Wednesday, June 5: RFL Division 1A v Latton (Home) at 8pm

Wednesday, June 12: SFL v Magheracloone (Home) at 8pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 8, 11, 17 and 19. Jackpot of €5,200 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Aoife Finlay c/o Joe Finlay (Hurling Club); €40 Mary Bramley c/o Mick Farrell; €40 Turlough Clerkin c/o Paddy Donnelly; €40 Shane Coyle c/o senior footballers. Jackpot for Sunday, June 9 is €5,300. 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.

 

Seniors: There were no games in the Senior Football League last week, but it resumes with a home fixture against Magheracloone next Wednesday evening.

 

Reserves: It was a good week for our two reserve football teams, who both qualified for championship semi-finals.

First up was a hard-fought 2-11 to 0-15 O’Duffy Cup win after extra-time in Latton last Wednesday. An early goal by Ashley White got us off to a great start, but the game remained tight throughout and finished level at 1-8 to 0-11 after the 60 minutes. Stephen McAleer and Evan Doherty both made an impact off the bench, with Evan scoring a goal early in extra-time to give us a lead which we held through to the end in a dramatic finish.

 

The O’Duffy Cup team are also due to play Latton in the league tomorrow night (Wednesday), with the championship semi-final away to Truagh taking place this Saturday at 7pm.

We then booked our place in the RFC Division Three semis with a 2-11 to 1-7 win at home to Currin on Friday. David Loughran, Stephen Driver, Ashley White, Dessie McGarry and substitute Shane Scott were all on the mark in a closely-contested first half which finished level at 0-6 to 1-3. We put some daylight between the teams midway through the second half with a goal from David Loughran, who also converted a penalty late on to put the result beyond doubt. No date is yet fixed for our semi-final against either Emyvale or Aghabog.

Team and scorers: Ronan McGann (Capt.); Johnny Sherry, Niall Brannigan, Gary Trappe; Mustafa Gamal, Séamus Brannigan, Dean McMahon; Stephen Driver (0-2), Stephen McAleer; Pat Murphy (0-1), Ashley White (0-2f), Gary Murray; David Loughran (2-3, 1-0 pen, 0-2f), Conor McCaughey, Dessie McGarry (0-1).

Subs: Shane Scott (0-2) for McCaughey (inj., 10 mins), Jason McHugh for McGarry (39), Dean Treanor for Scott (inj., 50).

 

U-14: Last week was very successful for both of our Under-14 football teams. The Division One team continued their winning run at home to Inniskeen last Tuesday and then in a thriller at home to Truagh on Saturday. Despite scores from Ethan Murphy, Nathan O’Donoghue and Conor McCrystal, our lads trailed by 0-3 to 0-5 at the end of a first quarter which was marred by a serious wrist injury to Jamie Shields, which led to a lengthy delay. Our lads conceded two goals in the second quarter, leaving them trailing by 2-7 to 0-5 at half-time and Truagh increased their lead to nine points in the third quarter, until a cracking goal by Ethan Murphy and points by Conor McCrystal, Thomas Croarkin and Ben Kearns-Flynn started the Harps comeback, which closed the gap to three (2-10 to 1-10). A cleverly-finished goal by Seán McKenna levelled it up in the final quarter, before Nathan O’Donoghue kicked a fine point from play and Michael Mulligan won and scored a free at the end of a driving run to secure a 2-13 to 2-11 win. We wish Jamie a full and speedy recovery from his injury.

Team and scorers: Dylan McAree; Aidan Burns, Anthony Greenan; Niall Ward, Seán McKenna (1-0), Ultan O’Rourke; Jamie Shields, Ben Kearns-Flynn (0-1); Conor McCrystal (0-3, 1f), Ethan Murphy (Capt., 1-2), Thomas Croarkin (0-2, 1f); Nathan O’Donoghue (0-3, 1f), Michael Mulligan (0-2, 1f).

Subs used: Colin Peppard, James Bourke, Zach Mallen.

The Division Five team had a great win at home to Truagh in the championship last Tuesday. Ógie Duffy made some great saves early on, while Shane McCabe and Adam O’Neill defended stoutly throughout and Lorcan O’Rourke and Dylan Maguire in midfield ensured a good supply to the forwards, where Corey McArdle and Killian Conlon were a constant threat. Dáire Martin managed to grab five goals on the night!

 

U-12: The Under-12 Division 1A team got their league campaign off to a positive start with a great comeback at home to Magheracloone last Friday. The lads were behind with time running out, but a storming finish saw them win by 5-5 to 3-9. Next up is an away game against Carrickmacross this Saturday.

 

U-10/U-8: We hosted an Under-8 and Under-10 blitz on Thursday, May 23, where 18 teams from five clubs participated. Over 200 children took part in a total of 27 matches. Big thanks to all who helped out on the night, especially Go Games coordinators Gerry and Deborah Lynch and some of our minor footballers, who stepped in at short notice to referee games. Thanks also to the ladies who helped out with refreshments for visiting parents. The club was shown in a very positive light. Our own Under-10s are off to Carryduff in County Down this Saturday for the second year in a row.

 

O-35: Our recreational football team competed in a tournament at Kilmore last Saturday. The Harps team had mixed fortunes, with a win over Éire Óg being followed by a defeat against Truagh and a draw with Scotstown. A loss to Killeevan meant our lads faced the same opposition again in the shield final, where they were again on the wrong side of a tight game. Well done to all our players who turned out and battled their way through a tough day, with a lack of numbers meaning there were no subs. Brian Peppard, Ciarán Cuddy, John McCoy, Lorcan McAdam, Séamus Brannigan, Pádraig McGeough, Chris Conway, Dessie McGarry, Martin Sheridan, Andrew Mullen, Paul Conlon.

 

Hurling: The senior hurlers got their first win of this year’s SHL when they edged out Clontibret by 2-11 to 1-11 at home last Thursday. Two points from Dónal Hahessy and a goal by Ross Corbett got the Harps off to a good start, but the only other scores of the first half came from a brace of frees by Maurice McKenna and an Alan Ryan ’65, which allowed Clontibret to take a 1-7 to 1-5 lead at half-time. Points by Raymond Lee, Alan Ryan and Dónal gradually brought the Harps back into the game, before Raymond netted goal number two. Alan and Maurice kept the scoreboard ticking over from frees to wrap up a three-point win. Speedy recoveries are wished to our goalkeeper James Greenan and Clontibret’s Arthur Morgan, who both suffered injuries during the game.

Team and scorers: James Greenan; Myles Dwyer, Robbie Healy, Alan Lee; Patrick Hannon, Jack Lee, Aidan Connell; Alan Ryan (Capt., 0-4, 2f, 2 ‘65s), Shane Smyth; Raymond Lee (1-1), Dónal Hahessy (0-3), Brendan McQuaid; Paul Lee, Ross Corbett (1-0), Maurice McKenna (0-3f).

Subs used: Niall Hahessy, Darren McGill.

Cootehill conceded Monday’s Under-14 Hurling League semi-final, but they did field for a challenge match, which the Harps lads won by a couple of points.

 

Good luck: All the best to all of our young players and members who start state examinations tomorrow (Wednesday). Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh!

 

 

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

 

County: Good luck to Neil McAdam, Conor Galligan and the Monaghan senior footballers in their Ulster SFC quarter-final against Antrim at Casement Park on Sunday.

 

Good luck: To everyone involved in the Abbey Fanning Cup, which takes place at Gavan Duffy Park this Saturday.