Fixture: Tuesday, May 21: Under-16 FL Division One v Carrickmacross (Home) at 7.30pm

Wednesday, May 22: SFL v Doohamlet (Home) at 8pm

Thursday, May 23: DHL Final v Truagh in Smithborough at 7.45pm; Under-16 FL Division One v Seán McDermotts (Away) at 7.30pm

Saturday, May 25: RFL Division Three v Aghabog (Away) at 7pm

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

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

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 6, 9, 27 and 28. Jackpot of €5,000 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Ann Gilmore c/o Barry Sullivan; €40 Finbarr Ronan c/o Brian O’Sullivan (Hurling Club); €40 Michael Connell (direct debit) c/o Owen Connell; €40 Gerry Horgan c/o Cosy Bar. Jackpot for Sunday, May 26 is €5,100 and Maria and Hugh McKenna 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.

 

Dance: Our fundraising dance night, with music from The Outlaws, takes place in the Hillgrove Hotel this Friday, May 24, starting at 10pm. Tickets, costing just €10, are available now from Seán Boyle and other club members as well as local outlets including Modern Décor, McConnon’s shop, Terry’s Bar and the Hillgrove, while it will also be possible to pay in at the door. All support would be very much appreciated for what should be a very enjoyable night.

 

Seniors: Our senior footballers had a 1-12 to 1-9 win over Latton in Ballybay last Wednesday evening. Neil McAdam, Paul Rushe, Nicholas Treanor and Liam and Dónal Hahessy kicked a point each in the first half to leave us level at 0-5 apiece at the interval

Neil kicked the first score of the second half, before Shane Smyth added a quick brace and Neil found the net from a rebound after he had a penalty saved. Points from Gary White and Paddy Connolly stretched our lead to seven, but Latton got a goal back and we needed Mark to make a fine save a minute later. Latton twice closed to within three, but points from Gary and Ashley proved enough to see the game out.

Team and scorers: Mark Hughes; Aodhán Óg McAnespie, Stephen Driver, Shane Coyle; Nicholas Scott, Neil McAdam (1-2, 0-1f), Conor Galligan; Peter Coyle, Gary White (Capt., 0-2); Shane Smyth (0-2), Nicholas Treanor (0-1), Paul Rushe (0-1); Dónal Hahessy (0-1), Paddy Connolly (0-1), Dean Fanning.

Subs: Liam Hahessy (0-1) for Fanning (inj., 12 mins), Ashley White (0-1) for Treanor (inj., H-T), Kevin Loughran for P Coyle (46), Rónán Garvey for Rushe (54), David Loughran for Connolly (58). 

We have a home game against Doohamlet tomorrow night (Wednesday) at 8pm.

 

Reserves: We fell to a four-point defeat at home to Currin (1-14 to 0-13) in the RFL Division Three last Friday evening. Points from Dessie McGarry (three), David Loughran (two) and Ashley White had us within one at half-time (0-7 to 0-6). Scores from Shane Scott and Ashley kept us in touch after the restart, but Currin scored the only goal to finally put daylight between the teams. Ashley converted another couple of frees late on, but we couldn’t get the goal we needed to get back into it.

Team and scorers: Ronan McGann; Gary Trappe, Niall Brannigan, Dean McMahon; Aidan Connell, Johnny Sherry, Mustafa Gamal; Stephen Driver, Conor McCaughey; Gary Murray, Ashley White (0-5, 4f), Jason McHugh; David Loughran (0-2), Gerard Gilsenan (Capt.), Dessie McGarry (0-3).

Subs: Shane Scott (0-3, 1f) for Connell, Finnian McKenna for McGarry, Craig Connolly for McHugh, Paul Smyth for McCaughey (inj.).

We have another Division Three game away to Aghabog this Saturday evening, while the O’Duffy Cup quarter-final will be played in Latton next Wednesday.

  

Minors: Our minor footballers are now on their exam break.

 

U-16: The Under-16 footballers have a home game against Carrickmacross tonight Tuesday, followed by an away game against Seán McDermotts on Thursday. Both throw in at 7.30pm.

 

U-14: Our Under-14 Division One footballers continued their fine form with a convincing win in Emyvale last Friday evening. Ultan O’Rourke, James Bourke and substitute Colin Peppard were among those who impressed. The lads host Inniskeen in the league next Tuesday evening, which is preceded by the Division Five championship game at home to Truagh. Good luck to all involved.

 

Hurling: The Harps booked their place in the Development Hurling League Final with a win over Clontibret at Gavan Duffy Park last Thursday evening. Despite hitting the opening score through Conor Curley, the Harps were slow to get going in the first half and were soon to find themselves six points down after Clontibret hit 1-4. A Shane Smyth point in the 18th minute was almost immediately followed by a Ned McCann point for Clontibret, but two Ross Corbett goals and an Alan Ryan pointed free saw the Harps take the lead. The Harps almost immediately followed this up with a third goal from an effort on goal by Niall Hahessy, but for a save from the Clontibret keeper Lorcan Murphy. A point from Conor Curley in injury time ensured the Harps went in with a two-point lead (2-4 to 1-5). The Harps were again slow to start in the second half and found themselves behind again when Clontibret scored 1-1 in quick succession. However, this was to prove the last time that Clontibret would find the target as the Harps began to find a foothold in the game. Although the Harps weren’t prolific in front of goal in the last twenty minutes, they were much more organised and efficient from back to front and dealt with any problems that Clontibret posed.  A foul on Aodhán Óg McAnespie on 40 minutes eventually led to him having to leave the field of play, but an Alan Ryan free shortly began the Harps’ second comeback of the evening. Gerard Gilsenan, not long on as a substitute, pointed to equalise, before Niall Hahessy edged the Harps ahead. Niall was to turn provider a minute later as his ball into the danger area was turned into the net by Gerard Gilsenan. This was to prove the final score of the evening, making the final score 3-7 to 2-6 in favour of the Harps, who now play Truagh in the final in Smithborough this Thursday at 7.45pm. Best of luck to all involved.

Team and scorers: James Greenan; Alan Lee, Éanna Finlay, Aidan Connell; Kieran O’Mahony, Gavin Baxter, Jack Lee; Aodhán Óg McAnespie, Alan Ryan (Capt., 0-2f); Conor Curley (0-2), Shane Smyth (0-1), Niall Hahessy (0-1); Brendan McQuaid, Ross Corbett (2-0), Frank Burke.

Substitutes: Maurice McKenna for Burke, Gerard Gilsenan (1-1) for McQuaid, Liam Hahessy for McAnespie (inj.).

A very slow start by the Truagh Harps minor team was costly in the end as, despite an excellent second half showing, the lads left themselves too much to do in the MHL Final against Cootehill in Cloghan last Saturday. Trailing by 3-8 to 0-4 at half-time, everyone worked hard in the second half and put in a spirited performance, but it ultimately wasn’t enough. Hard luck lads.

Congratulations to Cathal Power in winning the county Under-16 Poc Fada last weekend in Cloghan. He now progresses to the Ulster stage of the competition on June 21.

The U-14s fell short away to Carrick in the league on Monday evening. Despite good performances around the field from Aidan Burns in goal and from Dylan McAree, Seán McKenna, Anthony Greenan, Tommy Croarkin and John Lowry, they lost out on a scoreline of 2-8 to 2-4. The U-14s were also in action on Sunday in a challenge against Carrickmore. The lads put up a good battle in a competitive match, but lost out despite the best efforts of the likes of Seán McKenna and Stephen Ward.

 

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.

 

O-35: The recreational football team is back in training, ahead of an upcoming tournament run by Éire Óg on June 1. A challenge match against Scotstown has been organised for this weekend; details will be forwarded to players.

 

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

 

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

 

Sponsors: Thanks to Harry Dwyer and Moneycare, who have sponsored new jerseys for the senior and Under-12/U-10 teams.

 

County teams: Best of luck to Kevin Loughran, Fearghal McMahon and the Monaghan minor footballers in their Ulster MFC quarter-final against Antrim in Newry on Sunday. Good luck also to the county hurlers in Saturday’s Nicky Rackard Cup semi-final against Donegal in Letterkenny.