Fixture: Sunday, March 10: RFL Division 1A v Latton (Away) at 2pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 7, 13, 15 and 16. Jackpot of €3,400 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Anne Lawlor c/o Brian O’Sullivan (Hurling Club); €40 Éanna Finlay c/o Joe Finlay (HC); €40 Fergus O’Connor c/o Paudge Connolly; €40 Liz Brennan c/o herself. Jackpot for Sunday, March 3 is €3,550 and Fergus and Mary Coyle are on duty. All welcome. Anyone who has sold a direct-debit is asked to pass the details on to the Lotto committee as soon as possible, so they can be entered into our weekly draw straight away. 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.

 

Reserves: We started our RFL Division 1A campaign with a hard-earned draw at home to Scotstown last Sunday. We were slow to get going, but points by David Loughran, Fearghal McMahon and Paddy Connolly kept us in touch, trailing by 1-6 to 0-6 at half-time. A goal by David and points by Emmett McArdle and Evan Doherty had us ahead briefly in a low-scoring second half, but in the end we had to settle for a 1-8 apiece draw. We travel to Latton this Sunday. 

Team and scorers: Gerard Gilsenan; Aidan Connell, Rónán Garvey (Capt.), Darren McMahon; Paul Rushe, Conor Devlin, Niall Treanor; Paddy Connolly (0-1), Emmett McArdle (0-1, ’45); Pat Murphy, Shane Coyle, Michael Galligan; David Loughran (1-3, 0-1f), Evan Doherty (0-1), Fearghal McMahon (0-2f).

Subs: Dean McMahon for Connell, Conor Forde for Murphy.

 

Race night: The countdown is on to our race night in the clubhouse on Friday week, March 15, in association with the Barry Doherty fund. Anyone who wants to get involved can sponsor a horse for €10, a race for €200 or co-sponsor a race for €100. All support would be greatly appreciated. Any money collected should be handed in by the end of this week.

 

Membership: Under GAA rules, the deadline for affiliation is the end of this month, so membership money should be paid to registrar Maurice Galligan as soon as possible. Fees for 2013 are being maintained as follows: €20 per adult, €10 per child or €50 for a family of two adults and any number of children.

 

Officer Training: The annual Ulster GAA Club Officer Development Course for Monaghan takes place in St. Macartan’s College this Saturday from 10am to 1pm. All club officers are invited to attend.

 

Dates to remember: Scheduled start dates for the leagues are as follows. Senior Football League: Sunday, March 31; Reserve Football League Division Three: Saturday, March 16; Minor Football League: Tuesday, March 26: Under-16 FL; Thursday, April 4; Under-14 FL: Saturday, March 23. Our Saturday-morning juvenile coaching is due to resume on April 6.

 

Pitch bookings: All pitch bookings this year should once again be made by contacting Jimmy Croarkin at 087 1249635. We remind all managers and team mentors to remain vigilant in their use of our facilities and to always lock gates and turn off lights when finished training etc.

 

Votes of sympathy: At the February club meeting, votes of sympathy were passed to the families of Rose Donnelly’s mother, Mary Agnes O’Reilly; Anne Tibby; and Michelle McCabe. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.

Sem: Hard luck to Fearghal McMahon, Kevin Loughran, Niall Treanor and the St. Macartan’s College MacRory Cup team who lost to an impressive St. Paul’s, Bessbrook in last Wednesday’s semi-final. Well done to Fearghal on winning the ‘Gaelic Life’ Player of the Week award. He now goes on to voting for Player of the Month.

County teams: Good luck to Liam Hahessy and the Monaghan Under-21 footballers in the Shamrock Cup Final against Tyrone in Emyvale tomorrow night (Wednesday). Good luck also to Neil McAdam, Conor Galligan and the county senior footballers against Fermanagh in Enniskillen on Saturday evening and the hurlers against Fingal on Sunday. Neil played a central role in the NFL win over Sligo last Sunday.

Harps watches: We are now selling wrist-watches with the Harps crest for €10. Contact Liadhan Treanor at 086 7837204 for more details.

Clubhouse: There is afternoon tea and a bag sale in the clubhouse this Sunday from 1pm to 5pm in aid of Irish pilgrimage trust.