A Year 12 student at St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel has had her sporting talents acknowledged in two GAA codes, receiving awards in both Gaelic football and Camogie. Receiving an Ulster Colleges All-Star in one sport is a fantastic achievement in its own right, but to receive a similar award in a second sport suggests the recipient is an athlete of ‘elite status’.

After being nominated by her St. Louis coaches, Year 12 student Sorcha McCartan impressed the selectors during trials for the Ulster Colleges All-Star Schemes in both Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie. Sorcha, from the Castlewellan GAA club, has already become a prominent figure on the Ulster Colleges sporting scene as she has been a key player in St. Louis Ulster title winning teams in Camogie in recent years. She has also represented St. Louis with great distinction in Ladies Gaelic football and will be looking to secure a first Ulster Colleges title in this sport as St. Louis take on the challenge of Donegal school from Glenties in the Under -20 decider later this month.

A delighted Mr Martin, St. Louis Principal, congratulated Sorcha on her double award stating, “It’s a fantastic acknowledgement of Sorcha’s excellent application and ability, but her awards are also a beacon of inspiration to others to be the best they can”.

Sorcha is St. Louis first Ladies football All-Star and she now joins an impressive list of All-Star recipients from St. Louis. Past recipients in Camogie include Coleen Fearon and Joanne Fitzpatrick, whilst in football all-Stars have been bestowed upon Stephen Flannagan, Peter Fitzpatrick and Paul Allen. John and Martin Clarke, both received double All-Stars for football during their time at St. Louis whilst Ben O’Reilly went one better receiving a double award in football and a further All-Star in Hurling.

Sorcha is the daughter of Gregory and Sinead McCartan from Castlewellan. Perhaps her sporting prowess is in her genes as Sorcha’s father is no stranger to elite sporting achievements having won two All-Ireland Senior Football titles with the great Down side of the 1990’s.

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