Queen’s University honoured its first ever ladies’ football Future Stars team last night with St Mary’s, Magherafelt student Jemma Shivers selected in both that side and the camogie 15.
The best Year 12 players from schools across the province were selected from trials run by Queen’s GAA Academy, with 13 schools represented on the inaugural football selection and eight on the second camogie team to be honoured.
Derry lead the way on the ladies’ football team with five representatives, with Shivers and her St Mary’s team-mate Anna Henry both selected at wing-back.
Both were part of the school’s senior panel which won the Ulster U20 B title.
Derry players also fill the wing half-forward berths with Shona Fullerton from St Colm’s, Ballinascreen on the left and St Pius X, Magherafelt’s Sarah Loughran on the right. Loreto, Coleraine’s Aine McAllister was chosen at full-forward.
Four players represent three Donegal schools. Emma McDevitt at corner-back and Ava Caulfield at centre half-forward come from St Columba’s, Glenties, Loreto, Letterkenny’s Niamh Bonner takes the centre half-forward jersey, while St Columba’s, Stranorlar’s Katie Dowds is named at midfield.
Antrim schools have three representatives, all in Belfast, with Lucy Reynolds from St Dominic’s, and Hanna Donaghy from Rathmore in the full-back line and Lisa Wilson, Our Lady’s and St Patrick’s Knock, at top-of-the-left.
Emma Murtagh from St Paul’s, Bessbrook has been selected between the posts while the other Armagh school represented, St Catherine’s, Armagh sees Rachel McGrane collected the number 13 jersey. The second midfield spot went to Allanah Maguire from St Aidan’s,Derrylin.
Ulster LGFA provincial administration manager Ronan McCarthy welcomed the inclusion of ladies’ football into the programme.
“It’s massive. It’s good to get all codes on board now especially when we are going down the route of integration,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for the girls to play against other elite players of similar ability. The standard of football from these young girls is unreal. These are the elite players, the players who are going to play football with their county, with their college and who want to play at the top level.
“It’s good to get the university to recognise this. It’s massive to be recognised, for the younger player, for 12, 13-year-olds who see this, these Future Stars awards, on social media, in the paper, and our other Allstars, and they’ll think that can be us and it gives them a goal to aim for when they get to that age.”
LADIES' FOOTBALL FUTURE STARS
Emma Murtagh (St Paul’s Bessbrook)
Lucy Reynolds (St Dominic’s, Belfast)
Hanna Donaghy (Rathmore, Belfast)
Emma McDevitt (St Columba’s Glenties)
Jemma Shivers (St Mary’s Magherafelt)
Niamh Boner (Loreto, Letterkenny)
Anna Henry (St Mary’s, Magherafelt)
Katie Dowds (St Columba’s, Stranorlar)
Allanah Maguire (St Aidan’s, Derrylin)
Shona Fullerton (St Colm’s, Ballinascreen)
Ava Caulfield (St Columba’s, Glenties)
Sarah Loughran (St Pius X, Magherafelt)
Rachel McGrane (St Catherine’s, Armagh)
Aine McAllister (Loreto, Coleraine)
Lisa Wilson (Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock)
CAMOGIE TEAM
Erin O’Hara (Cross & Passion, Ballycastle)
Niamh McConville (Our Lady’s, Newry)
Connie Teague (St Mary’s, Magherafelt)
Laura Black (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)
Fiadhna Loughran (St Patrick’s, Keady)
Kate McGilligan (St Louis’, Ballymena)
Enya Neeson (St Louis’, Ballymena)
Jemma Shivers (St Mary’s, Magherafelt)
Cait Conway (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
Katie McCloskey (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
Cara Savage (Our Lady’s, Newry)
Grace Kelly (St Colm’s, Draperstown)
Kady McNeill (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)
Caoimhe Chambers (St Patrick’s, Maghera)
Rhianna Black (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)
