FIONN McEldowney yesterday became just the third person to win four Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Allstars.
Twenty four hours after the St Patrick’s, Maghera defender picked up his second hurling Allstar, he was named in the football team for the second year in a row announced at the Dub by Jimmy Smyth chairman of Ulster schools’ GAA in conjunction with the sponsors Danske Bank.
Only former Antrim dual-star CJ McGourty and Monaghan’s Bernard O’Brien have managed to collect four Allstars, both of them doing so two decades ago.
It is a tremendous personal milestone for the Slaughtneil player who captained Derry minor footballers to Ulster and All-Ireland football titles last summer.
Anyone following that competition will be familiar with a few other names popping up in yesterday’s Allstar team. McEldowney’s team-mates Éamon Young (St Mary’s, Magherafelt) and Oisín Doherty (St Pius X) are also in the team as well as five from the Monaghan side who lost to the Oak Leaf in both finals.
Doherty is a younger brother of Derry defender Conor Doherty who featured in the recent Allianz National League final. Another brother Mark is also in the county senior panel.
The Monaghan contingent includes three from Our Lady’s, Castleblayney. Goalie Jamie Mooney collects a second successive Allstar between the posts while Bobby McCaul and Max McGinnity feature up front.
McGinnity was top-scorer in the minor championship last year and his father Steven was on the very first Ulster schools’ Allstar team back in 1988 – coincidentally picking up the same No 13 jersey before embarking on a senior inter-county career with the Farney county.
The other Monaghan players making the cut are full-back Packie Burke Doogan from Patrician, Carrickmacross and the other corner-forward Seán óg McIlwaine.
The third player from last year to pick up a second award is Finbarr Roarty, who was the first from his school, St Columba’s, Glenties, to win an Allstar 12 months ago.
The Naomh Conaill player retains the No. 5 jersey while there are two members of the MacLarnon Cup winning team from down the road in Abbey Vocational Donegal town included.
Abbey went on to win the Paddy Drummond All-Ireland title with Four Masters pair, Kevin Muldoon and Seán Carr, featuring prominently.
The only ex-Abbey player with a schools’ Allstar is current Donegal senior player Peadar Mogan who picked his up in 2017.
Meanwhile, the second Maghera player in the mix, Tiernan McCormack from Moneyglass has represented Antrim at underage level while his father Darren played for the Ireland U17s against an Australian Rules team back in 1991.
Jimmy Smyth, chairman of Ulster schools’ GAA, said: “Congratulations to all of our young footballers and hurlers who have been selected this year as Ulster Schools’ All Stars, joining a long list of talented players, many of whom have made and are still making waves in the world of GAA.
“This year also, we have some young sportsmen collecting these awards for the second year in a row, a fantastic achievement! This certainly emphasises their selection last year and sees them carving a unique niche in the history of our awards, now in their 36th year!
“We express once again our gratitude to our sponsors Danske Bank for their continued support of our games at all levels and indeed their involvement in our Allstar scheme.”
The 15 players selected for the 2023-24 Danske Bank Allstar football team:
1. Jamie Mooney (Our Lady’s, Castleblayney)
2. Conan Devlin (Holy Trinity, Cookstown)
3. Packie Burke Doogan (Patrician High, Carrickmacross)
4. Fionn McEldowney (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
5. Finbarr Roarty (St Columba’s, Glenties)
6. Tiernan McCormack (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
7. Éamon Young (St Mary’s, Magherafelt)
8. Senán Carr, (Abbey Vocational, Donegal)
9. Bobby McCaul (Our Lady’s Castleblayney)
10. Joshua Shehu (St Patrick’s, Cavan)
11. Kevin Muldoon (Abbey Vocational, Donegal)
12. Liam Blaney (Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock)
13. Max McGinnity (Our Lady’s, Castleblayney)
14. Oisín Doherty (St Pius X, Magherafelt)
15. Seán óg McIlwaine, (St Macartan’s, Monaghan)