Seamas 2008 - 2009 Hurling All-stars 1 Mark Donaghy St. MacNissi's, Garron Tower 2 James McCouaig Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 3 Matthew Donnelly Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 4 Kevin Kerr St. Louis, Ballymena 5 Neil Cunningham Rathmore Grammar 6 Stephen Shannon St. Mary's, Belfast 7 Matthew Teague St. Colman's Newry 8 Darragh McCloskey St. Patrick's, Maghera 9 Caoimhin Duffin St. Louis, Ballymena 10 Desy McClean-Lennon St. Mary's, Belfast 11 Christopher McGuinness St. Mary's, Belfast 12 Conor Laverty Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 13 Michael Armstrong St. Mary's, Belfast 14 Michael Devlin St. Louis, Ballymena 15 Ciaran Clarke Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 2008-9 Colleges Hurling All-stars . These All-stars are known as the 2008/9 Hurling All-stars and this is the 22nd year of the Bank of Ireland Ulster Colleges All-star scheme.. . Players are selected over the course of two trial games, after being initially nominated by their own school to attend the trials.. The scheme rewards excellence in skill and in sportsmanship and a player who has been sent off in any game between September 1st and the dates of the trials is ineligible for selection.  . Cross & Passion Ballycastle defeated St Mary's Belfast in the Bank of Ireland Mageean Cup final at Halloween by 2-9 to 2-6 captained by Conor Laverty who is included in the All-star selection at left half-forward.. . In the All-star team selected today St Mary's and Cross & Passion each pick up 4 awards, beaten semi-finalists St. Louis Ballymena pick up 3, while 4 other schools St. Patrick's Maghera, St MacNissi's Garron Tower, Rathmore Grammar and St Colman's Newry have 1 each.. . Matthew Teague's award at left-half back is the first ever hurling All-star for St Colman's Newry.  The school of course has collected 31 football awards over the years.  His inclusion means that the number of schools honoured in hurling has risen to 22  appropriately enough in this the 22nd year of the scheme.. . Maghera still remains at the top of the board with a total of 70 hurling All-stars over the past 22 seasons.  St. Mary's Belfast though close the gap in second place and now have 68 with Garron Tower a distant third on 43.  Maghera however is the only school to have gained at least one hurling award in each of the 22 selections to date. . . Two players from this year's selection were included in last year's team.  Mark Donaghy from St MacNissi's Garron Tower retains the goal-keeping spot  the third occasion this has happened after Karol Keating (1998-9) and Pat Cunnigham (2001-2).. Michael Devlin >from St Louis Ballymena was right half-forward last year and is now at full-forward. . Darragh McCloskey from St Patrick's Maghera has two brothers who picked up Colleges All-stars and have since graduated to the Derry Senior team.  Ruairi was centre-half back in the 2005 All-star selection and Oisin was centre-half forward on the 2007 side.. . Four of the team (Christopher McGuinness, Stephen Shannon, Michael Devlin and Michael Armstrong) were in the Antrim side that won the Ulster minor title in June.  Another was on the bench (Mark Donaghy) while Matthew Teague was in the Down team that lost that final.. . Ciaran Clarke (Cross & Passion, Ballycastle) has picked up Ulster Colleges hurling medals at all levels.  He is the youngest player on today's selection and has captained Cross & Passion to 3 titles already (BT Thomson, MacNamee and Gallagher Cups) and hopes to do the same later in the spring at Foresters Cup level.. . Two of the team  Matthew Donnelly and Michael Armstrong  have a father who played in the Antrim team that reached the 1989 All-Ireland final.  Both Brian Donnelly and Donal Armstrong were in the forward line that day, while Donal's father Kevin won Ulster medals in both hurling and football with the Saffrons.. . Goalkeeper : Mark Donaghy . School  : St MacNissi's, Garron Tower Club: Ruairí Óg, Cushendall Mark has played hurling outfield at all levels for his school, before making a successful move to goals last year.  He has runner-up medals in Ulster Colleges BT Thompson Shield, BT MacNamee and Foresters Cups. He represented Ulster in the Shinty/Hurling Compromise games in 2007, and he holds provincial under 16 and Minor league and championship medals with Antrim. With his club he has won medals at under 12 and under 14 Championship levels, Antrim and Ulster Féile na nGael titles as well as a north Antrim Darragh Cup and was in the Ruairi Og panel that won the Antrim and Ulster Senior club titles this year.  This is Mark's second successive award. . Right Corner Back : James McCouaig. School : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle Club : Carey Faughs / Glenshesk James holds an Ulster Colleges medal for the BT Foresters Cup and was at full-back for the Bank of Ireland Mageean Cup victory in October.  With his club he has won Division 2 Antrim Minor and under 16 leagues. Although he is still only 17, Carey Faughs recently awarded him their Senior Player of 2008. . Full-back : Matthew Donnelly. School : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle Club : McQuillan's Ballycastle Matthew has won Ulster Colleges hurling medals at every level, completing the set in October with a BoI Mageean Cup medal.  He captained the BT Foresters Cup winning team last March. At club level, he has won a host of under-age medals, and captained his county at both under 15 and under 16 level.  He also captained Ulster in the recent Shinty International and is a member of the Ulster elite Development Squad and was Moyle Young Sportsperson of 2008. He is a son of former Antrim and Ulster hurler Brian and his brother Ryan was a Colleges All-star in both 2005 and 2006. . Left Corner Back : Kevin Kerr. School : St Louis Ballymena Club : Tír na nÓg, Randalstown A dual-player, Kevin holds Ulster Colleges medals for both the BT Foresters and O Doherty Cups and has a runners-up medal for the Herald Cup.  With Tír na nÓg, Kevin has an under 14 South west Antrim Shield medal in football and an under 16 North Antrim B hurling medal. He has represented Antrim at under-age football in the Buncrana Cup and holds an Ulster minor hurling league medal from last season. . Right-half back : Neil Cunningham. School  : Rathmore Grammar Club: Lámh Dhearg, Belfast Neil has 3 Ulster Colleges winners medals.  He captained his school to their first ever hurling title  the BT McGreevy, won a BT McFarland Cup and was Player of the Match in BoI Casement Cup final last year. With Lámh Dhearg, he has 2 Under 16 B Hurling and an Under 16 B Football Championship and 1 Under 14 Ulster Féile title.  He is currently a member of the club Senior Hurling Team and has represented Antrim in football at Under 17 level. Centre-half back : Stephen Shannon School  : St Mary's, Belfast Club: O Donovan Rossa, Belfast Stephen captained St Mary's to the BT Foresters Cup as well as picking up Ulster Colleges medals for the BT Thompson Shield, Gallagher Cup and Treanor Cup. He holds football and hurling medals at south Antrim minor league level, and has represented Antrim at under 16 and Minor level.  He won 1 Ulster under 16 and 2 Minor championship medals and was vice-captain of the county minor team this year. Despite his youth, he played centre-half back for Rossa in this year's senior championship and has been called up to the Antrim Senior panel for 2009. . Left-half back : Matthew Teague. School  : St Colman's Newry Club: St Peter's Warrenpoint. A dual player, Matthew was St Colman's senior hurling team captain this year, and plays midfield for the MacRory Cup team.  He has been in Down Development squads from U-12 to U-17 and represented Down at minor level this year.  He has an Ulster Minor B league medal and All-Ireland C championship medal and is currently in the south Down Senior squad that will take part in the National League for 2009. He has represented his province in the Shinty International and has been a member of the NI Junior squad for Judo. Matthew is the first St Colman's player to win a hurling All-star. . Midfield : Darragh McCloskey. School : St. Patrick's Maghera Club : St Mary's Banagher Darragh was the Derry minor hurling captain for 2008, and also captained Ulster against Scotland in the Hurling / Shinty International in 2006.  He holds county championship medal at under 21 and under 16 level as well as at under 14 football level. With St Patrick's Maghera, he claimed BT MacNamee Cup medals in 2002 and 2003. Darragh's brothers Ruairi (2005) and Oisin (2007) have been Ulster Colleges All-stars and have both graduated to the Derry Senior team. . Midfield : Caoimhín Duffin. School  : St Louis Ballymena Club : Tír na nÓg, Randalstown A dual-player with club and school, Caoimhín holds Ulster Colleges winners medals at BT Foresters and O Doherty Cup levels as well as runners-up medals for the Herald and Foresters Cups.  At club level, he has an Abbey Cup, Féile and under 16 B championship medals and has represented his county at under 16 and minor level.  He was on the Ulster side that took part in the Shinty match with Scotland last year and has been involved in various Antrim football Development squads. Caoimhín's brother Colm has represented Antrim at senior level in hurling. . Right-half forward : Desy McClean-Lennon. School : St. Mary's Belfast Club : Gortnamona, Belfast Desy has won BT Kirk and Faul Cup medals with his previous school Glen Rd CBS and was on the St Mary's team that finished runners-up in the Mageean Cup this year. With Gortnamona, he holds 2 Ulster Intermediate hurling medals and football medals at under 21 and under 14 level as well as completing the under 16 county double. He has represented Antrim at both minor hurling and football level and won an Ulster hurling medal. He has won 2 NI Cup medals in soccer, plays golf, handball and tennis and was the West Belfast Sportsperson of 2008. . Centre-half forward : Christopher McGuinness. School  : St. Mary's Belfast Club: O Donovan Rossa, Belfast Christopher is a dual player and has collected Ulster Colleges medals at BT MacNamee, Gallagher, Corn Colmchille, Treanor and Foresters Cup level as well as BoI Mageean and MacLarnon Cups last year. At club level, he has won 3 under 12 hurling, 2 under 14 and under 16 hurling medals at south Antrim level as well as under 16 and Minor football medals. With Antrim, he won an All-Ireland under 14 hurling medal and under 16 and minor provincial medals. Christopher was also a finalist in the Junior Chess Masters championship 2006. . Left-half forward : Conor Laverty. School  : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle Club: St Brigid's Cloughmills / St Brendan s Conor was Cross & Passion's successful Mageean Cup captain this year and also holds medals at BT Thompson, Gallagher (2) and Foresters Cup levels. He has been in Antrim Development squads, took part in the under 16 Ulster team and was in the Ulster Elite Development squad last year. He was Player of the Tournament for the north Antrim under 12 Indoor league and won a McAuley Cup medal this year with his club senior team. . Right-corner forward : Michael Armstrong. School : St. Mary's Belfast Club: O Donovan Rossa, Belfast Michael has had a successful school career winning medals at BT Thompson, Gallagher, Loch an Iúir, Corn Cholmchille, Treanor and Foresters Cup levels as well as adding BoI Mageean and MacLarnon Cup medals.  He is currently starring with his school's MacRory Cup squad. Michael represented Antrim at both minor hurling and football level in 2008 winning a provincial hurling medal.  He has also represented the school at both basketball (All-Ireland finalist) and water-polo (Ulster and All-Ireland medals 2006). Michael is the son of former Antrim dual-player Donal and grandson of the legendary Ulster dual-player Kevin Army Armstrong. . Full-forward : Michael Devlin. School : St. Louis Ballymena Club : St Brigid's Cloughmills This is Michael's second Ulster Colleges All-star.  He is a former Antrim Féile na nGael skills champion and was the Ulster under 16 Poc Fada champion in 2007. He has won a BT Foresters Cup and BoI O Doherty Cup with St Louis and played in both the Foresters Cup and Herald Cup finals last year for the school. He was has been on several Antrim Development squads and collected Ulster medals at under 16 (championship) and minor (league and championship) levels . Left-corner forward :  Ciaran Clarke. School : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle Club : McQuillan's Ballycastle Ciaran has captained Cross & Passion to Ulster Colleges success at BT Thompson, MacNamee and Gallagher Cup level as well as picking up a second Gallagher, a Foresters Cup and most recently a BoI Mageean Cup medal.  In the 2008 Foresters Cup final he scored 0-10 and in 2006 he received the BT merit award for his exploits with under-age teams in the College. At club level, he has won a host of under-age medals, and captained his county at 14 level.  Colleges Hurling All-stars 1988 - 2009 School Number of All-stars St. Patrick's, Maghera 70 St. Mary's CBS, Belfast 68 St. MacNissi's, Garron Tower 43 Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 39 La Salle, Belfast 27 St. Louis, Ballymena 27 St. Patrick's, Keady 11 St. Patrick's, Armagh 10 Loreto, Coleraine 5 Our Lady & St. Patrick's, Knock 5 St. Columba's, Portaferry 4 St. Michael's, Enniskillen 4 Rathmore Grammar, Belfast 4 St. Louis, Kilkeel 3 Omagh CBS 2 Edmund Rice CBS Glengormley 2 St. Malachy's Belfast 1 Abbey CBS 1 Coláiste Feirste, Belfast 1 Glen Rd. CBS, Belfast 1 St. Eunan's, Letterkenny 1 St. Colman's Newry 1 Tweet

Most Read Stories