Fixtures: Thursday, August 14: Under-14 FL Division Five v Scotstown (Away) at 7.30pm

Friday, August 15: Under-12 FL Division 3B Shield Final: Emyvale v Scotstown at Gavan Duffy Park at 7pm

Saturday, August 16: SFL v Latton (Away) at 7pm; Under-14 FL Division One v Magheracloone (Home) at 12pm

Monday, August 18: Under-16 HL Final v Cootehill at 7pm

Wednesday, August 20: SFL v Clontibret (Away) at 7.15pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 2, 9, 18 and 28. Jackpot of €1,900 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Eugene Greenan c/o Séamus Treanor; €40 Karl Hughes c/o Dermot Coyle; €40 Rosalind Hennessy c/o Noel Hennessy; €40 Liadhan & Reece Treanor c/o Clubhouse. Jackpot for Sunday, August 17 is €2,000 and Ann and Adrian Trappeare on duty. The Lotto plays an essential part in the running of the club and we ask for everyone’s continued support.

 

Summer Camps: We are hosting a Harps Fun Summer Camp at Gavan Duffy Park next week (Monday, August 18 to Friday, August 22; 10am-2pm each day) for children aged between up to 12, featuring football, hurling, handball, music and dance. An enjoyable week is in store. Forms are now available from club members and on our website; www.monaghanharps.gaa.ie.

 

U-12: Pride of place this week goes to our two Under-12 football teams, who won three big games in the space of seven days. Our Division 3B team won the league final with an impressive team performance in Smithborough on Saturday. Everyone contributed to this victory, with Tom Dauksts making some excellent saves, behind a well-organised back-line of Mark McManus, Deivydas Kaklauskas, Lukas Virfilas and Che Treanor. Daragh Croarkin and Brian McAteer were on top at midfield, allowing Jake Power, Jamie Cooney, Jamie Coyle and Josh Deeney to shine up front, while our strong bench also made a good contribution. A brace of early goals from Jamie Coyle, along with points by Daragh Croarkin and Jake Power, got us up and running, before Jamie completed his hat-trick. Daragh, Jake and Josh Deeney added points and Jamie Cooney netted our fourth goal to make it 4-6 to 0-2 at the interval. Points from Josh and Jake kept the scoreboard ticking over in the final period, while Shay Cooney found the net and Mark McManus sent over a fine point late on to make it 5-10 to 2-6. Our 11 substitutes all got a run-out in the middle third, with Conor Treanor and Oisín Reilly kicking good scores, and many of them also appeared in the last 15 minutes. With our captain Ryan McSkeane unfortunately absent, it took three (Mark McManus, Jake Power and Daragh Croarkin) to deputise and lift the cup. Well done to everyone involved!

Team and scorers: Tom Dauksts; Mark McManus (Joint-Capt., 0-1), Deivydas Kaklauskas; Lukas Virfilas, Che Treanor; Daragh Croarkin (Joint-Capt., 0-2), Brian McAteer; Jake Power (Joint-Capt., 0-4, 1f), Jamie Cooney (1-0); Jamie Coyle (3-1), Josh Deeney (0-2, 1f).

Subs used: Shay Cooney (1-0), Conor Treanor, Scott Cooney, Evan Meehan, Dean Conlon, James Curley, Diarmuid Magee, Nathan Boylan, Eoin Clerkin, Oisín Reilly, Morgan Coyle.

Our Division 1A team are also through to the final after two hard-earned knock-out wins. Last Tuesday, we battled past Inniskeen in a play-off in Aughnamullen. After starting slowly, a brace of points from Josh Maguire, one from Dylan Ballantine and goals by Joshua Clerkin, Eoghan McGinnity and Terence McDonald sent us in leading by 3-3 to 1-4. We conceded a goal early in the final period, but a goal by Dylan and a hat-trick of points from Eoghan kept us ahead. Inniskeen battled back in an exciting finish to draw level, but a point from Joshua and another goal from Dylan made the final score 5-7 to 4-6 in our favour.

Team and scorers: Daragh Croarkin; James McKenny, Liam Conway; Tiarnán O’Rourke, Nathan Lavery; Dean Doherty, Joshua Clerkin (1-0); Eoghan McGinnity (1-3, 1-0f, 0-2 ’45s), Josh Maguire (0-2, 1f); Terence McDonald (1-0), Dylan Ballantine (2-1).

Subs used: Adam McGarry, Jake Power, Brian McAteer, Che Treanor, Shay Cooney, Deivydas Kaklauskas.

We then played away to Donaghmoyne in a thrilling semi-final on Monday evening. This time, we got off to a great start with a goal from Dylan Ballantine and points by Eoghan McGinnity and Joshua Clerkin, but Donaghmoyne reeled off a string of impressive scores to take charge and although Eoghan and Dylan replied, we trailed by 1-10 to 1-4 at the break. A goal by Dylan and a brilliant point by Tiarnán O’Rourke, along with some excellent defending led by James McKenny, kept us in touch, before a Terence McDonald free and 1-1 from Eoghan brought us level. Both teams battled to the end, but we got crucial scores from Dylan and Terence to finish on the right side of a 3-9 to 1-13 scoreline.

Team and scorers: Daragh Croarkin; James McKenny, Liam Conway; Tiarnán O’Rourke (0-1), Dean Doherty; Nathan Lavery, Joshua Clerkin (0-1f); Josh Maguire, Eoghan McGinnity (1-3, 0-1 ’45); Terence McDonald (0-2f), Dylan Ballantine (2-2, 0-2f).

Subs used: Adam McGarry, Jake Power, Brian McAteer, Che Treanor, Shay Cooney, Craig Cooney, Jamie Coyle, Lukas Virfilas.

 

Seniors: In a busy week in the SFL, we played Ballybay last night (Wednesday) and have two more away games on Saturday against Latton and on Wednesday against Clontibret.

 

Minors: Our minors’ league ended with a 2-18 to 2-8 defeat at home to Carrickmacross last Tuesday. Despite being without a few key players, our lads battled gamely, particularly in the first half, at the end of which we were just a point down, with Éimhín Morahan’s score-taking keeping us in contention. Carrick pulled away in the second half, however, even though Darragh Hannon, who had moved from goals to full-forward, scored a late consolation goal. Thanks to all the players and the management for their efforts throughout the year.

Team and scorers: Darragh Hannon (1-0); Daniel Kelly, Mustafa Gamal (Capt.), Evan Cudden (0-1); Marc Brennan, Darragh Treanor, David Lowry; Éimhín Morahan (1-5, 0-2f), Kevin Lyden; Kyle O’Leary, Tiarnán Bramley, Niall Duffy (0-1); Ruairí Forde, Thomas Bourke (0-1), David Carey.

Subs used: Reece Treanor, Conor Flynn, Dylan McAree.

 

U-16: Our Under-16 footballers started the championship with a 5-8 to 2-9 win in an entertaining quarter-final at home to St. Patrick’s last Thursday. Soky John, Cathal Power and Shane McMahon were among the scorers as the Harps took a 2-4 to 1-5 lead at the end of an evenly-matched first half, while Ben Kearns-Flynn and Ethan Murphy got off the mark after the restart. St. Pat’s continued to look threatening on the attack, but a couple of fine saves by Dylan McAree and a goal at the other end by Aidan Burns gave the Harps some breathing space. Jack Deery added a point for our lads, before Dylan Duffy announced his arrival with a brace of fine scores and a cracking goal by Soky ended the game on a high note. The U-16 footballers have no game this week, but next Thursday is the final league game at home to Donaghmoyne and the following week will be the championship semi-final against either Donaghmoyne or Magheracloone.

Team and scorers: Dylan McAree; Aidan Burns (1-0), Niall McManus, Ultan O’Rourke; Niall Ward, Jamie Shields, Thomas Croarkin; Paul Peppard, Remy McKenna (0-1); Jack Deery (0-1), Shane McMahon (0-2), Soky John (2-0); Ethan Murphy (0-1), Cathal Power (1-1), Ben Kearns-Flynn (1-0).

Subs used: Dylan Duffy (0-2) for Murphy (53 mins), Nathan O’Donoghue for Burns (54).

 

U-14: Our Under-14 Division Five team are away to Scotstown this evening (Thursday), while the Division One team host Magheracloone on Saturday.

 

Well done: To Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh, who lined out for the Monaghan team in the half-time game at Croke Park last Saturday.

 

Meetings: Please note that there is no club monthly meeting this Thursday. Last week’s scheduled finance meeting has been postponed until September. Date to be confirmed later.

 

County teams: Hard luck to Conor Galligan, Shane Smyth and the Monaghan senior footballers, who ran into an exceptional Dublin team in last Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final. Well done to Yvonne Connell, Muireann and Eimear O’Rourke and the county ladies on their win over Tyrone.

 

Sympathy: The club sends its sympathy to Jim Cunningham and family on the death of his father, Jimmy.

Gavan Duffy Park: We host an Under-12 FL Division 3B Shield Final tomorrow evening (Friday). Thanks to everyone who helped out at the MFC semi-final on Tuesday.

 

Hurling: Well done and hard luck to our Under-12 hurlers, who fell just short despite an excellent effort in the shield final against Truagh in Scotstown last Wednesday. Truagh led by one at the end of a low-scoring first half and they moved further ahead inside the final period. The Harps mounted a comeback with scores by Luke McManus, Tristan Moyna and Daragh Croarkin and the tireless efforts of the likes of James McKenny, but it just wasn’t enough.

Team: Daragh Croarkin, Che Treanor, Liam McCabe, Mark McManus, James McKenny, Tristan Moyna (Capt.), Tiarnán O’Rourke, Luke McManus, Evan Meighan, Jack McDonald, Paul Maguire.

Subs used: Shea Swift, Dónal Moyna, Oisín McGeown, Darragh Murray, Conor McEvoy.

The Under-16 Hurling League Final against Cootehill is due to be played on Monday at 7pm; check online for venue.