Apparently Niall Horan is secretly dating a girl named Ali McGinley?

Say hello to One Direction heart-throb Niall Horan’s beautiful new girlfriend Ali McGinley. Pop star Niall, 18, hooked up with the brunette while he was home in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, over the weekend. And smitten Ali, 17, admitted yesterday: “He genuinely may be one of the nicest men I’ve ever met. We’re close.”

The pretty schoolgirl posed with What Makes You Beautiful singer Niall several times during his recent trip back home. One photo of the cute pair shows Niall kissing her on the cheek, and in another they’re cuddled up in a chair together.

Ali has since been subjected to vile abuse from jealous One Direction fans commenting on her blog.

But there have also been messages of support left on her Tumblr site. One follower wrote: “hi, you’re BEAUTIFUL. And I’m so sorry you have to go through all of this s*** with Niall’s fans. Best of luck with all this.” Ali wrote back: “Hello love! Thank you thank you, he’s rather the stunner, huh? haha.” And when asked whether she is dating the teen star, Ali responded: “I can confirm that we’re both happy campers, nothing less nothing more x”.

A source revealed that sparks flew between the young pair straight away after they met while out and about in Mullingar. The insider said: “Ali and Niall are from the same town but didn’t really know one another until a few months ago. “Ali attends school in Alexandra College in Dublin and wouldn’t have known Niall from when they were younger. “He thinks she is gorgeous and she is pretty sweet on him too but Niall’s schedule means it would be pretty hard to have a relationship with anyone.”

As soon as news emerged of Niall’s new romance yesterday bitter trolls vented their abuse online. One vile comment posted on Ali’s personal blog read: “You’re actually pathetic, I dunno what Niall sees in you…. annoying c***.”

A shocked Ali responded: “Who p***ed in your cheerios? I’ve done nothing to you, I don’t see why you’ve got such a hate towards me?”

Just last week, the Irish Sun revealed how bitter internet users started false twitter rumours that his ex-girlfriend had died of cancer.

Pretty Holly Scally, who went out with him when he was just 16, was shocked at the stream of vicious tweets directed at her for simply being Niall’s ex.

And bandmate Harry Styles’ Irish love interest Sarah-Louise Colivet, 24, also had to stop using her Twitter account because of hate messages from envious fans.

Niall returned to the UK on Monday night after a long weekend with family and friends in his hometown.

Horan caught up with his Voice of Ireland coach pal Bressie and spent an evening at the Festival of Fires in the town on Saturday.

Niall ventured out in Mullingar once again on Sunday with some old school pals and posted pictures of himself partying the night away.

The teen is gearing up to head back to the US with his chart-topping band later this month. In March One Direction made history by becoming the first Irish or British group to have their debut album enter the American charts at No1. The band are also due back in studio this summer to begin working on their second album.

thanks STAR_CUDDLES!