new All-star is St Mary’s Belfast.
Cormac McGettigan, a grandson of Sean one of the men responsible for the purchase and development of Casement Park 70 years ago, and Aaron Bradley, brother of Antrim senior hurler Michael, are the two from the Glen Road seat of learning that also left the Mageean campaign through defeat by Maghera.
Lavey’s Fintan Bradley was immense for Maghera in their return to the final and against St Mary’s he scored 1-13 in the 3-13 to 2-14 win. His inclusion in the forward line was well-earned.
The goalkeeper is also a Derry player.
Leo Passmore from the Eoghan Rua club becomes the first Loreto Coleraine player to make the team since his clubmate and county footballer Sean Leo McGoldrick scored a double in 2005 and 2006.
Another school bridging a gap is St Malachy’s, Belfast.
Colm McGowan has been their sole hurling All-star now for 15 years, but yesterday St Enda’s clubman Niall O’Connor has come into the frame.
Oonagh Murtagh, Head of South Business Centre at Danske Bank, congratulated the recipients at the Danske Bank reception in Riddell Hall yesterday.
“The Ulster Schools’ All-Stars is an outstanding initiative and something that we at Danske Bank are extremely proud to be part of,'' he said.
“The commitment and dedication required to even be nominated for an All-Star award is immense and I would like to congratulate all of the players that were selected to participate in the trials, as well as the 15 outstanding hurlers we are honouring here today.
“This passion for excellence is truly commendable and something that we in Danske Bank strive to achieve across our business.”
Jimmy Smyth, Chairman of the Ulster Schools’ Council added: “To achieve an Ulster Schools’ All Star Award is to rightly earn a place in hurling’s hall of fame. These awards recognise and reward these talented players’ commitment and endeavour on the hurling field."
The Hurling awards will officially be presented at a Gala Dinner in the New Year, while the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Football All-Stars will be announced on later today.
2018/19 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Hurling All Stars
1. Leo Passmore - Loreto Coleraine
2. Cormac Donnelly - Cross & Passion, Ballycastle
3. Declan McCloskey - St Louis, Ballymena
4. Niall O’Connor - St Malachy’s, Belfast
5. Cormac McGettigan - St Mary’s, Belfast
6. Tim Prenter - St Patrick’s, Downpatrick
7. Eoghan Cassidy - St Columb’s, Derry
8. Cormac McFadden - St Louis, Ballymena
9. Phelim Savage - De La Salle, Downpatrick
10. Fintan Bradley - St Patrick’s Maghera
11. Fionntán Donnelly - St Patrick’s, Keady
12. Aaron Bradley - St Mary’s, Belfast
13. Seaan Elliott - St Louis, Ballymena
14. Sean McKay - St Killian’s, Garron Tower
15. Anton McGrath - St Louis, Ballymena
Schools’ Hurling All-stars
1988 - 2019
School Number of All-stars
St Mary’s CBS, Belfast 89
St Patrick’s, Maghera 80
Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 59
St MacNissi’s/ St Killian’s, Garron Tower 59
St Louis, Ballymena 49
La Salle, Belfast 33
St Patrick’s, Keady 19
St Patrick’s, Armagh 15
Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock 12
St Patrick’s, Downpatrick 10
Rathmore Grammar, Belfast 7
Loreto, Coleraine 6
St Patrick’s Dungannon 5
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 1
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
De La Salle Downpatrick 1
30 schools
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2018-19 Danske Bank Ulster Colleges’ Hurling All-star Profiles
** Goalkeeper : Leo Passmore
School: Loreto Coleraine
Club: Eoghan Rua Coleraine.
Leo has played both hurling and football for Loreto College and has collected Ulster schools’ medals for Danske Bank Br Mallon Cup (3), Treanor Cup, Irish News Cup and Rannafast Shield. He has represented Derry at under-age level and is a medallist from the Celtic Challenge win
** Right Corner Back : Cormac Donnelly
School : Cross & Passion Ballycastle
Club: McQuillan’s Ballycastle
Cormac has represented his school in football and hurling and picked up hurling medals for Danske Bank Thompson Shield, MacNamee, Gallagher, Leonard and Foresters’ Cups. He has captained Antrim at under 15 level and won Under 16B All-Ireland and Celtic Challenge Cup medals playing with the Saffrons
At club level he has won north Antrim under-age championships and a Féile na nGael skills’ medal. Cormac is Head Boy in Cross and Passion
** Full-back : Declan McCloskey
School : St Louis, Ballymena
Club: Loughgiel Shamrocks.
Declan is another dual-player for club and school, picking up a Danske Bank Corn Cholchille medal with St Louis while he was a member of the Antrim under 17 team that captured the Celtic Challenge title.
With Loughgiel he has won under-age league and championship medals, while also winning southwest under 14 and under 16 football championships and a Breslin Cup with Con Magee’s Glenravel
** Left Corner Back : Niall O’Connor
School: St Malachy’s Belfast
Club: St Enda’s Glengormley
Niall is only the second hurler from St Malachy’s College to win an All-star. He has represented his school in both hurling and football winning a Danske Bank Casement Shield medal.
At club level he has won south Antrim leagues and championships and Antrim Féile na nGael B and minor B titles. He has also won an All-Ireland under 16B medal with Antrim hurlers and played for the Saffrons at all levels from under 14 to minor.
Niall is also a keen basketball player and was in the school team that reached the All-Ireland final a couple of years ago
** Right-half back : Cormac McGettigan
School: St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast
Club: O’Donovan Rossa, Belfast.
Cormac has represented his school at all levels in hurling and football winning Danske Bank Gallagher and Mageean Cup medals.
He has played on the Antrim under 17 and minor teams, while at club level he has been part of a very successful Rossa squad that won the Antrim under 16 double in football and hurling, two All-Ireland Féile na nGael hurling titles and Antrim minor and under 21 football titles.
Cormac is a grandson of Sean McGettigan, one of the men responsible for the purchase and development of Casement Park in the early 1950s
** Centre-half back : Tim Prenter
School: St Patrick’s Downpatrick
Club: Mitchel’s Ballygalget
Tim collects his second All-star today, having been named at centre-forward in last year’s team. He was a member of An Dún team that won the recent Danske Bank Mageean Cup final and he also holds a MacFarland Cup medal with his school, whom he has represented at all levels in hurling and football.
He has represented his county at all underage levels winning an All-Ireland under 16 title and Celtic Challenge. He has also played county minor football for Down. He has recently been named in both the Down senior hurling panel and the Down under 20 football panel for the new season ahead.
Tim has a Down Division 2 league medal, two minor championships and an under 16 league title with Ballygalget and has Down and Ulster titles in handball.
His father and uncles have represented Antrim in football or hurling.
** Left-half back : Eoghan Cassidy
School: St Columb’s Derry
Club : Kevin Lynch’s Dungiven
Eoghan is the first hurling All-star from St Columb’s College in Derry. He is a dual player for the school and has collected medals for Danske Bank Maguire and Reihill Cups.
Eoghan captained Derry under 17s to the 2018 All-Ireland Celtic Challenge title where they defeated Galway in the final.
With Kevin Lynch’s he has won two Derry under 16 and three Derry minor medals and two of those minor teams have gone on to collect Ulster club championships in 2017 and 2018.
** Midfield : Cormac McFadden
School: St Louis Ballymena
Club: Loughgiel Shamrocks.
Cormac has a Danske Bank McGreevy Cup medal with St Louis.
He was a member of the Antrim under 17 team that captured the Celtic Challenge title and also won an Ulster minor championship with the Saffrons.
At club level he has won a couple of north Antrim championships and was a member of the minor team that lost the recent county final in a replay to Dunloy.
Cormac is also a keen boxer and has won two Antrim boxing titles.
** Midfield : Phelim Savage
School: De La Salle, Downpatrick
Club : St Joseph’s Ballycran
Phelim is the first player from his school to win an All-star. He was superb at midfield as An Dún captured this season’s Mageean Cup in November. He was also named as the inaugural Danske Bank Hurler of the month for October for his displays for An Dún. October was a busy month for the Ballycran clubman as he also played at midfield as his club won the Down senior championship and went on to end the Ulster three-in-row bid of Slaughtneil hurlers.
He also holds a Down minor championship medal and has represented the county at all under-age levels winning a Celtic Challenge medal and an All-Ireland under 16 B title.
His father Gary played for Down and Ulster and won three Ulster senior championship medals with the county.
** Right-half forward : Fintan Bradley
School: St Patrick’s Maghera
Club: Erin’s Own Lavey.
Fintan was selected on the last Derry Vocational Schools’ All-star football team while in St Mary’s Clady. Since transferring to St Patrick’s he has played in two Danske Bank Mageean Cup finals, winning one. His phenomenal scoring returns were the main reason that Maghera reached this year’s final, e.g. hitting 1-13 out of 3-13 in the quarter-final with St Mary’s CBGS.
Fintan has underage medals with his club Lavey and was a member of the teams that won the 2017 Derry under 21 title and reached the 2018 minor and senior finals. He has also represented Derry in minor football and is currently a member of the Maghera MacRory Cup team.
** Centre-half forward : Fionntán Donnelly
School: St Patrick’s Keady
Club: Keady Lámh Dhearg
Fionntan, a dual player, holds five Danske Bank Ulster medals for the Kirk and Leopold Cups, McGreevy Shield and back to back Casement Cup medals. He is currently a member of the football team hoping to win the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup.
Fionntán has represented Armagh through the age-groups reaching national finals and with Keady has collected a host of under-age titles including three Armagh Féile na nGael titles.
His father is a former Armagh county player.
• Left-half forward : Aaron Bradley
School: St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast
Club: Naomh Eoin, Belfast
Aaron has represented his school at all levels in hurling and football winning Danske Bank Gallagher and Mageean Cup medals.
He has played on the Antrim underage teams in hurling, while at club level he has collected under-age medals in both football and hurling, including an Antrim Féile na nGael.
** Right-corner forward : Seaan Elliott
School: St Louis, Ballymena
Club: Dunloy Cúchulainn’s
Seaan holds a Danske Bank Mageean Cup medal from 2015 with St Louis and he also won a Corn Cholmchille football title with the school.
He has represented Antrim at under-age level winning Ulster minor and Celtic Challenge hurling medals. With Dunloy he has won a plethora of under age medals across both codes including four Antrim minor hurling, two Antrim minor football, two Antrim under 21 hurling and one Ulster minor club titles.
His father won nine Antrim senior club titles and eight Ulster club titles and played for Antrim and Ulster.
** Full-forward : Sean McKay
School: St Killian’s College, Garron Tower
Club: Con Magee’s Glenravel
Sean played on the St Killian’s College team that reached the 2016 Danske Bank Mageean Cup final. Sean has played under age hurling for Antrim winning a Celtic Challenge title and an All-Ireland under 16B championship.
A dual player, Sean has collected a southwest Antrim league title with Con Magee’s as well as a Breslin Cup and under 14 and 16 south west championships
** Left-corner forward : Antón McGrath
School: St Louis, Ballymena
Club: Dunloy Cúchulainn’s.
Anton holds Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ medals for the Kirk, Casement and Mageean Cups.
He has represented Antrim at under-age level winning two Ulster minor and one Celtic Challenge hurling medals. With Dunloy he has won a plethora of under age medals that include four Antrim minor, two Antrim under 21 and one Ulster minor club titles. He was also a member of the Dunloy senior team that won the Antrim championship in 2017.
His father won ten Antrim senior club titles and nine Ulster club titles.
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