Fixtures:

Monday, March 28: Under-14 HL v Truagh (Away) at 6.30pm

Tuesday, March 29: Under-12 Spring League Zone B v Donaghmoyne (Away) at 6.15pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 15, 20, 21 and 28. Jackpot of €4,400 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Oliver Cawley c/o Joe Finlay (Hurling Club); €40 Martin McCarville c/o Séamus Treanor; €40 Emma Clerkin c/o Gerard Clerkin (Ladies Club); €40 Tony McGinnity c/o Séamus Treanor. Jackpot for Sunday, March 27 is €4,500 and Tessie Connolly and Kathleen and Seán Boyle are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in our refurbished clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome.

 

St. Patrick’s Day: We were blessed by great weather for the very enjoyable St. Patrick’s Day celebrations last Thursday. Well done to our juveniles and their mentors for wearing the club colours in the town parade and thanks to everyone who joined us in the clubhouse afterwards. Thanks to all club members for their support, the young musicians who played and everyone who brought food along. We wish all club members a happy Easter weekend. Beannachtaí na Cásca oraibh go léir!

 

Seniors: We started our Senior Football League campaign with a 2-13 to 1-8 win at home to Doohamlet in fine conditions last Sunday. 1-1 by Éimhín Morahan and points by Fearghal McMahon, Gary White and Shane Smyth had us 1-6 to 1-2 up at half-time and scores by Fearghal, Stephen Driver, Nicholas Treanor, Gary and Shane (who got our second goal ten minutes from time) helped ensure our seniors got off to winning start. We wish Conor Galligan a speedy recovery from the injury he suffered in the early stages of the game.

Team and scorers: Ashley White; Niall Hahessy, David Hughes, James McKenna; Niall Treanor, Conor Galligan (Capt.), Nicholas Scott; Stephen Driver (0-1), Gary White (0-2); Nicholas Treanor (0-1), Shane Smyth (1-2), Michael Galligan; Éimhín Morahan (1-1), Neil McAdam, Fearghal McMahon (0-6, 3f).

Subs: David Lowry for C Galligan (inj., 7 mins), Francis Lynch for Lowry (49).

 

Reserves: We got our first win of the Reserve Football League Division Three campaign with an improved performance at home to Truagh last Sunday. Goals by Dillon Duffy and Francis Lynch helped us take charge in the first half and we found the net twice also in the second half through Dessie McGarry and Reece Treanor to secure a 4-8 to 1-7 win.

Team: Darragh Hannon; Conor Flynn, Paul Smyth, Ahmed Gamal; Kyle O’Leary, David Lowry, Conor Forde; Dylan McKenna, Francis Lynch; Cónall McKenna, Colm Shalvey, Ruairí Forde; Dessie McGarry (Capt.), Dillon Duffy, John Treanor.

Subs: Paul Rushe for D McKenna, Reece Treanor for R Forde, Pat Meehan for McGarry, David Carey for Duffy, Evan Cudden for Flynn, Conor O’Neill for J Treanor.

Our next game in this competition is not scheduled until April 20, but we return to RFL Division 1A action away to Truagh this Saturday at 5pm

 

U-12: Well done to our two Under-12 football teams, who began the Spring League with good wins last Saturday. Our Zone A team were first up in a high-scoring victory away to Donaghmoyne.

Team and scorers: Ethan Ballantine; Patrick Dooley-Duffy, Gary Devlin; Seán Callan (0-2), Senan Cudden; Eoin O’Hanlon (1-3), Jake McConnon (0-1); Josh Kelly (Capt., 0-3), Fionán Ó Gallchóir (1-3); Shea Swift (2-4), Oisín Reilly (1-2); Liam McCabe.

Later in the afternoon, our Zone B team came out on top of a keen contest in Truagh. Well done to all involved. The next games are on Saturday week (April 2).

Team and scorers: Senan Cudden; Dáire Conlon, Mark Clerkin (Capt.); Max Mallen, Shane Moran; Jack Lynch, Ethan Ballantine; Morgan Coyle, Oisín Treanor (0-3); Liam McCabe, Aidan McGeough.

Subs used: Mark Corrigan, Eoin O’Hanlon (0-6), Eoin McCleary, Jake McConnon (0-1), Fionán Ó Gallchóir (0-2), Jack Corrigan, Gregory O’Connell, Shea Swift (0-2), Oisín Reilly (0-2).

 

U-14: Our Under-14 Division Five team start their league campaign with a home game against Castleblayney this Saturday at 2pm.

 

U-16: Our Under-16 footballers play their first league game on Thursday week (March 31).

 

Know Your Sport: Our sports prediction competition is back for 2016, with another 20 questions to be answered. Forms are available now from senior players and club members. Put your sporting knowledge to the test and try to beat last year’s winner, Emmet McWilliams, who got 16 correct!

 

Membership: Registration fees of €20 for 2016 can now be paid to club registrar Kevin Treanor (086 2591411) or in the clubhouse. All players and members must be paid up by the end of March. The deadline is fast approaching, so members are asked to register as soon as possible.

 

Dates to remember: We are looking forward to our Cake Sale in the Shopping Centre on Saturday, April 16, two weeks after the scheduled return of our Saturday-morning coaching. We will host a Scór night in the clubhouse on April 23: check back for more details. The Minor Football League begins on Tuesday, April 5 away to Scotstown. We will once again host Darkness into Light Monaghan this year in the early hours of Saturday, May 7. Our Golf Classic and Street Collection will both take place in June (more details later).

 

Pitch bookings: All pitch bookings for 2016 for training or matches must be made via 086 1957155. Training slots have been allocated and any changes must be notified in advance. Work is ongoing on the main pitch at present and all co-operation from team mentors is appreciated.

 

County/Colleges: Good luck to Neil McAdam and the Monaghan senior footballers in Sunday’s NFL game v Kerry in Clones. Well done to team captain Kevin Loughran and Fearghal McMahon on helping the county Under-21s to win their Ulster quarter-final against Fermanagh and good luck in the semi-final against Armagh in Newry next Wednesday. Meanwhile, Shane McMahon, Thomas Croarkin, Jamie Shields and Niall Ward all lined out with the county minor and U-17 teams in their Ulster league wins last Saturday. Best wishes to all Harps players currently playing for schools and college teams, especially the Sem’s Dalton Cup team, who reached the semi-finals with a good win over St. Colman’s last week.

 

Handball: Well done to Eoghan McGinnity on reaching the All-Ireland Under-14 handball final, where he was edged out in a tiebreaker last Sunday morning.

 

Congratulations: To Dan Scott, who was the Guest of Honour at the Monaghan New York GAA Club’s dinner dance recently.

 

Coaching: Monaghan Coaching & Games Development are running a series of Coach Education programmes in Cloghan. See the Monaghan GAA website or contact Pádraig Callan for more details.

 

Gavan Duffy Park: The refurbished Monaghan Harps clubhouse is available to book for functions. Contact Jimmy Croarkin on 087 1249635 or Pádraig Callan on 087 2139188 for more information. Anyone looking to book the clubhouse for meetings, functions, etc. is asked to please give a week’s notice for convenience.