Fixtures: Friday, April 15: Under-14 FC Division One S-F v Latton (Home) at 6.45pm

Sunday, April 17: SFL v Latton (Away) at 2.30pm; MHL v Castleblayney (Home) at 12pm

Monday, April 18: Under-14 HL v East Cavan Gaels (Away) at 7pm

Tuesday, April 19: MFL Division One v Clontibret (Away) at 7.15pm; Saturday, April 16: Under-12 Spring League Zone A v Castleblayney (Home) at 6.15pm; Zone B v Castleblayney (Home) at 7.30pm

Wednesday, April 20: RFL Division 1A v Magheracloone (Home) at 7.15pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 7, 9, 21 and 23. Jackpot of €4,700 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Declan Brennan c/o Paddy Donnelly; €40 Peter Oliver Loughran c/o Paddy Donnelly; €40 Marian O’Brien c/o Ashley White; €40 Patricia Flynn (direct debit) c/o Liadhan Treanor. Jackpot for Sunday, April 17 is €4,800 and Maria and Hugh McKenna are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in our refurbished clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome.

 

Seniors: Our senior footballers had a hard-earned 1-10 to 0-10 win away to Carrickmacross last Saturday. 1-1 by Éimhín Morahan and points by Liam Hahessy, Shane Smyth and Gary White had us 1-5 to 0-5 up at half-time and Evan Doherty moved us four clear after the restart. Carrick rallied to draw level midway through the second half, but points by Evan and Liam and Niall Hahessy saw our lads get a second win.

Team and scorers: Ashley White; James McKenna, Niall Hahessy (0-1), John Mulligan; Nicholas Scott, Neil McAdam, Niall Treanor; Stephen Driver (Capt.), Gary White (0-1); Nicholas Treanor, Éimhín Morahan (1-1), Dean Fanning; Liam Hahessy (0-4), Shane Smyth (0-1), Evan Doherty (0-2).

Subs: David Lowry for McKenna (inj., 33 mins).

 

Cake Sale: After the success of last year’s club Cake Sale, we are looking forward to this year’s in Monaghan Shopping Centre on Saturday. All support would be appreciated; anyone who can contribute is asked to call into the Harps clubhouse on Friday between 7 and 9pm or to the Shopping Centre from 10am on Saturday.

 

Reserves: We were away to Aghabog in the Reserve Football League Division Three on Wednesday, while the RFL Division 1A resumes with a home game against Magheracloone next Wednesday.

 

Minors: Our minor footballers started their league campaign with a defeat away to Scotstown last Tuesday. Our lads fell 1-4 to 0-1 behind early on and although points by Shane McMahon (four) and Jack Deery closed the gap to two by the end of the opening quarter, Scotstown scored their second goal just before half-time to open up a 2-7 to 0-5 gap. Shane doubled his tally to eight points in the second half, but Scotstown stayed ahead throughout, before a late goal by Ethan Murphy made the final score 3-13 to 1-9. Next Tuesday’s game is at home to Truagh on Tuesday ­– check online for result – while next week’s fixture is in Clontibret.

Team and scorers: Dylan McAree; Zach Mallen, Aidan Burns, Anthony Greenan; Niall Ward, Jamie Shields, Niall McManus; Shane McMahon (0-8, 6f), Ben Kearns-Flynn; Jack Deery (0-1f), Thomas Croarkin, Ethan Murphy (1-0); Nathan O’Donoghue, Dillon Duffy, James Bourke.

Subs: Oisín Fagan for Bourke, Seán McKenna for Mallen, Adam O’Neill for Deery.

 

U-16: Our Under-16 footballers lost out away to Castleblayney last Thursday. In a game that was tightly-contested throughout, Blayney pulled away with a couple of goals in the closing minutes.

 

U-14: Our Under-14 Division Five team fell to a narrow defeat away to Carrickmacross last Saturday. A goal by Brian McAteer and points from Mike Bradley and Ben Myers, along with some good defending, had us 1-3 to 0-4 ahead at half-time, before Shay Cooney and Adam McBride found the net to stretch our lead. Shay added another 1-1, but Carrick finished strongly to pip us at the finishing post.

Team and scorers: Daragh Croarkin; Cathal Nally, James Curley; Mark McManus, Kevin Moran, Ché Treanor; Brian McAteer (Capt., 1-0), Shay Cooney (2-1); Jake Power, Adam McGarry, Mike Bradley (0-2); Jamie Coyle, Ben Myers (0-1).

Subs used: Adam McBride (1-0), Conor Treanor, Dean Conlon.

Our Under-14 Division One team host Latton in a championship semi-final on Friday at 6.45. All support welcome.

 

U-12: The Under-12 Spring League is due to continue this weekend with both of our teams at home to Castleblayney. Both games are currently down for Saturday, but could be changed. Check online for details.

 

Know Your Sport: Our sports prediction competition is back for 2016, with another 20 questions to be answered. Put your sporting knowledge to the test and try to beat last year’s winner, Emmet McWilliams, who got 16 correct! Forms are available now from senior players and club members and anyone with outstanding forms is asked to return them as soon as possible. All support is greatly appreciated.

 

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: We will host a Scór night in the clubhouse on April 23: check back for more details. We will once again host Darkness into Light Monaghan this year in the early hours of Saturday, May 7, with meetings for all interested on Monday nights in the clubhouse and some registration nights also being planned. Our Golf Classic and Street Collection will both take place in June (more details later).

 

Membership: Registration fees (€20 for adults, €50 for a family) for 2016 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: Congratulations to team captain Kevin Loughran, Fearghal McMahon and the Monaghan Under-21 footballers on their Ulster Final win last (Wednesday) and best of luck in Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Cork in Tullamore. Good luck also to Shane McMahon, Thomas Croarkin, Jamie Shields and Niall Ward with the county minor and U-17 teams in their Ulster league semi-finals. Hard luck to Nathan Lavery, James McKenny, Liam Conway, Tiarnán O’Rourke, Dean Doherty, Dylan Ballantine, Daragh Croarkin, Adam McGarry, mentor Neil McAdam and the St. Macartan’s College Dalton Cup team, who lost out to St. Pat’s, Maghera in last Friday’s semi-final.

 

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.

 

Hurling:

Juveniles: Training continues every Sunday at 12pm in Rooskey.

 

U-14: Our U-14s fell short against a superior Castleblayney team in the championship semi-final on Monday evening on a 0-4 to 2-14 scoreline. Missing a few key players, the Harps defended resolutely but struggled to turn their attacks into scores. Hard luck to our lads who never dropped their effort from start to finish and good luck to Blayney who now advance to the final and to this summer’s Féile competition.

 

Minor: The minors’ opening fixture is at home to Castleblayney this Sunday, April 17, at 12pm.

 

Senior: Our seniors get their season underway tonight (Thursday) at 7.15 with an away trip to Castleblayney in the Silver Hill Foods Development League.