Football

McWilliams twins achieve Danske Bank Colleges Football Allstars double first

Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank and Jimmy Smith, Chairman of the Ulster Schools GAA pictured with the 2017/18 Danske Bank Ulster Schools Football All Stars. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank and Jimmy Smith, Chairman of the Ulster Schools GAA pictured with the 2017/18 Danske Bank Ulster Schools Football All Stars. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank and Jimmy Smith, Chairman of the Ulster Schools GAA pictured with the 2017/18 Danske Bank Ulster Schools Football All Stars. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

FOR the first time in the 31 years of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ All-star scheme twins have made it into the team.

They are Oisín McWilliams at midfield and Lorcán at corner-forward. Both are already MacRory Cup winners with St Patrick’s, Maghera and both were in the Derry minor team that reached the 2017 All-Ireland final where they were beaten by Kerry.

In the four matches Maghera have played in the Danske Bank MacCormack Cup competition Lorcán McWilliams has scored a phenomenal 4-32, averaging 1-8 per game, by far the most impressive scoring performance of the series.

The twins are joined in the team by their Swatragh team-mate Jude McAtamney who has also been in super form for Maghera who will play holders St Ronan’s Lurgan in the MacCormack Cup final at 11am on Thursday in MUSA Cookstown.

St Ronan’s have two players in the side, half-back Jamie Haughey and centre-half forward Tiernan Kelly, the latter a member of the Lurgan Clann Éireann side that lost out at the weekend narrowly to St Eunan’s Letterkenny.

The two Lurgan and three Maghera players are five of just nine players hoping to get their hands on the MacRory Cup in March, while at the other end of the spectrum two schools who play in the Markey Cup gain All-stars for the first time ever.

Aaron Doherty is the first player from Coláiste na Carraige in southwest Donegal to be included, while another Donegal school, St Columba’s Starnorlar has two players in the forward line, Patrick Dolan and Oisin Gallen.

Their inclusion means that 47 of the 138 schools under the auspices of Ulster Schools’ GAA Council have gained recognition in the All-star scheme something that Jimmy Smyth, Chairman of the Ulster Schools’ Council, touched on as he congratulated the recipients in announcing the team at a reception hosted by the sponsors Danske Bank at Riddell Hall Belfast.

“This team has players from nine different schools, right across the different grades of football at senior level. The lads have gone through a tough selection process and can be proud of their selection in such an elite team.”

“I am particularly pleased to see two new schools, both Donegal schools, included and look forward to more in the years to come.”

In total there are five players from Donegal in the side, the highest representation from a single county. The other two, goalie Eoin O’Boyle and centre half-back Brian Diver, both represent St Eunan’s College Letterkenny and are the only players still hoping to land a MacLarnon Cup medal.

Tyrone is the next best represented county with four awards, one each for St Ciaran’s Ballygawley and St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon and two for Omagh CBS including full-back Antoin Fox.

Like the other Tyrone players Antoin picked up an All-Ireland medal in 2017 for the inaugural under 17 competition, but what sets the Loughmacrory clubman apart is that he possesses a World handball title from 2012 and in 2016 he won both the USA and Irish titles.

With the three Maghera players and then St Paul’s Bessbrook defender Conor Magennis joining the two St Ronan’s players in the team, there are just four counties represented in the team.

Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank, added her congratulations.

“The Ulster Colleges’ All-Stars is an outstanding initiative and something that we at Danske Bank are extremely proud to be part of. 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 who were selected to participate in the trials, as well as the 15 outstanding players we are honouring here today.”

The football and hurling teams will be honoured at a reception after the completion of the MacRory and MacLarnon competitions in late March.

Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank and Jimmy Smith, Chairman of the Ulster Schools GAA pictured with Patrick Dolan (St Columba’s, Stranorlar), Aaron Doherty (Coláiste na Carraige, Carrick) and Oisin Gallen (St Columba’s, Stranorlar). Both St Columba’s and Colaiste na Carraige are included for the first time in an All-star team – all three lads play in the Markey Cup Photo by  Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank and Jimmy Smith, Chairman of the Ulster Schools GAA pictured with Patrick Dolan (St Columba’s, Stranorlar), Aaron Doherty (Coláiste na Carraige, Carrick) and Oisin Gallen (St Columba’ Aisling Press, Head of Branch Banking at Danske Bank and Jimmy Smith, Chairman of the Ulster Schools GAA pictured with Patrick Dolan (St Columba’s, Stranorlar), Aaron Doherty (Coláiste na Carraige, Carrick) and Oisin Gallen (St Columba’s, Stranorlar). Both St Columba’s and Colaiste na Carraige are included for the first time in an All-star team – all three lads play in the Markey Cup Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

2017-8 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Football All Stars:

1 Eoin O’Boyle (St Eunan’s Letterkenny)

2 Conor Magennis (St Paul’s Bessbrook)

3 Antoin Fox (Omagh CBS)

4 Conor Quinn (St Ciaran’s Ballygawley)

5 Jamie Haughey (St Ronan’s, Lurgan)

6 Brian Diver (St Eunan’s Letterkenny)

7 Aaron Doherty (Coláiste na Carraige Carrick)

8 Oran Mallon (St Patrick’s Dungannon)

9 Oisín McWilliams (St Patrick’s Maghera)

10 Jude McAtamney (St Patrick’s Maghera)

11 Tiernan Kelly (St Ronan’s Lurgan)

12 Patrick Dolan (St Columba’s Stranorlar)

13 James Garrity (Omagh CBS)

14 Oisin Gallen (St Columba’s Stranorlar)

15 Lorcán McWilliams (St Patrick’s Maghera)