Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 2, 6, 24 and 27. Jackpot of €3,600 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Laura & Nicola Byrne c/o Nicholas Treanor; €40 Maureen O’Donoghue c/o Michael O’Donoghue; €40 Phelim Cavlan c/o Cosy Bar; €40 Gerard Myers c/o Paddy Donnelly. Jackpot for Sunday, February 2 is €3,700 and Ann and Adrian Trappe are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in the clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome. The Lotto plays an essential part in the running of the club and we ask for everyone’s continued support.

 

Scór: The club was represented very well by our Léiriú group in the Ulster Scór na nÓg final at Silverbridge last Saturday. Danny and Dervla Tracey, Eoin McCleary, Dearbhla and Aisling Ní Ghallchóir, Helen McCrystal and Leah Reilly again put in a great performance, which was edged out by Buncrana from Donegal in the final decision. Well done to all involved in getting to the club’s first Ulster Scór final and congratulations also to the successful Drumhowan instrumental group. Maith sibh go léir! The Scór Sinsear county final will take place in Tullycorbet on Friday, February 21.

 

Arch Club: We are delighted to once again welcome Monaghan Arch Club to Gavan Duffy Park next Thursday, February 6 from 8pm to 10pm. Members are asked to keep this evening free if possible and come along to help out on the night.

 

County team: Good luck to Shane Smyth, Conor Galligan and the Monaghan senior footballers in their National League Division Two opener against Down in Newry on Saturday evening. Admission costs €15 on the night, but supporters can purchase tickets for just €10 from any Centra or SuperValu store or www.tickets.ie. The GAA Season Ticket is also still available, costing €85 for all of Monaghan’s NFL games, with the option to add entry to club championship games in the county for an extra €50.

 

Championship draw: We have been drawn to play Clontibret in the first round of the 2014 Senior Football Championship. The Senior Football League is due to start the weekend of March 22/23, with the Reserve Leagues to begin in early March.

 

Membership: Membership fees for 2014 can now be paid to registrar Dermot Coyle, treasurer John Harden or in the clubhouse. Fees for 2014 are being maintained as follows: €20 per adult, €10 per child or €50 for a family of two adults and any number of children.

 

GAA National Draw: We are now selling tickets for the GAA National Club Draw, which offers ten great prizes including trips to Australia to the International Rules panel and to Boston with the All-Stars. Tickets for the St. Patrick’s Day draw cost €10 each and are available now from committee members and players. All funds raised will be retained by the club and we appreciate all support.

 

Coaching courses: Anyone interested in doing a foundation coaching course or doing/renewing the child protection course on March 21/22 is asked to contact Una Forde on 087 6107329. There are a number of other coaching courses taking place in the coming months. See Monaghan GAA website or contact Val or Una for more details.

 

Garda vetting: In keeping with best practice, it is important that everyone involved in the club committee, coaching etc. completes a Garda vetting form. Anyone who has yet to do so should return it to club secretary Lorcan McAdam.

 

Charity match: Any outstanding sponsorship forms and money from our annual Christmas charity match should be returned to Owen Connell, Mary White, Theresa McCaughey, Liadhan Treanor or the clubhouse as soon as possible. All money raised will go to local charities, which will be announced soon.

 

New rules: It is compulsory from January 1, 2014 for all adult players to wear a mouth guard at both training and matches. All players and mentors are asked to take note. The new playing rules are also now in effect: see online for full details.

 

Farewell party: As Owen Connell is being transferred for work to Dublin, there will be a farewell night to wish him well in the Hillgrove Hotel on Friday week, February 7.

 

Team photos: If anyone has any team photos that they would like to have put up in the clubhouse, please contact Liadhan Treanor on 086 7837204.

 

Good luck: To Reece Treanor at the Clonmel greyhound races this weekend.

 

Ladies: A committee meeting was held in McElvaney’s Bar last Friday.  Several guests from the county athletics scene were present to assist in the setting-up of our inaugural club 5km run. This has now been finalised for Easter Monday, April 21, at 12pm and will incorporate the new Ulster Canal Greenway that runs by the club grounds. It promises to be a great run, perfect for families and the seasoned athlete alike, so save the date. Thank you to our guests for their valued input and to Mary McElvaney for her lovely tea and biccies…we’ll have to burn those off now in training for this run!

Note again that 2014 registration for all age groups can now be collected by all managements and forwarded to Allison. Registration for 2014 is: Senior €55, under-18/16/14 €40, under-10 €25 and non-playing members €30. Get it sorted good and early!

 

Handball: It is with sadness that we heard of the tragic accident in which top young Clare handball player, Barry Nash, died on Sunday last. We last saw him when he played against Ramunas in the Nationals in 2013. We extend our sympathy to his family on behalf of all Monaghan handball community. We have two players involved in the Ulster championships on this Saturday. Terry McElvaney won his match in the last 16 of the Junior singles and now has a quarter-final match in Armagh at 4pm. Conor McDonnell has his first match in the Golden Masters B singles in Saval, County Down, against Antrim’s Jim Maguire.  Good luck to both players. Ramunas lost a very close Minor Singles Ulster Semifinal to Bawn’s Eugene McGeough on Sunday last. At 19-19 in the deciding game the match could have gone either way.  We congratulate Eugene and wish him every success in the final against firm favourite Johnny Woods from Tyrone.