BRANAGH Brolly, Leah Stewart and Maeve Devlin “doubled down” on Tuesday evening when they collected McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars awards in both camogie and ladies’ football at the awards ceremony in the Whitla Hall.
These awards are made to players in the GCSE age-group and this is the third season of the camogie awards and the second for the LGFA.
Derry minor dual-star Jemma Shivers picked up awards in both codes last year and now she has been joined by her Derry minor team-mate Branagh Brolly from St Patrick’s, Maghera and Leah Stewart, her colleague on the St Mary’s, Magherafelt senior team that collected Ulster titles in both codes.
Stewart plays for Moneyglass and her Antrim team-mate Maeve Devlin, a student at St Dominic’s on the Falls Road is the third dual star.
In total there are eight under-age Saffron players featuring in the camogie team including Stewart and Devlin. There are three from Cross & Passion, Ballycastle, two from St Killian’s, Garron Tower and Cara Boyle from St Louis, Ballymena.
The three from Ballycastle are midfielder Eobha McAllister and forwards Marie Laverty and Mary McArthur, while Cushendall pair Amy and Maeve McAlister make the cut for St Killian’s. Maeve’s sister Orlaith featured in the very first Queen’s selection two years ago.
The top school in the grade for the past three years has been St Patrick’s, Maghera and that is reflected in the addition of three players to the selection – Mary Therese McCullagh along with Branagh Brolly in defence and Aoibh Mulholland up front. All three played a big part in Maghera lifting another Corn Eimhear / Corn Uan Uladh double this year.
McCullagh is from the Swatragh club, who also have Ellie McCartney included. Ellie is the first from her school, St Conor’s, to make the selection. She was player-of-the-match in the Senior Medallion Shield final that St Conor’s lost to Assumption, Ballynahinch in January.
Ellie McCabe, the Assumption junior captain, also makes the selection, a first for her school, as is Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock goalie Lily Collins, the other Down player in the team.
In the LGFA selection, apart from Maeve Devlin, there are two more St Dominic’s players – Ciara Murray and Niamh McAllister. Holly McGahey (Coláiste Feirste), Aoibheann Monaghan (Dominican Fortwilliam) and Anna McArdle (Aquinas Grammar) have also made the cut from the schools in the city.
Maghera and St Patrick’s Academy each had two awards. Joining Brannagh Brolly in football were her Dungiven club-mate Dara Rose McElhinney, while Catherine Moohan and Amy Sheehy are the Academy representatives.
St Ronan’s, Lurgan won the All-Ireland B football title before Easter and one of their main scorers, Aoibhinn Donohue, caught the eye of the selectors while St Catherine’s, Armagh defender Elsie Druse is a younger sister of Emily, who helped Armagh collect a first-ever Division One league title earlier this month.
Ulster Schools’ camogie chairperson Catherine McGourty feels that the awards scheme raises the profile of ladies’ sport and is a great addition to the sporting calendar.
“The trials in both codes this year were of a very high standard and it is great to see emerging talent get the recognition they deserve. Some come from schools that are strong in that sport, while others are playing at a much lower level in our competitions and making an impression.
“These awards will hopefully give everyone the boost they need to push on into senior schools’ and minor inter-county teams and ultimately have a long and successful career at senior level.”
Queen’s GAA have included handball for the first time. The two girls picking up the awards are both from Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore – Caislin Tracey and Laura Duff.
The Tyrone school is also celebrating a handball award for Eoghan Mullan with the second male award picked up by Callum Sherry from St Macartan’s Monaghan.
The McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars in camogie
1 Lily Collins (Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock)
2 Ellie McCabe (Assumption, Ballynahinch)
3 Maeve McAlister (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)
4 Cara Boyle (St Louis’, Ballymena)
5 Ellie McCartney (St Conor’s Kilrea/Clady)
6 Mary Therese McCullagh (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
7 Brannagh Brolly (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
8 Eobha McAllister (Cross & Passion, Ballycastle)
9 Maeve Devlin (St Dominic’s, Belfast)
10 Amy McAlister (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)
11 Marie Laverty (Cross & Passion, Ballycastle)
12 Eimear McGeary (St Patrick’s, Keady)
13 Leah Stewart (St Mary’s, Magherafelt)
14 Mary McArthur (Cross & Passion, Ballycastle)
15 Aoibh Mulholland (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
2023-24 McKeever Sports Queen’s University Future Stars in ladies’ football
1 Holly McGahey (Coláiste Feirste)
2 Elsie Druse (St Catherine’s, Armagh)
3 Maeve Devlin (St Dominic’s, Belfast)
4 Aimee Freeman (Inver College, Carrickmacross)
5 Ciara Murray (St Dominic’s, Belfast)
6 Brannagh Brolly (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
7 Dara Rose McElhinney (St Patrick’s, Dungiven)
8 Catherine Moohan (St Patrick’s Academy)
9 Erin McGinn – St Ciarán’s Ballygawley
10 Leah Stewart (St Mary’s, Magherafelt)
11 Amy Sheehy (St Patrick’s, Academy)
12 Aoibheann Monaghan (Dominican Fortwilliam)
13 Anna McArdle (Aquinas Grammar)
14 Niamh McAllister (St Dominic’s, Belfast)
15 Aoibhin Donohue (St Ronan’s, Lurgan)
