Fixtures: Saturday, March 8: RFL Division 1A v Clontibret (Home) at 4pm; Under-14 FL Division One v Scotstown (Away) at 12pm

 

Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 1, 4, 6 and 11. Jackpot of €4,100 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Gwen Moffett c/o Liadhan Treanor; €40 Dermot Brannigan c/o Maria McKenna; €40 Rosalind Hennessy c/o Noel Hennessy; €40 Derek Ryan c/o Ann Treanor. Jackpot for Sunday, March 9 is €4,200 and Maria and Hugh McKenna are on duty. Lotto draw takes place in the clubhouse every Sunday night. All welcome. The Lotto plays an essential part in the running of the club and we ask for everyone’s continued support. Please note that tickets can be brought down to the clubhouse from 7.45pm on Sundays.

 

Juvenile presentation: Our juvenile presentation took place in last Friday night and attracted a great crowd of children and adults to the clubhouse. The success of the various sections of the club in 2013 was illustrated by the number of presentations made on the night. The Under-14 football Division One double-winners, the Under-14 Division Five league and championship finalists, the Under-12 Division 2B runners-up, the Under-14 hurling double-winners and the Under-16 hurlers, who won the championship and reached the league final, all received their medals on the night, while the hugely successful young handballers and Scór participants were also introduced to the crowd. Well done to everyone involved in organising the night and thanks to our county senior Shane Smyth and Ulster MFC-winning captain Kevin Loughran for making the presentations.

 

Reserves: The RFL Division 1A starts with a home game against Clontibret this Saturday at 4pm. Good luck to all involved.

The RFL Division Three opener saw us fall to a disappointing defeat away to Toome in difficult conditions last Saturday. Fielding a youthful team, we started well with points by Niall Greenan, Conor McCaughey and Gerard Gilsenan, but we then conceded a goal against the run of play to leave it level. We went on to lead by 0-7 to 1-2 at half-time, but a disastrous start to the second half saw us leak two more goals (one from a penalty). Niall Treanor and Francis Lynch got points back for us, but we couldn’t push on and ended up losing by 3-6 to 0-9.

Team and scorers: Dónal McCarthy; Aidan Connell, Niall Treanor (0-1), Darren McMahon; Conor Forde (0-1), Joe Coyle, Turlough Clerkin; Francis Lynch (0-1), Conor McCaughey (0-2f), Brendan McQuaid; David Loughran, Gerard Gilsenan (0-1), Niall Greenan (Capt., 0-3).

Subs: Johnny Sherry for Connell (34 mins), Conor Burns for Mullen (39), Anthony Croarkin for Loughran, Ciarán McQuaid for Lynch (both 54).

 

Membership: Membership fees for 2014 can now be paid to Maurice Galligan, who is standing in for Dermot Coyle for the time being. Fees for 2014 are being maintained as follows: €20 per adult, €10 per child or €50 for a family of two adults and any number of children. Members must be paid up by the end of this month to have voting rights at our AGM.

 

GAA National Draw: We are now selling tickets for the GAA National Club Draw, which offers ten great prizes including trips to Australia to the International Rules panel and to Boston with the All-Stars. Tickets for the St. Patrick’s Day draw cost €10 each and are available now from committee members and players. All funds raised will be retained by the club and we appreciate all support. Tickets are available now from senior players and committee members. Contact Jimmy Croarkin at 087 1249635 if you want a book of tickets. All support with this draw would be greatly appreciated. Please bring tickets sold and money raised into the clubhouse on Sunday night from 8pm.

 

U-14: Our Under-14 Division One footballers start their league campaign away to Scotstown on Saturday at 12 noon. Good luck to all involved.

 

Garda vetting: In keeping with best practice and child protection legislation, it is important that everyone involved in the club committee, coaching etc. completes a Garda vetting form. Children’s Officer Tommy McCabe is now completing an up-to-date audit of successfully vetted club personnel. If you have a certificate, please provide Tommy with a photocopy and if you need a vetting form, you can contact him at 087 7635891.

 

Fixtures: The Senior Football League will start on Sunday, March 23 away to Scotstown and the minor league is to get underway on Tuesday, March 25, also away to Scotstown. The start dates for juvenile competitions are as follows: Under-12 football: March 15; Under-16 football: April 3; Under-12 hurling: June 2; Under-14 hurling: March 24; Under-16 hurling: June 23. Full club fixtures are now on our website.

 

St. Patrick’s Day: Plans are now underway for the club’s annual participation in the Monaghan town St. Patrick’s Day parade. Keep an eye on club notes and website for more details.

 

Get fit: Circuit training with All-Ireland winner Ronan Clarke is due to start in the clubhouse tomorrow night and will continue on Wednesdays and Fridays. Cost €5 per session.

 

Coaching courses: Anyone interested in doing a foundation coaching course or doing/renewing the child protection course on March 21/22 is asked to contact Una Forde on 087 6107329. Places on this course are now almost booked up.

 

Family Fortunes: Anyone willing to take part in our ‘Family Fortunes’ fundraiser on March 16, especially from the hurlers or ladies, please contact Liadhan Treanor on 086 7837204.

 

Team photos: If anyone has any team photos that they would like to have put up in the clubhouse, please contact Liadhan Treanor on 086 7837204.

 

Congratulations: On behalf of the entire club to the Harps handballers on their excellent recent Ulster success and to ladies footballers Muireann and Eimear O’Rourke on their county minor and Under-16 Player-of-the-Year awards.

 

RIP: The club sends sympathy to Mairéad White and family on the death of her father, Peadar Murnane. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

 

Ladies: Congratulations to Eimear O’Rourke on receiving Monaghan County U-16 Player of the Year and Muireann O’Rourke on receiving Monaghan Minor Player of the Year. A great achievement for the girls and both excellent ambassadors for the club! We’ll convince Delma to play senior yet!

Reminder to all players/management that minor players playing at ANY grade must wear a gumshield during training AND matches. GAA insurance will not cover injury sustained if not wearing the gumshield.

Due to changes imposed by Central Council the registration fees have now changed. Registration now due for collection by all managements for forwarding to Allison: Senior €56, Under-18/16/14 €41, Under-10 €26, non-playing members €31.