Fixtures:  Thursday, April 21: Under-16 FL Division One v Inniskeen (Home) at 7pm;

Saturday, April 23: SFL v Clontibret (Away) at 7pm

Monday, April 25: Under-14 HL v Castleblayney (Home) at 7pm

Tuesday, April 26: MFL Division One v Magheracloone (Home) at 7pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 3, 4, 19 and 23. Jackpot of €4,800 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Anna Swift c/o Michael O’Donoghue; €40 Liz Brennan c/o herself; €40 Ellie Brennan c/o Séamus Treanor; €40 Pat Farrell c/o Barry Sullivan. Jackpot for Sunday, April 24 is €4,900 and Dermot and Liz Brannigan are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in our refurbished clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome.

Please note there will be an important meeting about plans to give the Harps Lotto a boost next Wednesday, April 27, in the clubhouse at 8.30pm. All sellers and rota members are asked to attend and input from all sections of the club (football, hurling, ladies and handball) would be appreciated.

1916 Centenary Concert: We host a 1916 Centenary Concert in the clubhouse this Saturday night from 8pm to 10pm, followed by an open music session. Everyone welcome.

 

Seniors: Our senior footballers fell to their first defeat of this year’s league away to Latton last Sunday. Latton led by 1-4 to 0-2 after 20 minutes – our only scores coming from Liam Hahessy and Stephen Driver – and although we got a goal back through Francis Lynch on his first SFL start, we still trailed by 1-7 to 1-3 at half-time. Liam and Neil McAdam were on target in the second half, but we never got the gap below three points and Latton hit 1-1 in the dying minutes to make the final score 2-11 to 1-7 in their favour.

Team and scorers: Ashley White; John Mulligan, Nicholas Scott, David Lowry; Niall Treanor, Shane Smyth, Niall Hahessy; Neil McAdam (0-1), Stephen Driver (Capt., 0-1); Nicholas Treanor, Éimhín Morahan, Dean Fanning; Liam Hahessy (0-5, 2f), Fearghal McMahon, Francis Lynch (1-0).

Subs: James McKenna for Lynch (51 mins), Shane Coyle for Mulligan (53), Conor Forde for Niall Treanor (59).

Our seniors are away to Clontibret on Saturday at 7pm.

 

Know Your Sport: Our sports prediction competition is back for 2016, with another 20 questions to be answered. Forms must be returned before Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division One Final. Put your sporting knowledge to the test and try to beat last year’s winner, Emmet McWilliams, who got 16 correct! All support is greatly appreciated.

 

Cake Sale: Our annual fundraising Cake Sale was a great success last Saturday. Great credit is due to the juvenile committee and organisers for their hard work and also to everyone who contributed either by baking or by manning the stand in the Shopping Centre.

 

Darkness into Light: Just over two weeks remain until we once again host Darkness into Light Monaghan in the early hours of Saturday, May 7. There are meetings for all interested on Monday nights in the clubhouse, with registration in Monaghan Shopping Centre on Friday and Saturday week (April 29 & 30, 10am-6pm) and the clubhouse on Wednesday, May 4 and Thursday, May 5 (7pm-9pm).

 

Reserves: We drew away to Aghabog in the RFL Division Three last Wednesday evening. A much-changed team, minus a number of players, competed well throughout this game, with goals by Reece Treanor (two) and Robbie Moyna helping us take a share of the points on a 3-9 to 2-12 scoreline.

Team and scorers: Jimmy Croarkin; Conor Flynn, Ruairí Forde; Kyle O’Leary, John Mulligan, Conor Forde (0-2); Pat Meehan, Robbie Moyna (1-0); Dessie McGarry (0-1), Colm Shalvey (0-1), Conor Duffy; Reece Treanor (2-3), Dylan McKenna (0-1).

Sub: Conor McCaughey (0-1) for Shalvey (inj.).

We host Magheracloone in the RFL Division 1A tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7.15pm.

 

Minors: Our minor footballers fell to a narrow defeat at home to Truagh last Tuesday. Truagh started with two early goals and although Shane McMahon and Jack Deery were on target for our lads in a low-scoring remainder of the half, we trailed by 2-2 to 0-4 at the interval. Points by Jack, Shane, Thomas Croarkin, James Bourke, Ethan Murphy kept our lads in contention throughout a tight second half, but Truagh held on to win by 2-6 to 0-10.

Team and scorers: Dylan McAree; Zach Mallen, Aidan Burns, Anthony Greenan; Niall Ward, Jamie Shields, Niall McManus; Shane McMahon (0-4, 2f), Ben Kearns-Flynn; Oisín Fagan, Jack Deery (0-3, 1f), Thomas Croarkin (0-1); Nathan O’Donoghue, Dillon Duffy, James Bourke (0-1), Ethan Murphy (0-1).

Subs: Seán McKenna, Adam O’Neill.

Our minors are away to Clontibret this evening (Tuesday) at 7.15pm. Next Tuesday’s game is at home to Magheracloone.

 

U-16: After having a bye last week, our Under-16 footballers are due to host Inniskeen this Thursday. Check online for throw-in time.

 

U-14: Our Under-14 Division One team lost out at home to Latton in last Friday’s championship semi-final. Points by Shay Cooney, Dean Doherty and Josh Maguire kept us in touch for most of a tightly-contested first half until Latton hit a late burst of 1-2 to open up a 1-6 to 0-3 lead. Eoghan McGinnity and Shay were on target after the restart, but despite the best efforts of our overworked defenders, Latton’s impressive point-scoring kept them well ahead. Goals by Josh and Shay kick-started our challenge and closed the gap to just two points, but Latton hit the last two scores to run out worthy winners by 1-12 to 2-5.

Team and scorers: Daragh Croarkin; James McKenny, Liam Conway, Kevin Moran; Brian McAteer, Nathan Lavery, Dean Doherty (0-1); Dylan Ballantine (Capt.), Tiarnán O’Rourke; Josh Maguire (1-1), Eoghan McGinnity (0-1f), Terence McDonald; Adam McGarry, Mike Bradley, Shay Cooney (1-2, 0-2f).

Subs used: Cathal Nally, Deivydas Kaklauskas.

Our Division Five team are set to host Emyvale in the league this weekend; currently scheduled for Saturday at 3.15 but subject to change.

 

U-12: Our Under-12 Spring League double-header against Castleblayney takes place this evening (Tuesday) at 6.15 and 7.30.

 

Saturday-morning coaching: Our popular Saturday-morning coaching and games sessions for U-6s, U-8s & U-10s is up and running again and will continue every Saturday at 10am. Saturday-morning football for boys and girls in Gavan Duffy Park continues to go from strength to strength, with the numbers attending growing year on year. The club is very fortunate to have a pool of hardworking and dedicated individuals who look after and coach these ‘early learners’. Our Saturday-morning activities are fun-filled and enjoyed by the children and are an equally rewarding and enjoyable experience to those who help make it happen, so we encourage anyone with an interest to get involved.

 

Dates to remember: Our Golf Classic is now set for Friday, June 14, with our Street Collection also to take place in June (more details later). The Ladies Club’s Abbey Fanning Sevens Tournament will be played on Saturday, May 28.

 

Membership: Registration fees (€20 for adults, €50 for a family) for 2016 are now overdue and must be paid to club registrar Kevin Treanor (086 2591411) or in the clubhouse as soon as possible. All players and parents of juveniles are asked to ensure that their membership is paid.

                                                                                        

County/Colleges: Hard luck to team captain Kevin Loughran, Fearghal McMahon and the Monaghan Under-21 footballers on their narrow defeat in last Saturday’s thrilling All-Ireland semi-final against Cork and well done for winning the Ulster title. Hard luck also to Shane McMahon, Thomas Croarkin, Jamie Shields, Niall Ward and the county minor and U-17 teams.

 

Coaching: Keep an eye on the Monaghan GAA website or contact Pádraig Callan on 087 4515206 for details of upcoming Coach Education programmes.

 

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.

 

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 4515206 for more information. Anyone looking to book the clubhouse for meetings, functions, etc. is asked to please give a week’s notice for convenience.

 

Sympathy: At last week’s club meeting for April, votes of sympathy were passed to John McElvaney and family on the death of his wife Patricia and to Stephen Leonard and family on the death of his brother, Gerard. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.

 

Hurling:

Juveniles: Training for all juvenile age groups continues every Sunday at 12pm in Rooskey.

 

U-14: Our U-14s fell short away to East Cavan Gaels on Monday evening on a 2-6 to 1-3 scoreline. Kacper Ostrowski and Aidan McKenna got the scores and Liam Conway and Paul Maguire also put in impressive performances. We are next home to Castleblayney on Monday, April 25. Team: Seán Callan, Jack McDonald, Kacper Ostrowski, Che Treanor, Liam Conway, Aidan McKenna, Oisín Murray (Capt.), Nicholas Sherlock, Paul Maguire, Seán Treanor.

 

U-14 County: The Monaghan U-14 Hurling Development Squads trials will take place on Sunday, May 1 from 9.30 to 11am in Cloghan. Players must be born in 2002/2003 to be eligible to take part. All players must take their helmet and hurley with them. Names of those interested should be forwarded to the club on or before Thursday, April 28.

 

Minors: With Castleblayney conceding last Sunday’s opening-round fixture, we travel to Cootehill this Sunday for our first competitive action of 2016. Throw-in is at 12pm. Hard luck to the county minor squad and their management on their defeat to Donegal last Friday evening in Ballybofey in the Ulster Championship Shield semi-final.

 

Minor Presentation Night: Our minor double-winning squad of 2015 will be presented with their medals in the clubhouse this Friday, April 22, beginning at 8.30pm. Everyone welcome.

 

Senior: Our seniors were unlucky not to come away with the spoils last Thursday in the Silver Hill Foods Development League as they fell to a 3-10 to 1-11 defeat away to Blayney. Numerous point-blank saves from the Blayney keeper, as well as hitting the post, ultimately made the difference between the sides, with Conor Flynn and Cathal Power finishing top scorers for the Harps. Next up is a home fixture against Carrick this Thursday.