Mageean ready to throw in

St Killians player Maol Connolly

In the first of our two part series we run the rule over the Mageean Cup Group A sides; namesly St Mary’s Belfast, Cross and Passion Ballycastle, St Patrick’s Maghera and Garrontower.

This season, the top two group A teams will qualify automatically for the Semi-final stages, while the bottom two sides will play qualifiers from Group B.

In this week’s issue we find out who has returned, who the key players are, which clubs are most represented and how each manager rates his team’s chances.

St Killians, Garron Tower

Team management
Michael McAllister, Padraig Mcilwaine, Pat Slevin

Panel size
24 approx

Returnees from last year
Maol Connolly (Loughgiel), Eamonn Kearns (Oisins Glenariffe), Mark O’Connor (Oisins Glenariffe), Darren McLaughlin (Cushendall), Eoin McManus (Cushendall)

New faces (noteworthy players coming in to the team from years below, or other schools)
Paddy Burke (Cushendall), Stephen Walsh (Cushendall)

Clubs represented on the team
Cushendall, Oisins Glenariffe, Loughgiel, Latharna Og, Shane O’Neills

Trophies that the current Mageean team have won in their time at the school
Some of the younger players on the team [i.e. Hugh Pat McNeill, Dylan McLaughlin (Shane O’Neills), Cathal and Ronan McKillop, Corey Beggs (Latharna Og ), Ryan Delargy and Seamus McAuley (Cushendall)] have Gallagher cup and Forester cup winners medals

Key players
Looking to Maol Connolly who is a new addition to the Loughgiel Shamrocks Senior panel, and Eamonn Kearns who made his championship debut for the Glenariffe Oisins in their defeat to the All-Ireland champions.

A quote from the manager on their goals for the season (Goals for this year)
Michael McAllister: “This is our second year back in the competition after winning the Casement Cup. Our main focus is to be competitive and give 100 per cent, lets see where that takes us.”

The other three Group A teams are rated in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday September 13. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here