Fixtures: Sunday, September 9: U-17 FL Division One v Killanny (Away) at 11am

Wednesday, September 12: U-17 FC Division One Q-F Replay v Latton (Away) at 6pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 7, 19, 20 and 28. Jackpot of €3,600 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Roy Stirrat c/o Barry Sullivan; €40 Kay McQuaid c/o Sheila Treanor; €40 Aidan Redden c/o Dermot Coyle; €40 Marian O’Brien c/o Ashley White. Jackpot for Sunday, September 9 is €3,700 and Monica and Paudge Connolly are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in our clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome. Thanks to everyone for their support for our Lotto, which plays a critical role in our club’s funding. We ask all club members to continue to promote our Lotto as much as possible.

 

Seniors: We exited the Greenfield Foods Senior Football Championship with a defeat against Carrickmacross in Clontibret last Saturday. Points by Conor Galligan, Éimhín Morahan and Shane Smyth kept us in touch for most of the first half until a late burst of 1-3 from Carrick gave them a 1-8 to 0-5 interval lead. We started the second half brightly with a brace from Michael Galligan, only for Carrick to pull away with another goal and three points. Éimhín, Neil McAdam and Conor Galligan took our tally to 0-14, but a 2-18 total from Carrick ended our SFC campaign.

Team and scorers: Darragh Hannon; Thomas Croarkin, Kevin Loughran, Niall Ward; Gareth Treanor, Conor Galligan (0-2), Niall Hahessy; Stephen Driver, Dylan McKenna; Nicholas Scott (Capt.), Éimhín Morahan (0-8f), Aodhán Óg McAnespie; Francis Lynch, Shane Smyth (0-1), Neil McAdam (0-1f).

Subs: Michael Galligan (0-2) for Lynch, David Lowry for Hahessy (both H-T), Conor McCrystal for Croarkin (50 mins), John Mulligan for Ward (56), Liam Hahessy for Driver (57).

There are four games remaining in the SFL, with five points up for grabs for a win in each.

 

U-17: Our U-17s finished level with Latton at the end of a cracking Division One Championship quarter-final last Sunday. Our lads got off to a flying start with a first-minute goal from Mujtaba Gamal, but Latton had the better of much of the first half, at the end of which they led by 1-10 to 1-5, despite Harps points from Lochlainn Power, Luke Coyle, Conor Devlin, Oisín Fagan and Eoghan McGinnity. We fell nine points down after the restart, but points by Luke and Eoghan and a Dylan Ballantine penalty began the comeback. Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh added 1-1 and with Lochlainn and Eoghan also on target, our lads edged ahead in added time, only for a Latton free to level it up again at 3-10 to 2-13. Latton hit the only three points of the first half of extra-time, but a goal from Dylan brought us back on level terms. The visitors moved ahead once again with their third goal, but points from Ógie and Luke kept it tight, before Dean Doherty went forward to drill a perfectly-placed low shot into the net in the final minute.

Team and scorers: Daragh Croarkin; Cathal Nally, Dylan Ballantine (2-0, 1 pen), Dean Doherty (1-0); Stephen Ward, Killian Conlon, Oisín Fagan (0-1); Lorcan O’Rourke, Lochlainn Power (0-2); James McKenny, Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh (1-2), Conor Devlin (0-1); Jamie McCarron, Mujtaba Gamal (1-0), Luke Coyle (0-3f).

Subs used: Eoghan McGinnity (0-3, 2f), Terence McDonald, Andrew Lyden, Anann Connor.

After the drama of this 5-12 to 3-18 draw, our U-17s won against the same opposition in the league on Tuesday, with the sides also due to replay their championship tie in Latton next Wednesday. The league continues away to Killanny this Sunday at 11am.

 

U-15: Our U-15 Division One team lost out to Emyvale in the Shield Final in Scotstown last Thursday. After a strong performance in the Championship Final, we fell short of those standards here as Emyvale ran out deserving winners. Points from Jamie Coyle, Daragh Croarkin and Shay Cooney kept us in touch in an evenly-matched start, but we only managed one further point from Kevin Moran in the rest of the first half, while Emyvale hit a string of scores to pull away. Daragh, Shay, Jamie, Kevin and Ben Myers were on target in the second half, with Shay converting a penalty for our only goal of the game, but Emyvale found the net on another two occasions to stay well clear. This was a disappointing end to a year that saw our two U-15 teams reach three finals. Thanks to the players, management and all involved for their efforts.

Team and scorers: Karol Parszywka; Jake McConnon, James Curley, Gary Devlin; Liam Conway (Capt.), Tiarnán O’Rourke, Mark McManus; Nathan Lavery, Kevin Moran (0-2, 1f); Jamie Coyle (0-2f), Daragh Croarkin (0-3, 2f), Jake Power; Luke McManus, Ben Myers (0-1), Shay Cooney (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-1f).

Subs used: Shea Swift, Josh Kelly, Josh Lavery, Michael McMorrow, Jordan Crampton, Gregory O’Connell.

Panel: Conor Treanor, Eoin McCleary, Fachtna Mac Conghail, Dylan McClave.

 

U-13: Our U-13 Division One team fell just short in their Championship Final against Carrickmacross last Wednesday. After a slow start where we relied on some excellent defensive work to stay in touch, our lads got up and running with quick-fire points by Ethan Ballantine and Shay Kelly. Scores from Eoin O’Hanlon and Fionán Ó Gallchóir levelled it up, before a well-taken goal by Jack Lynch had our lads 1-4 to 0-4 up at half-time. A point from Eoin was our only response to a blitz of 1-6 from Carrick in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but Eoin then fired to the net to give our lads renewed hope. A late bout of Harps pressure saw Cian Bradley lob a shot just over and a couple of goal attempts go close, but Carrick held on to win by 1-11 to 2-6.

Team and scorers: Oisín Reilly; Dáire Conlon, Ethan McCaffrey; Mark Clerkin, Shane Moran, Cian Bradley (0-1); Eoin O’Hanlon (1-2, 0-2f), Jack Lynch (1-0); Fionán Ó Gallchóir (0-1), Senan Cudden, Shay Kelly (0-1); Seán Callan, Ethan Ballantine (0-1).

Our lads won the league final against the same opposition on Wednesday. See http://www.monaghangaa.ie/2018/09/harps-stage-the-greatest-comeback-since-lazarus/ for report.

 

Sponsor a Seat: To celebrate and promote the continued development of our facilities at Gavan Duffy Park, we are offering the unique opportunity to sponsor/dedicate a seat in our stand at a cost of €50. See our club website (monaghanharps.gaa.ie) or contact Club Secretary Val Forde (secretary.monaghanharps.monaghan@gaa.ie), Chairman Jimmy Croarkin (087 1249635) or any committee member for more details. Please note that the deadline for sponsoring a seat is upon us so please return cards as soon as possible.

 

‘Go Pink for Pamela’: Well done to everyone involved in this 5km family fun walk, organised by the Monaghan Pink Ladies group and supporting a good cause, which started and finished at our grounds last Sunday. Thanks also to those who watched the All-Ireland finals in our clubhouse during the afternoon and to Aidan, Evan and other club members for their efforts.

 

Dates to remember: Our Family Fun Day has been rescheduled for September 29.

 

Clubhouse: The Monaghan Harps clubhouse is available to book for functions. Contact Jimmy Croarkin on 087 1249635 or Pádraig Callan on 087 2543511 for more information. Anyone looking to book the clubhouse for meetings, functions, etc. is asked to please give a week’s notice for convenience.

 

Hurling:

 

Juvenile Coaching: Coaching for juveniles continues every Sunday in Rooskey between 12 noon and 1.30pm.