History was made on the double in Our Lady’s Secondary School on the 19th of November when the school received four highly prestigious Ulster Ladies All Stars; this was the largest number of All Stars ever received by any school in the history of the All Star Awards. The fact that one of the players Muireann Atkinson received her third consecutive Colleges All Star Award was also another first as no player has ever been previously selected for three consecutive years. The four girls were selected by the school to attend an initial trial in Cookstown were 110 girls from around Ulster attended. All four girls impressed the selectors present to be invited back to the second trial on the 18th November that was attended by 60 players from across the province. The school was delighted that all four girls were selected as representatives on this year’s team. Orlaith Maguire was selected at corner back; her selection was a fitting tribute to her outstanding form in the opening games in the Ulster competition. Orlaith is a member of the Castleblayney Faughs club and the award is a great boost to Ladies GAA in the town. Muireann Atkinson was selected at midfield and in so doing has become the most decorated player in the history of the scheme collecting her third consecutive All star Award-a feat never achieved before. Muireann is a member of the O’ Neill Shamrocks club and has just completed her third year on the Monaghan Senior panel. The captain of Senior Ladies GAA team Eimear Finnegan from the Donaghmoyne club was the third recipient from the school. Eimear has been centre back on the school senior team for this past three years and has recently won Senior and Intermediate Championships with the Donaghmoyne club. The fourth award winner was 5th year student Celine Nally from the Scotstown GAA club. Celine is an extremely talented all round sports person who has excelled in a number of sporting codes at the school this year. The girls will receive their All Star Awards at a presentation at Kelly Inn on the 15th January and they will also represent Ulster in the interprovincial series at the end of that month. The four awards this year bring in total 10 Ulster Ladies All Stars to the school in four years; this is a huge testament to all the fantastic work done in coaching and promoting GAA at all levels in the school. The Awards are a timely boost to the Senior Girls GAA team in the school ahead of their Ulster Semi- final match with Colaiste Oiriall Monaghan.
