Fixtures: Tuesday, May 28: Under-14 FC Division Five v Truagh (Home) at 6.45pm; U-14 FL Division One v Inniskeen (Home) at 8.15pm

Wednesday, May 29: O’Duffy Cup Q-F v Latton (Away) at 7.30pm

Thursday, May 30: SHL v Clontibret (Home) at 8pm

Friday, May 31: Reserve Football Division Three Cup v Currin (Home) at 7.30pm; Under-12 FL Division 1A v Magheracloone (Home) at 7.30pm

Saturday, June 1: Under-14 FL Division One v Truagh (Home) at 1.15pm; Under-14 FL Division Five v Truagh (Home) at 12pm

Monday, June 3: Under-14 HL v Cootehill (Home) at 7.30pm

Tuesday, June 4: Under-14 FL Division One v Clones/Currin in Clones at 8.15pm

Wednesday, June 5: RFL Division 1A v Latton (Home) at 8pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 6, 9, 15 and 19. Jackpot of €5,100 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Pauric McKenna c/o senior footballers; €40 Louise McCartney c/o Jim Dalton (Hurling Club); €40 Jimmy Hughes c/o Paddy Donnelly; €40 Mary Morris c/o Barry Sullivan. Jackpot for Sunday, June 2 is €5,200 and Dermot and Liz Brannigan are on duty. All welcome. The Monaghan Harps Lotto plays an integral role in the running of the club. If you want to volunteer to get involved in any way (e.g. selling tickets), please contact any committee member.

 

Seniors: The senior footballers enjoyed a 0-18 to 2-7 win at home to Doohamlet last Wednesday evening. Three points from Nicholas Treanor, two from Dónal Hahessy and one each by Emmett McArdle and Paddy Connolly had our lads ahead by 0-7 to 0-5 at the end of a closely-contested first half. A flying start to the second half, including two points each from Conor Galligan, Neil McAdam and Nicholas and one apiece by Shane Smyth and Emmett, opened up a healthy lead. We conceded two goals in the last ten minutes, but Emmett, Dónal and Liam Hahessy kicked points at the other end to maintain daylight between the teams. There is now a break from SFL fixtures until we host Magheracloone on June 12.

Team and scorers: Mark Hughes; Aodhán Óg McAnespie, Rónán Garvey, Shane Coyle; Nicholas Scott, Neil McAdam (0-2, 1 ’45), Conor Galligan (Capt., 0-2); Peter Coyle, Stephen Driver; Shane Smyth (0-1), Nicholas Treanor (0-5, 1f), Emmett McArdle (0-3); Donal Hahessy (0-3, 1f), Paddy Connolly (0-1), Liam Hahessy (0-1).

Sub: Darren McMahon for P Coyle (inj., 56 mins).

 

Hurling: Huge congrats to our senior hurlers who have followed up club success at U-14 level in April with some silverware of their own in the Development League on Thursday last with their win over Truagh in the final at Smithborough. This ensured the team finished the league with a 100% record. The Harps got off to a great start, as Alan Ryan converted a free for a foul on Aidan Connell, before sending in a high ball which Gerard Gilsenan diverted into the net. Truagh got a couple of points back, but good points by Ross Corbett and Maurice McKenna restored the four-point gap, before Alan added a point from play. Truagh hit back with a fortunate goal, but good scores from Brendan McQuaid and Dónal Hahessy kept the Harps in control. Truagh rallied in the last ten minutes of the half, but a Maurice McKenna free, after a foul on Brendan, was enough to send our hurlers in leading by 1-7 to 1-6.

Scores were scarce after the restart, as the teams could only manage a combined total of three points in the third quarter, with both of the Harps scores coming from frees by Maurice. Truagh set up a nervy finish when they once again closed to within a point going into the last ten minutes, but frees by Alan and Maurice opened up a bit of breathing space. The defence stood tall in the closing minutes to see the game out on a scoreline of 1-11 to 1-8.

Team and scorers: James Greenan; Éanna Finlay, Gavin Baxter, Alan Lee; Kieran O’Mahony, Aodhán Óg McAnespie (Joint Capt.), Jack Lee; Alan Ryan (Joint-Capt, 0-3, 2f), Shane Smyth; Brendan McQuaid (0-1), Dónal Hahessy (0-1), Aidan Connell; Maurice McKenna (0-5, 4f), Gerard Gilsenan (1-0), Ross Corbett (0-1).

Subs: Liam Hahessy for McAnespie (inj., 29 mins), Conor Curley for McQuaid (39).

Rest of panel: Robbie Healy, Frank Burke, Paul Lee, Myles Dwyer, Ray Lee, Conor O’Neill, Darren McGill, Niall Hahessy, Patrick Meehan, Micheál Ó Mordha, Shane Feeney.

Management: Gerry Curley, John Hahessy, Paddy Donnelly, Eugene Heaphey.

Next up is the second fixture of the Senior League at home to Clontibret this Thursday at 8pm. After a disappointing two-point loss away to Truagh in the first round, the lads will be looking to get some points on the league table. Our U-14 hurlers are due to play their league semi-final at home to Cootehill on Monday at 7.30pm.

Congratulations to Ken Feeney and his wife Michelle, who tied the knot last weekend in Tipperary.

 

Dance: Thanks to everyone who supported our fundraising dance, with music by The Outlaws, in the Hillgrove Hotel last Friday night and to those who helped to organise the event.

 

Reserves: We returned to winning ways in the RFL Division Three in a high-scoring game away to Aghabog on Saturday. Michael Buckley, Pat Murphy, Stephen Driver and Conor Devlin were among our scorers in a first half which finished with us ahead by 0-9 to 0-8. A slow start to the second half allowed Aghabog to edge ahead, but a goal by Robbie Moyna regained the initiative, before Jason McHugh came off the bench to send a clever flick to the net. Aghabog rallied to set up an exciting finish, before Jason fired home his second goal late on to give us a 3-13 to 2-14 win.

Team and scorers: Ronan McGann; Niall Brannigan, Gary Trappe; Mustafa Gamal, Séamus Brannigan, Dean McMahon; Stephen Driver (0-4), Conor Devlin (0-2); Pat Murphy (0-2), Gary Murray, Michael Buckley (0-2); Dessie McGarry (0-2f), Robbie Moyna (1-0).

Sub: Jason McHugh (2-0) for Buckley.

In a big week for our reserves, we play an O’Duffy Cup quarter-final away to Latton tomorrow night (Wednesday) and we host Currin in the Reserve Division Three Cup on Friday at 7.30pm.

 

Minors: Our minor footballers and their management all completed a fundraising 5k run last Sunday morning. Well done to all involved.

 

U-16: The Under-16 footballers had a busy week, with two games in the space of three days. First up was a disappointing defeat at home to Carrickmacross last Tuesday, when our lads were unable to find any sort of form, but they bounced back with a much-improved performance away to Seán McDermotts on Thursday. The Harps led a strong Seáns side for much of the game and although they conceded a late goal, they still came away with a point on a scoreline of 2-9 to 4-3. Welcome back to John Mulligan, who has made a welcome return from a serious injury.

Team and scorers (v Carrickmacross): Darragh Hannon (1-0); Conor Flynn, Evan Cudden, Shane McKenna; Niall McManus, John Mulligan (0-1f), Kyle O’Leary (0-1); David Lowry, Aaron Woods; Paul Peppard, Adam Treanor, Ruairí Forde; Conan Fowler, James Owens, Conor Duffy (0-1f).

Sub: Nathan Mulligan for Fowler.

 

U-14: Both of our Under-14 football teams have busy weeks. The Division Five team host Truagh in the championship on Tuesday and they face the same opposition in the league on Saturday. The Division One team host Inniskeen on Tuesday and Truagh on Saturday, before travelling to Clones to play Clones/Currin next Tuesday.

 

U-12: The Under-12 competitive leagues got underway with a keenly-contested Division 2B game at home to Donaghmoyne on a wet Monday evening. Donaghmoyne started well to take charge of the game, but our lads battled their way back into it, led by some fine scores from Brendan Óg Duffy. With the backs and midfield gradually getting on top of their opponents, the Harps improved as the game went on, as Adam McGarry and Brendan hit some nice scores, but Donaghmoyne hit back with a goal which proved crucial as they won by 2-10 to 3-6.

Team: Ben Myers; Liam Conway, Tiarnán O’Rourke, James McKinney, Lochlainn Power; Nathan Lavery, Brendan Óg Duffy; Ryan McSkane, Adam McGarry, Darragh Croarkin, Shay Cooney.

Subs: Che Treanor, James Curley, Brian McAteer, Diarmuid McGee, Evan Meehan, Ryan..

The first Division 1A game takes place at home to Magheracloone this Friday.

 

U-10/U-8: Thanks to everyone who helped out with our successful hosting of an Under-10/Under-8 blitz last Thursday night.

 

O-35: Our recreational football team are set to compete in an Éire Óg tournament in Scotstown on Saturday. Details will be sent out to eligible players.

 

Good luck: All the best to all of our young players and members who are shortly sitting exams. Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh!

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Umbrellas: We now have a number of Monaghan Harps umbrellas for sale. Contact Séamus McManus at 086 8167928 for more info.

 

Jerseys: A number of the senior hurlers’ jerseys are still missing. Could everyone please check kitbags etc. to make sure they don’t have any of these jerseys.

 

Cúl Camp: This year’s GAA Cúl Camp at Gavan Duffy Park will take place from July 15-19.

 

County: Well done to the county minor footballers, especially our own Kevin Loughran and Fearghal McMahon, on their excellent win over Antrim last Sunday. Hard luck to the senior hurlers, who lost to Donegal in the Nicky Rackard Cup semi-finals.