Club Notes Archive - 2009
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JUNE- 1 June
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~ OPENING OF PÁIRC AOIDH RUAIDH ~
Last Friday, May 29th, was a historic day for Aodh Ruadh as the club officially opened their new facilities at Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh, the venue previously known as Munday's field. The festivities opened with a parade from the Abbey Centre of around two hundred Aodh Ruadh young players led by the Saint Naul's Pipe Band from Ardaghy. The parade received a friendly reception from the revelers in town for the Rory Gallagher festival and enjoying the beautiful weather. Once at the park the players broke up and staged mini-games and blitzes. With the underage games concluded it was time for the formal opening ceremony compered by senior manager, Sylvester Maguire. This began with an interdenominational prayer service and was followed by a formal address by Pat O'Malley, Chairman of Ballyshannon Town Council. Next was Aodh Ruadh Club Chairman Terence McShea who was followed by Peter Quinn who delivered a rousing speech. Speeches from the Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan, and President of the Ulster Council, Tom Daly concluded the formal addresses. Speeches complete Tom Daly and Mary Coughlan cut the tape to officially open Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh and unveiled a plaque specially commissioned to commemorate the occasion. The Donegal team, captained by Aodh Ruadh's Brian Roper, were lead out on to the new pitch by young members of Aodh Ruadh before the match. Johnny Gallagher, another Aodh Ruadh county man, took the captain's arm band in the second half. The match mightn't have gone Donegal's way, the Sligo men prevailing by 2-15 to 1-13, but it was a proud day for Aodh Ruadh and Ballyshannon as they opened this fine new facility. After the match there was an open reception in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh. For those who might have missed out on the pageantry the souvenir booklet printed specially for the official opening is now on sale in Pearse O'Neill's priced €5. An excellent and detailed publication which is certain to become a collector's item in years to come it's well worth getting your hands on one while you still can. Brian Drummond was out and about with his camera and really got a wonderful flavour of the day. Check out his pictures.~ SENIOR FOOTBALL ~
Malin made it two losses in a row for the seniors. The Inishowen outfit became the first side to defeat Aodh Ruadh in division two when they ran out 0-15 to 0-8 winners on their home patch. It was a match where Aodh Ruadh simply didn't play well enough to merit a win, spurning a number of goal chances. Best for Aodh Ruadh were Darren Drummond, Barry Travers and Pauric Loughlin.Pettigo have clearly got the indian sign over the thirds as they recorded their second win over them in the division five league. The thirds traveled to Pettigo a bit light on numbers, but the homesters showed no mercy running out 0-15 to 0-8 winners. The thirds still have their destiny in their own hands though as they sit poised at second place in the division.
There were no senior, reserve or thirds fixtures available at the time of mailing, keep an eye on local press for up-to-date information.
~ HURLING ~
The seniors play MacCumhaill's in the league on Wednesday.The under 16s lost to Lisbellaw in their last game in the Fermanagh league.
Congratulations to Colm Kelly, Eddie Lynch, Jamie Brennan, Tommy Gillespie and Jamie McDonald who were part of the Donegal under 14 development squad who won their blitz in Derry on Saturday. The under 14s qualified for the county league final on Thursday last by beating Burt in the semi final. The boys put in a great performance to finally pull away from the Burt men and win convincingly in the end. The final is on this Thursday at 7.30 in Killygordon against Buncrana. All support would be gratefully appreciated at this very difficult game for the boys. The under 14s beat Naomh Eoin of Sligo in a challenge game on Monday night by two points in what was a very close game.
Training for under 8s, under 10s, under 12s and under 14s is on this Sunday at 12 noon. Any enquires to John Rooney on 086-2587793.
The hurlers are on Lotto duty this Saturday, 6th June in the Saimer Court.
~ LADIES ~
Intermediate ladies training continues in the park at 10.30am every Saturday morning.The under 14s play Glenties in park tomorrow at 7pm.
The under 12s played Four Masters last Tuesdays and managed a good win. That victory puts them in with a possible shout for a semi-final place, so things are getting exciting.
Training for the under 12 and under 14 girls continues at 6-7pm in the park every Tuesday evening.
Under 10 girls training continues, weather permitting, in Father Tierney Park this Wednesday at 6pm.
~ BORD NA NÓG ~
The next action for the under 16s will come in the PJ Roper tournament on Saturday, 13th June. That will be followed by the second leg of their championship clash with Ardara on Monday 22nd June. A draw or win in that game would put Aodh Ruadh through to the next round.The beginning of league action is imminent for the under 14s with their first match of the division one campaign taking place this Wednesday 3rd June away to Saint Naul's with the throw in at 7pm. An information pack for players and parents / guardians on the trip to the All-Ireland Féile Peil na nÓg in Kildare at the start of July is now available on aodhruadh.org. Parents / Guardians and players are reminded that we need a passport photo of each player and copy of their birth certificate for Féile as soon as possible. There is a fund raising quiz for Féile in Owen Roe's on Thursday 11th June. The emphasis will be on fun and parents / guardians are all asked to gather up a team for the night.
The under 12s wrapped up for 2009 with silverware in the A and B sections of the Willie Rogers tournament last Saturday. It was great weather for the tournament with teams from Bundoran, Fanad Gaels and Erne Gaels taking part. Aodh Ruadh and Fanad Gaels managed to win through to the finals of both the A and B tournaments. The final of the B tournament saw Aodh Ruadh getting off to a great start a dominating for most of the match. Fanad Gaels staged a great comeback, but three late goals by captain Hannah Sheilds weren't enough to pull her side over the line and they lost by 3-5 to 4-1. In the A final the drama was packed into the first half. Shane McGrath got Aodh Ruadh off to the perfect start with a point from the right after a good through ball. Aodh Ruadh registered a second point before Kieran Kelly followed up three minutes later driving over a great point from distance. As the half wore on Fanad came more into the match and their captain Conor Herrity, who had a fine match, notched up points in the eighth and ninth minutes to leave the minimum in the game as half time beckoned. However the northerners were hit with a sucker punch as Shane McGrath nipped in to poach a well struck goal to leave the half time score 1-3 to 0-2. In the third quarter Fanad showed the strain of a long day's football as they were pummeled by a number of swinging Aodh Ruadh attacks. Philip Patton knocked over a point shortly after the restart and that was followed by a Jason Gallagher goal four minutes into the second half. Phillip Patton rifled to the net a minute to finish the game as contest. Fanad battled gamely for the remainder of the match, but to no avail. Bord na nÓg chairman, Paddy Kelly, smoothly compered the prize giving, introducing Willie Roger's wife, Rene to present runners-up and winners medals. The winning Aodh Ruadh B captain was Naoise Patton, while captain of the Aodh Ruadh A side, Gavin McDaid, accepted the Willie Rogers trophy from Rene Rogers. Aodh Ruadh would like to extend their sincere thanks to the participating teams, to those who officiated the matches, those who provided the refreshments, the stewards and to all those who gave of their time and effort to make the event such a success. See the team and action pictures not to mention some video footage courtesy of Brian Drummond.
There is an under 10 blitz in Mountcharles on Saturday 6th June, with Saint Naul's, Aodh Ruadh, Naomh Ultan, Ardara and Pettigo competing. The bus leaves from the park at 10am and we hope to be back in town around 2.30pm. Aodh Ruadh face an Community Games Ulster championship preliminary round against the Down champions on Saturday, 13th June, throw in at 1pm. The match will take place at the Monaghan Harps' ground in Monaghan town. Club jackets for under 10s can now be ordered from team management for the subsidized price of €15. The team extends its grateful appreciation to Mr. Gs for their kind and generous contribution which made this discounted scheme possible.
Training for the under 8s is back on the school field in Colaiste Cholmcille this Friday evening at 6pm. Well done to all those who took part in the underage blitzes on Friday evening. Any parents or coaches wishing to help out in any small way are more than welcome. Please call up about ten minutes prior to training
~ SUMMER CAMP ~
The 16th annual Aodh Ruadh Summer Camp commences on Monday, 6th July and continues until Friday, 24th July. There's loads to do with football, hurling, swimming, rounders, obstacle courses and plenty of other fun and games. Each week of the camp concludes with a sports day on Friday. The camp runs from 10am to 3pm and is open to all children from 6 to 14 years-of-age. The cost per week is €70 per child. Family concessions are as follows: €130 for two children; €180 for three children; and €200 for four children. Children should bring a packed lunch as no one will be allowed to leave the camp during the day. Applications to be returned to Sylvester Maguire at the Mullins Ballyshannon. Enquiries to 071-9858277 or 086-0532495 or check out www.aodhruadh.org.~ PITCH BOOKINGS ~
There continue to be clashes over access to pitches. It is critical during that ALL bookings AND cancellations for Father Tierney park, Pairc Aoidh Ruaidh and the school field go through Peter Conlon to ensure the smooth operation of facilities. Call Peter on 9851386 or 087-6838024.~ CENTENARY DRAW WINNERS ~ The winners in Club Centenary Draw were drawn on Monday evening in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh. The winners were as follows: The €8,000 top prize was won by Seamus O'Donnell junior from Creevy. The second prize of €1,000 was won by John Owens, Ballinode, County Sligo. Third prize of €500 went to Phonsie Travers of Cluain Barron. €100 prizes went to: Dominic Connell from Cootehill; Joe Prunty of Newtownbutler; Joe Roper of Corker; goalkeeper extraordinaire Gary Walsh, Derry city; and coach extraordinaire Simon Gillespie of the Abbey.
- 8 June
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~ SENIOR FOOTBALL ~
There was no action for the senior footballers last weekend, but the reserves continued their encouraging form with a 1-4 to 1-9 away win over Saint Naul's. The win was all the more impressive given that the side had to field with just the bare 15. The thirds also had to field with the minimum compliment at home against Glenfin, indeed club chairman Terence McShea found himself pressed into action between the posts. The concession of four first half goals mean it was certainly an interesting experience for him. Glen Matthews came up with the goods in the second half though, bagging two well-struck goals to give Ballyshannon a share of the points on a scoreline of 4-3 to 2-9.~ HURLING ~
Our seniors were beaten at home in the second round of the Donegal league against MacCumhaill's on a scoreline of 0-7 to 0-14.Congratulations to our under 14 hurlers who won the county A league title on Thursday last in Killygordon and brought home the first county hurling title to the club in centenary year. They beat a very skillful and strong Buncrana team in a tightly contested final winning by 3-1 to 2-3. On a wonderful evening for hurling both sides entertained the big crowd with their whole-hearted play. Aodh Ruadh were one point down at half time but came out with all guns blazing in the second half and scored two quick goals, but Buncrana came back strongly scoring a goal and a couple of points. The Ballyshannon boys were leading by a point with ten minutes to go and their great team work, passion and commitment enabled them to hold out and secure the club's first under 14 A league title. These lads offer great hope for hurling in the club as only four of the team are overage next year and the team included six under 12 players. There were great scenes of celebration at the final whistle with many tears of happiness being shed by the players and their supporters. The loudest cheer of the night was saved for Billy Finn who was called on by Donal McLaughlin, Donegal Hurling Chairman, to present the shield to Aodh Ruadh captain, Jamie Brennan. Later that evening there was a huge cavalcade around the town and the evening finished with refreshments for the players and their supporters in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh. Thanks to all the supporters who made the trip to Killygordon and really got behind the team. Thanks also to the Setanta club who hosted this final and had their pitch in great condition. Thanks also to the referee, Dan Hartnett of Letterkenny Gaels. Finally thanks to the boys for their tremendous effort, commitment and work since 2006 which resulted in them lifting this county title.
The under 14s play Four Masters in the championship this Saturday at 2pm in Tir Chonaill park, Donegal town. All players to be at Father Tierney Park at 1pm.
The under 12s beat Coolera/Strandhill on Sunday evening in a keenly contested challenge at Ransboro. The under 12s play Lisbellaw on Thursday evening in Ederney at 7.30pm. All players to be at Father Tierney park at 6pm. These lads have had a great campaign in the Fermanagh league and have remained unbeaten throughout. They face a stiff challenge against Lisbellaw and we would again call on all our supporters to come out and cheer on the boys!
The under 8s are taking part in a county blitz hosted by Four Masters this Sunday all players to be at Father Tierney park at 11am. We wish all the young hurlers the best in this blitz.
Training for under 8s, under 10s, under 12s and under 14s is on this Sunday at 12 noon. Any enquires to John Rooney on 086-2587793.
Creevy National School were beaten in the county semi-final of Cumann na mBunscoil by Tooban national school. The boys put in a great effort for their first time competing in this competition. Tooban go on to play another local school, Holy Family in the county final, date and venue to be confirmed.
~ LADIES ~
Intermediate ladies training continues in the park at 10.30am every Saturday morning.The under 14s are travelling to Killybegs on Tuesday, 9th June for a 7pm game. The bus leaves the park at 5.30pm. The team are away again on Thursday evening to Four Masters for another 7pm throw in.
The under 12s are patiently awaiting the results of two games in their group before they can know if they finished in first or second place. However they are sure of a semi final place it's just a matter of determining whether it is in the 'A' competition or the 'B'. Training for the under 12 and under 14 girls continues at 6-7pm in the park every Tuesday evening.
Under 10 girls training continues in Father Tierney Park this Wednesday at 6pm. The under 10s will be traveling to Bundoran for a challenge match on Wednesday, 17th June.
~ BORD NA NÓG ~
The under 16s are out in the PJ Roper tournament this Saturday, 13th June. It promises to be the biggest tournament for a number years with teams coming from far and wide. That will be followed by the second leg of their championship clash with Ardara on Monday 22nd June. A draw or win in that game would put Aodh Ruadh through to the next round.The under 14s got their league campaign off to an emphatic start with a 1-1 to 9-9 away victory over Saint Naul's. With a half time score of 7-7 to 0-1 in favour of the Ernesiders the game was over a contest early on. Paddy Gillespie did well in defence in the opening exchanges, but the pressure on him eased considerably as the game went on. Johnny Gethins had put in a good shift as did James Kelly who went through a lot of work in the middle. The next action for the under 14s is a home match against Bundoran this Wednesday 10th June with the throw in at 7.30pm. There is a fund raising quiz for Féile in Owen Roe's on Thursday 11th June. The emphasis will be on fun and parents / guardians are all asked to gather up a team for the night. Quiz master Paddy Kelly will be getting proceedings under way at 10pm. An information pack for players and parents / guardians on the trip to the All-Ireland Féile Peil na nÓg in Kildare at the start of July is now available on aodhruadh.org. Parents / Guardians and players are reminded that we need a passport photo of each player and copy of their birth certificate for Féile as soon as possible. This can be returned to any member of team management.
The under 10s took part in an enjoyable blitz in Mountcharles last weekend where both teams gave a very good account of themselves. Aodh Ruadh travel to an Community Games Ulster championship preliminary round against the Down champions this Saturday, 13th June, throw in at 1pm. The match will take place at the Monaghan Harps' ground in Monaghan town and the bus leaves Ballyshannon at 10.30am sharp. There are a limited number of club jackets for under 10s remaining and these can be obtained from team management for the subsidized price of €15. The team extends its grateful appreciation to Mr. Gs for their kind and generous contribution which made this discounted scheme possible. Under 10 training resumes on Saturday, 20th June at 11.45am in Father Tierney Park.
Training for the under 8s is on the school field in Colaiste Cholmcille this Friday evening at 6pm. Well done to our players of the week Adam and Aaron. Any parents or coaches wishing to help out in any small way are more than welcome. Please call up about ten minutes prior to training
~ SUMMER CAMP ~
The 16th annual Aodh Ruadh Summer Camp commences on Monday, 6th July and continues until Friday, 24th July. There's loads to do with football, hurling, swimming, rounders, obstacle courses and plenty of other fun and games. Each week of the camp concludes with a sports day on Friday. The camp runs from 10am to 3pm and is open to all children from 6 to 14 years-of-age. The cost per week is €70 per child. Family concessions are as follows: €130 for two children; €180 for three children; and €200 for four children. Children should bring a packed lunch as no one will be allowed to leave the camp during the day. Applications to be returned to Sylvester Maguire at the Mullans Ballyshannon. Enquiries to 071-9858277 or 086-0532495 or check out www.aodhruadh.org.~ CENTENARY DRAW WINNER ~
The winner of the €8,000 top prize in the Club Centenary Draw was in fact Seamus O'Donnell junior from Ocean View, Bundoran, not Creevy as incorrectly appeared in last week's notes. Many thanks to all those who put their hands in their pockets and bought tickets in the draw. Thanks also to all those who put in the hard work selling the draw.
- 15 June
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~ SENIOR FOOTBALL ~
The seniors are away to Gaoth Dobhair this Sunday 21st June. The reserve game throws in at 1.30pm followed by the seniors at 3pm.The thirds are in Junior B championship action this Saturday when they travel to Downings for their first round, first leg match. The throw-in time had not been decided at the time writing.
~ BEST WISHES ~
The club extends their best wishes to Dinny Loughlin for speedy recovery after his recent serious accident. All our thoughts are with this great club stalwart at this time.~ HURLING ~
The seniors are away to Buncrana on Wednesday night in the senior league. The bus leaves the park at 5.45pm.In another great week for underage hurling in Aodh Ruadh our under 12 hurlers won the Fermanagh league last Thursday night beating Lisbellaw in the final in Ederney. In doing so they became the first team from Donegal to win an underage county title in Fermanagh. The final was a very close run affair at a sun drenched Saint Joseph's park in Ederney. Aodh Ruadh fell behind to two quick goals from the reigning champions and the Ballyshannon boys were slow to get going and appeared nervous. But slowly but surely they got into their stride and began to get on top of their opponents and at half time trailed by 2-1 to 1-2. Both teams played very well in the second half and provided great entertainment for the large crowd. Scores were at a premium and while the Aodh Ruadh boys were dominating the game that wasn't being reflected on the score board, Lisbellaw were clinging onto a two point lead and were hopeful of recording their first win over Aodh Ruadh in 2009. However the Ballyshannon boys continued battling and showed the never say die attitude which they displayed throughout this league and Oisín Roper grabbed the all important goal as the game entered injury time to leave them leading by a point. There was still time for another Lisbellaw attack, but Aodh Ruadh held out and with their supporters encouraging the referee to blow the full time whistle he eventually did. There were great celebrations and the players were delighted as this was not one of their better performances, but they kept battling away and deservedly won the title. The full time score was Aodh Ruadh 2-3 Lisbellaw 2-2. After the game Davy Bannon, the Fermanagh Hurling Board Chairman presented the Fermanagh Shield to Aodh Ruadh captain and man of the match Conor "the Rock" Kennedy. Conor made a great speech and thanked Lisbellaw who were very worthy opponents. From Ederney it was back to Ballyshannon for a victory cavalcade throughout the town and thanks to Pat Melaniff who opened Aras Aoidh Ruaidh where refreshments were provided for the victorious panel and their parents. Thanks to all the supporters who travelled to Ederney and supported the boys and helped them over the finish line.
Twenty two of our youngest hurlers, the under 8s, took part in a county blitz held in Tir Chonaill park, Donegal town on Sunday morning last. A great days hurling was had by all they played five games in total winning two and losing two and eventually drawing with Four Masters in the final game. All the youngsters enjoyed the games and are looking forward to the next blitz in July. Thanks to the Four Masters club for hosting this blitz and providing refreshments. Thanks to Eddie Lynch, Chris Kelly and Dennis Daly, the mentors who travelled with the team and thanks to all the parents who also travelled down to support them.
Our under 14 hurlers play MacCumhaill's in the championship semi final in MacCumhaill park on Thursday. The bus leaves the park at 6pm.
Our under 12s are taking part in an all-county blitz in Letterkenny on Sunday next. The bus will be leaving the park at 11.30am. Notes will be distributed during the week.
Good luck to Holy Family National School who are playing Tooban National School in the Cumann na mBunscoil county final in Convoy on Wednesday.
Training for under 8s, under 10s, under 12s and under 14s is on this Sunday at 12 noon. Any enquires to John Rooney on 086-2587793.
~ LADIES ~
Intermediate ladies training continues in the park at 7.30am every Tuesday and Thursday.The under 14s were beaten by a very good Four Masters outfit on Monday night. The girls have three games left in the league and are down to play Naomh Bríd next Tuesday, 23rd June.
The under 12s will be travelling to a blitz in Four Masters next Saturday. Team management will be in contact with travel details.
The under 10s will be Bundoran coming to us for a challenge match on Wednesday, 17th June.
~ BORD NA NÓG ~
Congratulations to Peter Boyle on another clean sheet as he kept nets for Donegal's 0-14 to 0-11 Ulster Minor Football Championship win over Antrim last Sunday. Younger brother, Nathan Boyle, was also between the posts last Sunday, this time for Donegal in the Cumann na mBunscoil exhibition game during at half time in the senior game.The minor championship clash against Saint Naul's now looks set to take place on Wednesday, July 15th.
The PJ Roper tournament took place last Saturday, with Naomh Bríd, Erne Gaels, Derrygonnelly Harps, Saint Mary's of Sligo, Shamrock Gaels of Coola and Dromore from Tyrone attending. Aodh Ruadh were in a tough group with Dromore and Naomh Bríd and Shamrock Gaels. They had a hard fought win in their opening game against Naomh Bríd, but went down to a well-drilled Dromore outfit in their second game and finished with a loss to Shamrock Gaels in the last group game. Dromore and Saint Mary's competed in the final. The turning point came in the second half when the Dromore keeper made a fantastic double save from a Saint Mary's penalty. After that Dromore went to see out the game with a 1-1 to 1-4 win. PJ Roper's wife, Mary, and son, Brian, were on hand to present medals to the losers, with Dromore captain Mattie McCaffrey collecting the PJ Roper trophy on behalf of the winners. Aodh Ruadh would like to extend their sincere thanks to the participating teams, to those who officiated the matches, those who provided the refreshments, the stewards and to all those who gave of their time and effort to make the event such a success. The next challenge facing the under 16s is their second leg championship clash with Ardara on Monday 22nd June. A draw or win in that game would put Aodh Ruadh through to the next round.
The under 14s recorded another heavy win in the league campaign with a 6-15 to 0-3 home win over Bundoran. Next up for the under 14s is a home match against Four Masters this Wednesday 17th June with the throw in at 7.30pm. Many thanks to everyone who attended the pub quiz last Thursday in Owen Roe's. It went well, raising €645 toward the trip to Féile. An information pack for players and parents / guardians on the trip to the All-Ireland Féile Peil na nÓg in Kildare at the start of July is now available on aodhruadh.org. Parents / Guardians and players are reminded that we need a passport photo of each player and copy of their birth certificate for Féile as soon as possible. This can be returned to any member of team management. Brian Drummond took some video and pictures at a recent under 14 training session and these are now available to view on aodhruadh.org.
Under 10 training continues this Saturday, 20th June, at 11.45am in Father Tierney Park.
Training for the under 8s is on the school field in Colaiste Cholmcille this Friday evening at 6pm. Any parents or coaches wishing to help out in any small way are more than welcome. Please call up about ten minutes prior to training
~ SUMMER CAMP ~
The 16th annual Aodh Ruadh Summer Camp commences on Monday, 6th July and continues until Friday, 24th July. There's loads to do with football, hurling, swimming, rounders, obstacle courses and plenty of other fun and games. Each week of the camp concludes with a sports day on Friday. The camp runs from 10am to 3pm and is open to all children from 6 to 14 years-of-age. The cost per week is €70 per child. Family concessions are as follows: €130 for two children; €180 for three children; and €200 for four children. Children should bring a packed lunch as no one will be allowed to leave the camp during the day. Applications to be returned to Sylvester Maguire at the Mullans Ballyshannon. Enquiries to 071-9858277 or 086-0532495.
- 22 June
-
~ SENIOR FOOTBALL ~
The seniors lost by 3-15 to 1-6 away to a strong Gaoth Dobhair side last Sunday. They got off to a dream start when Anthony Boyle goaled within 20 seconds, but he sustained a serious injury in a clash with the Gaoth Dobhair goal keeper as he struck the goal and had to be substituted. After that things went downhill for Aodh Ruadh at the Gaeltacht men took a grip on the game. The reserves gave a sterling performance as they inflicted a heavy defeat on their Gaoth Dobhair counterparts emerging 1-12 to 4-13 victors.There is no senior or reserve game this weekend.
The thirds lost their first round first leg Junior B championship match against Downings by 0-15 to 0-7.
~ MEETING ~
The monthly club meeting takes place in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh this Thursday, 25th June at 8.30. All committee members are asked to attend.~ HURLING ~
The Senior hurlers were beaten by six points away to Buncrana on Wednesday last in the Donegal league. They play Burt at home this Wednesday.The under 14 hurlers qualified for the championship final on Thursday last beating MacCumhaill's in Ballybofey. The boys took a long time to get into their stride due in no small part to the terrible condition of the pitch, but eventually pulled away in the second half to win comfortably in the end. They now play Burt or Buncrana in the final on a date yet to be decided. They play Strabane in Father Tierney park on Thursday at 7.30pm.
On Sunday last 28 under 12s travelled to Letterkenny to take part in an all county blitz hosted by Saint Eunan's. We divided both teams evenly, i.e. not on an A and B side basis, and both teams did very well. One side beat all teams in their group (Saint Eunan's, Carndonagh and Burt), while the other team beat Saint Eunan's and lost narrowly to Letterkenny Gaels. It was a great days hurling and was thoroughly enjoyed by all the players. Thanks to Saint Eunan's for hosting this event.
This Friday our under 10s and under 12s have been invited to a blitz in Lisnaskea. Notes will be distributed with arrangements during the week.
Well done to Colm Kelly who represented Donegal in the Féile na Gael All-Ireland skills competition in O'Connor park, Tullamore on Saturday last. He was also part of a group of young hurlers and camogie players who welcomed the Kilkenny and Galway players onto the pitch for the Lenister hurling semi-final.
Commiserations to Holy Family National School who lost out to a strong Tooban team in the county final of Cumann na mBunscoil final in Convoy on Wednesday last.
Training for under 8s, under 10s, under 12s and under 14s is on this Sunday at 12 noon. Any enquires to John Rooney on 086-2587793.
~ LADIES ~
The Ladies intermediate team continue their season and last Friday saw them take on the challenge of Sligo neighbours Cliffoney/Grange. It was a tight affair all the way through, but in the end it was the Ballyshannon girls who came out on top emerging winners by two points. This Sunday will see the start of the championship season for the ladies when they face Glen away from home. Training continues on Tuesday and Thursday in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh at 7.30pm.The under 14 girls will take on Naomh Bríd at home on Tuesday, 23rd June, at 7pm and all support is greatly appreciated. This week will also see the under 14s face Saint Naul's at home but a date and time has yet to be confirmed.
Saturday morning saw the under 12 girls travel to Donegal town to compete in a 9-a-side blitz. There were four teams in contention with each side playing three matches. Our girls produced a fine display which saw them emerge as victors in all three games and this continues a brilliant season for them. Thank you to Four Masters for their hospitality.
The under 10 girls topped off their season last Wednesday in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh where they played two games against neighbours and long time rivals, Bundoran. There were some cracking performances from all involved and great fun was had by all, in particular by the spectators.
~ BORD NA NÓG ~
There are now pictures on aodhruadh.org of the Ballyshannon contingent at the Donegal v Antrim game. Peter Boyle, who was in nets for the minors and Brendan Gillespie and Nathan Boyle who played for Donegal in the Cumann na mBunscoil exhibition game during at half time in the senior game. Good Luck to the Peter as the county minors take on Down on Saturday evening in Clones. There will be a County Supporters' Bus travelling to the match. Contact Liam McElhinney on 086-8611097 for more information.The minor championship clash against Saint Naul's now looks set to take place on Wednesday, July 15th.
Aodh Ruadh face a play-off against Ardara after falling to a 1-9 to 0-8 away defeat in their first round, second leg championship tie. Ballyshannon were light on numbers, but still were well with Ardara when they conceded a rather dubious penalty which put the homesters four points in front. Ardara went on a scoring surge from then on and shortly after the break went eight points clear of Aodh Ruadh. The second half performance was greatly improved with Aodh Ruadh having the lion's share of possession, but the inability to put away chances meant it wasn't reflected on the score board. Ruairí Drummond was outstanding for Ballyshannon and converted some great pressure frees as they mounted their fight back. Brianán Drummond was also having a fine game at half back until he had to go off injured. James Barron did well in the second half when he operated around midfield and Stephen Clarke had a decent shift at half forward. PJ Gillespie popped up for a few important scores, while Ronan McGurrin was productive from open play. Midfielder Marcus Harley had good first half in a game that provided plenty of encouragement for the play-off. Speaking of which, no date or venue had yet been set for the play-off, but it looks like it will be this Friday. Management will supply full details in due course. Brian Drummond has supplied some additional pictures from the PJ Roper competition and these can on seen on the page with the report of this year PJ Roper.
The under 14s made it three wins on the bounce with a 3-10 to 1-5 home win over Four Masters. Johnny Gethins in particular was in fine scoring form and also did well when moved back out the field. Next up for the under 14s is a trip to Kilcar this Wednesday 24th June with the throw in at 7.30pm. Mick McGrath of the Bridgend Bar Ballyshannon is breaking open a bottle of change this Friday night, 26th June for the Aodh Ruadh under 14s trip to the All-Ireland Féile in Kildare. The count gets under way at 10pm with all invited to come along for the craic. Mick has also kindly donated prizes for a raffle on the night with the proceeds going towards the trip to Féile. An information pack for players and parents / guardians on the trip to the All-Ireland Féile Peil na nÓg in Kildare at the start of July is now available on aodhruadh.org. Parents / Guardians and players are reminded that we need a passport photo of each player and copy of their birth certificate for Féile as soon as possible. This can be returned to any member of team management.
Under 10 training continues this Saturday, 27th June, at 11.45am in Father Tierney Park.
Training for the under 8s is on the school field in Colaiste Cholmcille this Friday evening at 6pm. Well done to our players of the week Martin, Jamie and Brian. Any parents or coaches wishing to help out in any small way are more than welcome. Please call up about ten minutes prior to training
~ WEB SITE ~
There have been a number of items added to the site over the past week. There are match reports of the senior games against Malin in the league and Saint Michael's in the championship. There is also a brief match report on the reserves win against Saint Michael's. There is substantial coverage supplied by Donegal News of the opening of Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh. This features a report on the opening festivities, a report on Tom Daly getting tipped for the GAA's top job by Peter Quinn and a match report from the Donegal v Sligo game which opened the park. There are also pictures along with the report on Aodh Ruadh hurlers victory in the Fermanagh Shield.~ SUMMER CAMP ~
The 16th annual Aodh Ruadh Summer Camp commences on Monday, 6th July and continues until Friday, 24th July. There's loads to do with football, hurling, swimming, rounders, obstacle courses and plenty of other fun and games. Each week of the camp concludes with a sports day on Friday. The camp runs from 10am to 3pm and is open to all children from 6 to 14 years-of-age. The cost per week is €70 per child. Family concessions are as follows: €130 for two children; €180 for three children; and €200 for four children. Children should bring a packed lunch as no one will be allowed to leave the camp during the day. Applications to be returned to Sylvester Maguire at the Mullans Ballyshannon. Enquiries to 071-9858277 or 086-0532495 or check out www.aodhruadh.org.
- 29 June
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~ SENIOR FOOTBALL ~
There is no senior game this weekend. There may be reserve or thirds games, but no details were available at the time of sending.~ BEST WISHES ~
Congratulations to Terence McShea who will take charge of the Ladies Ulster Senior Final between Monaghan and Tyrone this Sunday in Cavan. We wish Terence all the best.~ HURLING ~
The senior hurlers suffered a heavy defeat 0-32 to 0-9 against Burt in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh in the Donegal League on Wednesday last.Congratulations to Tommy Gillespie, Jamie McDonald, Colm Kelly, Eddie Lynch and Jamie Brennan who were all selected for the Donegal under 14 hurling development squad. They will be taking part in an inter county blitz in Croke Park, on Tuesday, 30th June. It is a great honour for the boys and the club to have been selected for this squad and get to play on the hallowed turf.
The under 10 and under 12s took part in a blitz in Lisnaskea on Friday evening, in a very enjoyable blitz the under 12s won three games and drew one while the under 10s won one game, drew one game and lost two games. congratulations to Kieran Kelly who came second in the under 12 boys long puc at this event and to Meabh Rooney who won the under 10 girls long puc. Thanks also to Lisnaskea hurling club for inviting us to this event.
John Crossey Ulster hurling development officer conducted a very enjoyable coaching session with the underage hurlers on Sunday morning. John was very enthusiastic and all the hurlers thoroughly enjoyed the session and we hope to have John back again before the season ends.
Well done to under 12 hurler Patrick Cassidy who won the long puc in the Community Games county final in Milford on Sunday and under 10 hurler Meabh Rooney who came third in the girls event.
Training for under 8s, under 10s, under 12s and under 14s is on this Sunday at 12 noon. Any enquires to John Rooney on 086-2587793.
~ LADIES ~
The Intermediate Ladies got their bid for championship glory under way in cracking form when they took on Naomh Columba in the park on Sunday. It was a one sided affair for most of the game with the Ernesiders taking control from the very beginning. A fine performance from Tanya O'Shea and Sarah Patton in the middle of the field proved unstoppable and the duo fed some excellent ball into the forward line who made every shot count, racking up the scores in quick succession. The formidable Anna Rafferty showcased her speed and skill in the half forward line setting up some fine scores. Donna Martin slotted home two goals and sent the frees awarded to the Aodh Ruadh side sailing over the bar. There were stellar performances all over the field and the final score wrapped up at 3-14 for the home side with the visitors managing to register 0-2. A big thank you to all the supporters who cheered on the girls from the sideline. Another thank you to our sponsors M.V.'s who provided new jerseys for the Ladies team this year. Here are pictures from the game and the new jerseys. Congratulations to Donna Martin who was named as Intermediate captain for the year. No doubt she'll do a great job!The under 14 girls secured another win when they played Naomh Bríd last week in their league campaign. The next fixture will see them face a strong Saint Naul's side with a date and venue yet to be confirmed.
~ BORD NA NÓG ~
The monthly Bord na nÓg meeting takes place tomorrow night, Tuesday 30th June. All committee members are asked to attend.The minor championship clash against Saint Naul's now looks set to take place on Wednesday, July 15th.
Aodh Ruadh under 16's season crashed to a finish last Friday when they were defeated by Ardara in their first round championship play-off in Dunkineely by 1-13 to 2-7. There is now a match report on the second leg loss up in Ardara on aodhruadh.org
The under 14s maintained their superb start to the season with a 3-8 to 6-12 away win over Kilcar. All attention now switches to the trip to Féile in Kildare. The information pack for players and parents / guardians on the trip to the All-Ireland Féile Peil na nÓg on aodhruadh.org has been updated with the Féile Peil na nÓg Charter and the latest information on the schedule of events. The opening of the bottle of change in the Bridgend generated 500 euro and 5 cent for the trip to Féile. Many thanks are due to Mick McGrath for his kind and generous gesture of support in donating the proceeds to this event.
The under 10 Community Games team were defeated in the Ulster final held in Monaghan last Saturday. They were beaten by well-drilled Tyrone champions, Termonmaguirc. Thanks Hugh Gillespie, John Clarke, Pauric Keenaghan and Rory McGloin and everyone else who helped out on the day.Here are a couple of pictures of the team's trip to Monaghan. The under 10 Mick Shannon tournament takes place this Saturday, 4th July, in Father Tierney Park and Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh. There are eight teams attending including Aodh Ruadh and the action gets under way at 11am. Aodh Ruadh players are to be at the park for 10.30am. All players must bring a loaf of sandwiches to help with catering for the large number of players and mentors attending.
There will be an under 8 challenge game against Bundoran this Friday, 3rd July in Gaelic Park, Bundoran at 6pm. All under 8 players to meet up at Father Tierney park at 5.15pm. A big support is encouraged for all our boys. There will be no training for under 6 players in the Park that Friday night. Training will resume as normal in the school field at 6pm the following Friday. Well done to our players of the week this week Daniel and Tiernan.
~ SUMMER CAMP ~
The 17th annual Aodh Ruadh Summer Camp commences on Monday, 6th July and continues until Friday, 24th July. There's loads to do with football, hurling, swimming, rounders, obstacle courses and plenty of other fun and games. Each week of the camp concludes with a sports day on Friday. The camp runs from 10am to 3pm and is open to all children from 6 to 14 years-of-age. The cost per week is €70 per child. Family concessions are as follows: €130 for two children; €180 for three children; and €200 for four children. Children should bring a packed lunch as no one will be allowed to leave the camp during the day. Applications to be returned to Sylvester Maguire at the Mullans Ballyshannon. Enquiries to 071-9858277 or 086-0532495 or check out www.aodhruadh.org.