Fixtures: Saturday, June 4: RFC O’Duffy Cup Semi-Final v Truagh (Away) at 7pm; Under-14 FL Division One v Latton (Home) at 12pm; Under-14 FL Division Five v Latton (Home) at 1.15pm

Wednesday, June 8: RFL Division Three v Carrickmacross (Home) at 8pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 9, 12, 18 and 25. Jackpot of €5,400 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Maura Clerkin c/o Gerard Clerkin; €40 Orla Whelan c/o Ladies Club; €40 John Hahessy c/o Brian O’Sullivan; €40 Eugene Greenan c/o Séamus Treanor. Jackpot for Sunday, June 5 is €5,500 and Tessie Connolly and Seán and Kathleen Boyle are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in our clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome.

 

Golf Classic: Our 2016 Golf Classic will take place at Rossmore Golf Club on Friday week, June 10. Thanks to the Classic’s main sponsors, the Hillgrove Hotel and Barry Healy & Company Solicitors. Anyone who wishes to enter a team (€160), or sponsor a tee or green (€100) is asked to contact Fergus Coyle (086 8502015), Harry Dwyer (086 2400120) or Kevin Treanor (087 2591411). All support is greatly appreciated.

 

Seniors: Our senior footballers had a 0-13 to 1-10 draw away to Castleblayney last Saturday evening. Points by David Hughes, Gary White, Liam Hahessy, Fearghal McMahon and Kevin Loughran had us 0-8 to 1-3 up at half-time and we maintained a lead for most of the second half, with Nicholas Treanor, Éimhín Morahan and Dean Fanning taking our list of scorers to eight. A string of pointed frees saw Blayney stay in touch, however, and they drew level by the end. Our next SFL game is away to Ballybay. We wish Ashley White a speedy recovery from injury.

Team and scorers: Cónall McKenna; Nicholas Scott, Aodhán Óg McAnespie, Niall Hahessy; Conor Galligan (Capt.), David Hughes (0-3, 1f, 1 ’45), Kevin Loughran (0-1); Stephen Driver, Éimhín Morahan (0-1); Michael Galligan, Gary White (0-1), Dean Fanning (0-1f); Nicholas Treanor (0-1), Liam Hahessy (0-3f), Fearghal McMahon (0-2).

Sub: Shane Coyle for Fanning (55 mins).

 

Reserves: We lost out at home to Clontibret in the RFL Division 1A last Wednesday. A Liam Hahessy goal got us off to a good start, but we were unable to build on that and we trailed by 1-9 to 1-3 by the end of the first half. We couldn’t bridge that gap in the second half, with Clontibret running out winners by 1-16 to 1-7.

Team: Cónall McKenna; John Mulligan, Robbie Moyna, David Lowry; Francis Lynch, Aodhán Óg McAnespie, James McKenna; Éimhín Morahan (Capt.), Shane Coyle; Dean Fanning, Nicholas Treanor, Paul Rushe; Liam Hahessy, Paddy Connolly, Colm Shalvey.

Subs: Remy McKenna for Morahan (bc), Niall Greenan for Fanning (inj.), Mustafa Gamal for Mulligan, Conor Devlin.

We are away to Truagh in the O’Duffy Cup semi-finals this Saturday at 7pm, while we host Carrickmacross in the RFL Division Three on Wednesday at 8pm.

 

U-16: Our Under-16 footballers edged out Scotstown at home last Thursday evening in the last game before the exam break. Conor McCrystal, Lochlainn Power and Luke Coyle were among the scorers as the Harps claimed a narrow lead, which they managed to hold onto in another tight contest to win by 3-8 to 2-10.

Team: Dylan Ballantine; David Leane, Killian Conlon, Andrew Lyden; Conor Devlin, Dylan Maguire, Stephen Ward; Anann Connor, Oisín Fagan; Adam O’Neill, Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh, Mujtaba Gamal; Luke Coyle, Conor McCrystal, Lochlainn Power.

Subs used: John Domingo, Seán Conway.

 

U-14: Our Under-14 teams had a busy week, starting with away games in Donaghmoyne last Tuesday. On a night where little went right from our point of view, we were unable to build on a bright start in the Division One game, allowing Donaghmoyne to take charge.

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

Subs used: Adam McGarry, Jamie Coyle, James Curley.

Our Division Five team were also unable to get to grips with a strong Donaghmoyne side, who ran out convincing winners.

Team and scorers: Conor Treanor (0-1); Cathal Nally, James Curley; Kevin Moran (0-1), Mark McManus; Brian McAteer (Capt.), Daragh Croarkin; Dáire Sheridan, Dean Conlon; Jamie Coyle (0-3f), Ben Myers.

Subs used: Adam McGarry (0-1), Adam McBride, Mike Bradley (0-1), Shay Cooney (1-2).

We once again faced Donaghmoyne in Division One on Sunday. An improved performance, minus a number of players, saw some fine scores by Dylan Ballantine and Shay Cooney keep us in touch in the first half. Dylan and Shay added further points after the restart, but Donaghmoyne pulled away in the final quarter.

Team and scorers: Daragh Croarkin; James McKenny, Cathal Nally; Kevin Moran, Liam Conway, Terence McDonald; Dylan Ballantine (Capt., 0-3), Dean Doherty; Brian McAteer, Shay Cooney (0-2, 1 ’45), Adam McGarry; Mike Bradley, Adam McBride.

Both teams host Latton in the league this Saturday.

 

U-12: In a busy week for both of our Under-12 teams, the Division One League continued with an away game in Killanny last Wednesday. After a closely-contested first half, Killanny started the second half strongly, but a series of scores from Eoin O’Hanlon, Luke McManus, Shea Swift and Fionán Ó Gallchóir saw our lads get on top to win by 7-8 to 2-8.

Team and scorers: Senan Cudden; Gary Devlin, Patrick Dooley-Duffy; Seán Callan, Scarlett Herron; Jake McConnon, Eoin O’Hanlon (3-0); Josh Kelly, Luke McManus (2-2); Shea Swift (1-4), Fionán Ó Gallchóir (1-2).

Subs used: Michael McMorrow, Dáire Conlon.

Next up was a trip to Castleblayney on Saturday, where a Shea Swift point and a Fionán Ó Gallchóir goal couldn’t stop Blayney racing into a four-point lead midway through the first half. Scores by Josh Kelly, Jamie Cooney and Eoin O’Hanlon saw our lads change ends with a narrow lead (3-3 to 1-8), but Blayney dominated the next ten minutes to take charge. Scores by Luke McManus, Jamie and Eoin narrowed the gap, but our lads fell short on a 3-16 to 5-6 scoreline.

Team and scorers: Senan Cudden; Scarlett Herron, Patrick Dooley-Duffy; Michael McMorrow, Seán Callan; Eoin O’Hanlon (Capt., 1-1, 1-0f), Jake McConnon; Josh Kelly (1-0), Jamie Cooney (2-2, 0-1f); Shea Swift (0-1), Fionán Ó Gallchóir (1-0).

Subs used: Luke McManus (0-2), Cian Bradley, Gary Devlin, Dáire Conlon, Ethan Ballantine, Oisín Treanor, Mark Clerkin, Eoin McCleary, Morgan Coyle, Shane Moran, Jordan Crampton, Max Mallen, Gregory O’Connell, Jack Corrigan.

Our Division Five team fell to two narrow defeats last week, the first of which was in Truagh on Wednesday. A brace of goals by Ethan Ballantine and points by Cian Bradley and John McCrystal led a determined challenge by the Harps lads, but Truagh ran out winners by 2-8 to 2-4.

Team and scorers: Jack Corrigan; Mark Clerkin, Jordan Crampton; Shane Moran, Max Mallen; Jack Lynch, Cian Bradley (0-3); Ethan Ballantine (2-0), Morgan Coyle; Aidan McGeough, Liam McCabe.

Subs used: Gregory O’Connell, Matthew McGonnell, Ross Finnegan, Eoin McCleary, John McCrystal (0-1).

It was a similar story in Castleblayney on Saturday. 1-1 by Senan Cudden got our lads off to a good start and although Blayney drew level, a Mark Clerkin point had our lads just ahead at the end of a low-scoring first half. Oisín Treanor hit 1-1 to give the Harps a narrow lead, but Blayney were more economical in their finishing and a late John McCrystal point, along with some fine defending by the likes of Jordan Crampton, wasn’t enough to stop the hosts winning by 2-5 to 2-4

Team and scorers: Ethan Ballantine; Jordan Crampton, Dáire Conlon; Shane Moran, Gary Devlin (Capt.); Senan Cudden (1-1), Jack Lynch; Mark Clerkin (0-1), Max Mallen; Oisín Treanor (1-1, 0-1f), Morgan Coyle.

Subs used: Gregory O’Connell, Eoin McCleary, John McCrystal (0-1f), Aidan McGeough, Liam McCabe, Jack Corrigan.

 

Good luck: To all Harps players and members doing their Leaving Cert or Junior Cert exams in the next few weeks.

 

County teams: Best of luck to Neil McAdam the Monaghan senior footballers in their Ulster SFC quarter-final against Down in Clones on Sunday. Well done to the Monaghan minor footballers on their Ulster MFC quarter-final win against Down.

 

JFC: Thanks to everyone who helped us host the Junior Football Championship game between Oram and Scotstown last Saturday evening. Well done also to all involved in the Ladies Club’s Abbey Fanning Tournament, which saw Donaghmoyne retain the title.

 

First-aid course: Takes place in the clubhouse this Saturday. All club management teams are asked to have one representative complete this course.

 

Membership: Registration fees (€20 for adults, €50 for a family) for 2016 are overdue and must be paid as soon as possible. All players and parents of juveniles are asked to ensure that their membership is paid.

                                                                                        

Cúl Camp: We will once again host a Kellogg’s Monaghan GAA Cúl Camp from July 11-15. Registration is open online now.

 

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.

 

 

Hurling:

 

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

 

U-12s: The U-12 league gets underway on Monday, June 13 with an away trip to Inniskeen at 7.30pm.

 

U-14s: Despite a 4-4 to 6-6 loss at home to Carrickmacross last Monday, the U-14s’ recent wins over Cootehill and Lisbellaw were enough to earn us fourth spot, which means we now await the outcome of next Monday’s semi-final between Truagh and Lisbellaw to know who advances to play us in the Shield Final. While the Harps were missing some players for their final group stages game, good performances from Kasper Ostrowksi, Daragh Croarkin, Darragh Murray, Nicholas Sherlock and Evan Meighan saw us run table-toppers Carrick very close. Well done to Jim and the squad and good luck in the Shield Final.

 

Monaghan U-17 Squad: The U-17 squad made it three wins in a row with wins over Leitrim and Sligo. Well done to Nathan, Dylan, Anthony, Aidan and Alan Ryan.

 

Senior: Next up for the senior squad is a home match against Craobh Rua on Thursday, June 9, at 8pm.