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Club Notes Archive - 2013

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Box. AUGUST
6 August

Ballyshannon 400 evening
We will have an evening of activities in Father Tierney Park for the Ballyshannon 400 celebrations this Friday, 9th August. Commencing from 6pm there will be an exhibition of club history upstairs in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh, with photography - recent and vintage, old newspaper reports and archive video footage playing on our video screens. The under 12 Willie Rogers tournament will also be in progress across the evening so there will be a great buzz around the club. Come on up, it will be well worth the visit.

Football
Aodh Ruadh seniors and reserves will be in intermediate championship quarter-final second leg action this Saturday, 10th August. Throw in times await confirmation.

A strong second half display saw Aodh Ruadh overturn a six point half time deficit and claim the Southern Regional Board minor title in a sodden Gaelic Park last Wednesday night. Aodh Ruadh ran out winners over Four Masters on a final scoreline of 1-10 to 2-5. It was a game where Aodh Ruadh played in fits and starts, a hungry Four Masters side determined not to let them find their rhythm. Daniel Kelly pulled off two great saves to keep Aodh Ruadh in the tie early on, while Matthew Maguire didn't put a foot wrong all day in what were dicey conditions for defenders to deal with. Darren Gethins and Eamonn McGrath had a good battle with Jason Carr and Kevin Breslin in midfield, with the Aodh Ruadh getting the better of it the longer the game went on. With Four Masters hitting 11 wides to Aodh Ruadh's six the importance of David McGurrin's economy with shooting opportunities could not be over-stated. Pauric Patton also made a marked impact on his introduction, helping swing the midfield exchanges in Ballyshannon's favour and giving them greater penetration up front. We have a full match report on aodhruadh.org, while Ronan Matthews has a great gallery of pictures from the game up on the Aodh Ruadh CLG Facebook page. Congratulations to the team and their management, Shane Ward and Gregory Sweeney on a great result. The county semi-finals will take place on Friday 16th August, with the pairings awaiting the outcome of the Northern Board final on Wednesday 14th August.

The under 10s will have Go Games blitz on Wednesday 14th August in Glenties. We will be contesting this blitz against Four Masters and Naomh Conaill. Games throw in at 6.30pm and we are looking for parents/guardians to assist with transport to the game. That blitz if rapidly followed by another one on Saturday 17th August when we are down to travel to Ardara. Once again we will be looking for help transporting players to the game. Under 10 training continues this Friday as usual in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh from 6pm to 7pm.

With the various activities being staged at the Park in association with the Ballyshannon 400 festivities there will be no under 8 training this week. However there is an under 10 blitz in Mountcharles on Saturday 10th August. The games throw in at 11am and we are asking parents/guardians to provide transport directly to the game. Anyone who is unable to travel to the game but who has a player who needs a lift is asked to contact John Hughes on 0876431805. Players are asked to be at the grounds in Mountcharles for 10.30pm at the latest in order to allow us to determine numbers and get the lads warmed up.

The under 13 team have commenced training and anyone born in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 interested in playing is invited to contact Peter McKenna 087-9755466 or Alan Sweeney 086-8052816.

The Annual Willie Rogers takes place this Friday, 9th August starting at 5.30pm with teams from Derrygonnelly, Bundoran, Manorhamilton, Mountcharles, Belleek and Donegal attending. Parents are asked to bring up refreshments for the teams. This is happening as part of the Ballyshannon 400 celebrations and we look forward to a big crowd up to support our U12s.

Play your part
Bord na nÓg continue to look for volunteers to help out with various jobs in particular with shifts on lotto duty. Anyone willing to volunteer two hours of their time to help sell lotto is asked to please contact Tracey Flood on 0861764998 to add your name to the contact list. As lotto is now being sold in two venues we do need more people to help out with this at intervals - don't worry volunteering won't have you selling every week!

Bord na nÓg have registered for the Lucozade Sports caps for gear promotion. We ask all club members to collect their Lucozade sports caps. We can then exchange these bottle caps for gear or equipment. The promotion runs till 31st October and we will arrange collection venues and dates over the coming weeks.

Hurling
The senior hurlers third championship outing is away to Burt on Wednesday 7th August. This a critical fixture as the loser will go out of the championship reckoning. Throw-in for the game is 7.30pm and a good show of support is urged for this game.

The under 16s had a very tough game with Saint Eunan's in the league last Thursday. The game was played in horrendous conditions in Father Tierney Park. It really was a game of two halves. Aodh Ruadh with the wind advantage built up a big lead at half time and they were lucky to have it as they failed to score in the second half. Despite having a number of lads playing well below par, they battled hard throughout the second half and held out for a valuable win on a 4-3 to 2-7 score line. They are away to Letterkenny Gaels this Thursday.

The under 12s are at home to Setanta this Thursday.

Aodh Ruadh were well represented at the Ulster Blitz held in Tyrone's Centre of Excellence at Garvaghey. Donegal had three teams taking part in the blitz: Under 13s, Under 14s and Under 16s. Pauric Keenaghan, Aaron Peach, Liam O'Sullivan, Seosiamh McGee, Cathal Canavan, Cathal Feeney and Phillip Myers played for the Under 13s who lost both their games to Derry and Wicklow. Conall Sweeney and Ryan Ayres played for the under 14s who lost to Antrim, Derry and Down, Michael Ayres was involved in the management of this team. The under 16s beat Antrim, lost narrowly to Down and suffered a heavy defeat to Derry, Oisín Rooney, Brendan Gillespie, Shane McGrath and Cian Duffy represented the club on this team. All four of the lads are underage again next year. It was a big step up in class for all our lads to play the top teams in Ulster and hopefully the experience will bring them on.

Seats are going fast on the bus for our annual trip to Croke Park for the All-Ireland semi-final, this year's game promises to be a cracker between Clare and Limerick. For any information on the trip please contact John Rooney 086-2587793.

Training as normal at 12 noon on Sunday we would particularly like to see an increase in our numbers at under 10.

Ladies
The senior girls continue their championship preparation and played Manorhamilton on Friday evening last winning well with a good performance. This Sunday we host Cloughaneely in the first round of Intermediate Championship. Best of luck to everyone involved.

The minor season kicks off next Tuesday with an away game to Glenties. Training on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm.

The under 14 girls start their second round of games this Thursday with a home fixture against Glenfin at 7pm. After some good results in the first round of games, the girls have qualified to play in the A competition, so some tough games are promised over the next few weeks and lots of support would be appreciated.

The under 12 girls take a break for two weeks. Training will resume in September.

Fantasy race for Sam 2013
Sean McKenna (McKenna's Machine) continues at the top on 273 points. He has opened a sizeable lead to Mick Melly (King of the Hill) in second on 250. Joe Gillespie (M team) remains in third place on 238. There is quite a queue building up in fourth with Caoimhin MacAoidh (An Giotoz), Niall Clancy (Run Forest Run), and Noel McGrath (Carpenter Rovers) all still in contention on 230 points. At the bottom its very simple. Shauna O'Mahoney (Girls Rule) are in last place on 35 points. She will remain there unless Bernard Brogan scores another point this year. If he scores two, then Bobby Murphy (Chunky Chips) who is on 36 points will be the last place winner. Others to join the last five this week were John Patton (The Bookie Men) on 62 along with Philip Mulrone (Undertakers are go) on 63 with Ciaran McLoone (Buckfast Athletic GFC) on 67. The leader board is be available every Tuesday in the Bridgend Bar, Owen Roes and Ballybookies, of course we also publish the leader board weekly on aodhruadh.org.

Recreational football
Recreational continues this Saturday with a later throw-in of 7pm. There is some serious skill on show here folks, real outside of the boot stuff, so if you're interested in getting out for a bit ball and a bit of craic head along to the Park for a game. For more information just text or call Peter (0879755466) or Alan (0868052816).

Stags and hens
Don't miss the hilarious comedy Stags And Hens by Willy Russell in the Abbey Centre on Saturday 10th August at 8.30pm. This production is presented by Yellow Moon Theatre Company from Wexford and stars our own Aisling Finn and Paddy Campbell.

Anniversary mass
Colman Kerr's anniversary mass will take place on Thursday August 8th at 7.30pm in Saint Patrick's church, Ballyshannon.

Guess the Score
There was no winner in guess the score. Jack McCadden won the seller's prize for all who returned completed cards and gets a football. Well done and thanks to everyone who sold and bought lines.

On their bikes
Aodh Ruadh will be hosting cyclists from Errigal Ciaran and Saint Mary's, Sligo over the course of Saturday 17th August as they stop for refreshments in Father Tierney Park during fund-raising cycles for their clubs. The Saint Mary's cyclists are traveling a loop from Sligo, Blacklion, Ballyshannon and back to Sligo and have invited any Ballyshannon cyclist who might be interested in joining them for the spin to come along. They are rolling out at 9am from the Saint Mary's grounds in Sligo. Anyone interested can contact Brian Kelly for more information on 0872861914.

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13 August

Football
We understand that Aodh Ruadh seniors and reserves are to be in intermediate championship quarter-final second leg action this weekend. An addendum will be circulated when fixtures are made available.

The county minor semi-finals, which feature Aodh Ruadh, take place this Friday 16th August. The pairings awaiting the outcome of the Northern Board final on Wednesday 14th August, so we will circulate details following those games and encourage a big showing of support to get behind our lads, wherever they happen to be fielding this Friday.

The under 16s returned to league action on Monday evening. However it was to be a losing return as they went down away to Ardara on a scoreline of 2-15 to 0-10. The next fixture for the under 16s is the trip to Glenties to take on Naomh Conaill next Monday, 19th August.

The under 13 team have commenced training and anyone born in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 interested in playing is invited to contact Peter McKenna 087-9755466 or Alan Sweeney 086-8052816. The team will have their first competitive outing of the season on Saturday, 24th August at 12 noon against Bundoran at home in Father Tierney Park.

Aodh Ruadh hosted the annual Willie Rogers under 12 tournament on Friday as part of the Ballyshannon 400 celebrations. It was a hotly contested competition, favoured with good weather on the day, with teams from Aodh Ruadh, Four Masters, Derrygonnelly Harps, Saint Naul's and Erne Gaels taking part. There was a magnificent support in Father Tierney park, and not just from Ballyshannon.
The round robin stages saw a lot of good football played, but Derrygonnelly were in fine form and booked their place in the final with four straight wins. Their opponents in the final were Aodh Ruadh who recorded three wins in the league phase. The Ernesiders only loss was to the Harps who won on a scoreline of 6-6 to 3-3. Given the round robin result Derrygonnelly were favourites for the final. Aodh Ruadh hadn't read that particular script though, and delivered a passionate committed display of football which almost saw them seal the silverware in normal time. However Derrygonnelly battled every bit as hard and the sides could not be separated before Shane Toolan's long whistle. Five minutes of extra time were played and Ballyshannon started hard, hitting the visitors for two points. The Fermanagh men took over from that point and responded with four unanswered points to take a two point lead into the dying seconds of the game. There was still time for one more moment of high drama though. Aodh Ruadh had a last gasp shot on goal which would have won the game, but the Derrygonnelly keeper made a fantastic save to ensure the Willie Rogers trophy would be on its way back over the mountain on Friday evening.
The club were delighted to have Willie's wife, Rene Rogers and son Gavin Rogers both on hand to present the trophy and medals to the winners and runners-up after the final.
Thanks to all the clubs who attended and contributed so handsomely to a great day of football, and also to our match officials on the day, Conor Patton, Sylvester Maguire and Shane Toolan. Thanks to the great support which showed up on the day and especially all those who contributed on the catering front to a great spread of food. The audio-visual presentation of club history, which was also hosted in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh over the course of the evening, helped add to the sense of occasion. We have a large gallery of pictures from the tournament up on aodhruadh.org.

The under 10s will have Go Games blitz on Wednesday 14th August in Glenties. We will be contesting this blitz against Four Masters and Naomh Conaill. Games throw in at 6.30pm and we are looking for parents/guardians to assist with transport to the game. That blitz if rapidly followed by another one on Saturday 17th August when we are down to travel to Ardara. Once again we will be looking for help transporting players to the game. Under 10 training continues this Friday as usual in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh from 6pm to 7pm.

The under 8s travelled to Mountcharles for a blitz against Saint Naul's and Naomh Conaill. The lads gave a really great account of themselves and showed a wonderful spirit. The team who made the trip were: Conor Barron, Ronan Barron, Neil Browne, Ronan Delahunty, Shane Delahunty, Liam Doogan, Jack Gallagher, Eoghan Kelly, Michael Keown, Tom Murphy, Drew Ryan, Cillian Slevin and Aidan Sweeny. As ever, thanks to everyone who helped with the transport, it is much appreciated. Thanks to Corey Ryan who took a few shots of the action for us, which are now up on aodhruadh.org.

What an athlete...
This Friday night sees a darts exhibition with Ronnie 'The Rocket' Baxter in Seán Óg's, a fund-raiser for adult football in Aodh Ruadh. Quite the showman, Baxter is currently 18th in the PDC rankings, having previously contested the World Final under BDO auspices. Action gets under way at 9pm. Tickets are available now from senior and reserve management and players.

Hurling
The seniors went down to a 4-14 to 0-6 defeat against Burt last Wednesday, a defeat which spelled the end of the club's meaningful participation in the senior championship. A disappointing end, but it has been an encouraging return to senior hurling for Aodh Ruadh and there are strong hopes that we can build on this progress significantly in 2014.

On Saturday the Donegal minor hurlers had a great win over an Ollie Canning managed Roscommon team in the All Ireland B quarter-final in Letterkenny. It was a tough battle throughout. Tommy Gillespie, Colm Kelly and Eddie Lynch started for Donegal while Ciaran Rami came on early in the first half. Aodh Ruadh's representation increased to six at half time with the introduction of Eugene Drummond and Oisín Rooney. Donegal won out on a 0-9 to 0-8 score line. Interestingly, all Donegal's scores came from Aodh Ruadh men with Eddie Lynch hitting seven frees while Colm Kelly and Oisín Rooney hit a point apiece.

Donegal now face a difficult clash with Westmeath in the All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday in Mullingar. The game represents a big step up in class against a team who has already played in the Leinster Championship this year. However, it should be a great experience for the lads.

The great work that has gone into underage hurling in the club in the past few years was reflected over the weekend on Friday when Eugene Drummond was on the Ulster Under 16 A team that drew with the Galway Under 15s at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Eugene came on at half time and played very well. It is a great achievement for him to have made the Ulster A squad.

The under 16s make the long trip to Inishowen this Thursday to play Buncrana in their final league game, both teams are unbeaten in the league. The lads face a tough encounter against a strong Buncrana side.

Under 12 hurlers had a convincing win at home against Setanta on Thursday last, they play Burt again at home this Thursday. The lads are going well in the league having only suffered one defeat.

Our annual trip to Croke Park takes place this Sunday, where the underage hurlers will attend the All-Ireland semi-final between Clare and Limerick in what's sure to be a cracking battle.

Ladies
A big congrats to the seniors who won their first championship game at home to Cloughaneely on a scoreline of 2-4 to 1-6. We have a full match report and pictures up on aodhruadh.org. The return leg is to be played on Sunday, 18th August. Senior and minor training continues on Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm.

The minors season throws in this Tuesday, 13th August, away to Saint Naul's at 7pm. Next Tuesday, 20th August they take on Ardara in Father Tierney Park.

Well done to the under 14 girls who defeated Glenfin last week. We have some shots from that game up on aodhruadh.org. The girls are at home to Naomh Mhuire this Thursday at 7pm.

Recreational football
Recreational football continues this Saturday with a later throw-in of 7pm. For more information just text or call Peter (0879755466) or Alan (0868052816).

On their bikes
Aodh Ruadh will be hosting cyclists from Errigal Ciaran and Saint Mary's, Sligo over the course of Saturday 17th August as they stop for refreshments in Father Tierney Park during fund-raising cycles for their clubs. The Saint Mary's cyclists are traveling a loop from Sligo, Blacklion, Ballyshannon and back to Sligo and have invited any Ballyshannon cyclist who might be interested in joining them for the spin to come along. They are rolling out at 9am from the Saint Mary's grounds in Sligo. Anyone interested can contact Brian Kelly for more information on 0872861914.

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20 August

Football
Aodh Ruadh upset odds of 5/2 to claim a magnificent victory over division two outfit Buncrana in the quarter-final second leg of the intermediate championship in Scarvey. Ballyshannon were slow to get going, Donagh McIntyre opening their account 11 minutes in. But once the Ernesiders were up and running they were quick to overturn Buncrana's opening lead and take control of proceedings. David McGurrin forced a goal to give Aodh Ruadh the lead for the first time and then Kerry Ryan unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot that helped the visitors to a half time advantage of 2-3 to 0-4. Ballyshannon piled it on in the second half and a Michael 'Sticky' Ward goal sealed a great personal performance and a memorable win for Aodh Ruadh. We have a full match report and pictures from Cathal Maguire up on aodhruadh.org.

The reserves exited the championship at the hands of a 1-14 to 0-12 quarter-final second leg defeat to Buncrana. Aodh Ruadh had been holding their own, but a goal just before half time proved a critical blow, sending the sides in at 0-2 to 1-9. Ballyshannon gave it everything they had in the second half, but couldn't make up the ten point deficit. Aidan Murray and Niall Thomas in midfield both had excellent games, Thomas contributing a pair of beautiful long range points. David Hoey and Gerard McIntyre also hit some lovely scores. Stephen Clarke did well when he came on for Paddy Gillespie who went off with a bad injury. We have Cathal Maguire's pictures from the game up on aodhruadh.org.

This Saturday 24th August sees a return to league action for Aodh Ruadh with a trip to Carndonagh. The reserve game throws in at 5.30pm with the seniors following at 7pm.

The under 21s B Championship meeting with Carndonagh has been postponed a week to Tuesday, 27th August. Throw in is at 7pm down in Inishowen with Paul Clifford down to ref.

Aodh Ruadh are in county minor championship semi-final action against Buncrana this Wednesday 21st August in Convoy at 7pm. Ian Molloy is the referee. We encourage a large showing of support to get behind our lads in this big game for the club.

The under 16s were in Glenties on Monday evening where they lost to Naomh Conaill on a scoreline of 5-8 to 3-12. The next fixture for the under 16s a dead rubber game against Naomh Mhuire next Wednesday, 28th August.

The under 13s will have their first competitive outing of the season on Saturday, 24th August at 12 noon against Bundoran at home in Father Tierney Park.

The under 10s had a busy few days last week. They started with a trip to Glenties last Wednesday evening. The seniors first game was against Four Masters. Aodh Ruadh started well, but Donegal town came back well and the Ernesiders shooting deserted them somewhat. The second match against Glenties was one of the games of the season. An action packed, end to end game with Naomh Conaill taking the win with the last kick of the game. Outstanding for Aodh Ruadh seniors in Glenties were Diarmuid Dolan in midfield, Matt Gillespie, Kyle Murray, Kyle McCaffrey, Aaron Cullen and Cian Rooney who scored heavily. The juniors won their game against Glenties, while mixed sides fielded against Four Masters who had a large selection with them on the day. Best for Aodh Ruadh were Corey Ryan and Darragh Gallagher. On Saturday it was another trip, this time to Ardara. Aodh Ruadh seniors defeated the hosts before losing to a robust Dungloe side. Best for Ballyshannon in Ardara were Colm McGloin, Adam Hoey, Aaron Cullen, Danny Breen and Kyle McCaffrey. The juniors won both their games. In the first match the team played some of their best football all year winning comfortably, while second game was a tough fought victory against Dungloe. Shane Delahunty, Jody Rooney and Darragh Dolan all shone for Ballyshannon. Big thanks to everyone who helped with transport to the blitzes. Under 10 training continues this Friday as usual in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh from 6pm to 7pm.

Under 8 training continues this Friday in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh at 6.30pm. We also have an under 8 blitz this Saturday 24th August. The games throw in at 11am and we are asking parents/guardians to provide transport directly to the game. Anyone who is unable to travel to the game but who has a player who needs a lift is asked to contact John Hughes on 0876431805. Click the following link to locate the Bundoran pitch on Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/qQw7K. Players are asked to be at the grounds in Bundoran for 10.30pm at the latest in order to allow us to determine numbers and get the lads warmed up.

Hurling
Aodh Ruadh face Saint Eunan's in their final game of the championship in Father Tierney Park this Wednesday 21st August at 7.00pm

On Saturday last Donegal played Meath in the All Ireland Minor B hurling semi final in Clones. Aodh Ruadh were well represented on the day. Tommy Gillespie, Ciaran Rami, Colm Kelly (0-1), Jamie Brennan (0-1) and Eddie Lynch (0-5) were on the starting 15. Oisín Rooney came on early in the first half and Eugene Drummond came on early in the second half. While Donegal lost 4-18 to 2-8 it was a great experience for the lads and a big step up in standard. Out of our seven representatives, six of them are underage again next year.

The under 16s made the long trip to Buncrana last Thursday and came up against a very strong home team, the lads put in a very gritty display and while they lost 2-6 to 1-6 it was their best performance of the season. They play Saint Eunan's in Father Tierney Park this Thursday in the league semi-final throw in 7 pm in what's sure to be another very difficult encounter.

This Saturday Donegal play Sligo in an under 16 challenge game in Father Tierney park with throw in at 2pm. There should be a good representation of Aodh Ruadh players involved so come along and lend your support.

Our under 12 hurlers had a great win over Burt in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh last Thursday. For the first time this year everyone on the team gave their all and they ran out worthy winners on a 5-2 to 2-2 scoreline. They face a difficult trip to Gaoth Dobhair this Thursday.

On Sunday 47 young hurlers and their managers headed off to Croke Park for their annual trip to the All-Ireland semi-final. They were treated to two great games and were especially delighted to see Davy Fitzgerald's Clare qualify for the All-Ireland final.

Training as normal at 12 noon this Sunday.

Ladies
The senior ladies had the difficult task of playing away to Cloughaneely in the second leg of their intermediate championship semi-final on Sunday. They were down four of the starting team from the home leg which they won by a single point. The strength of the panel was tested and they passed with flying colours to see themselves through to the county decider with a superb five point win.
Niamh Gallagher had solid display in goals taking over from the absent Lorraine Roper. The backs were tremendous in their tackling with turnover after turnover. Sarah Patton slotted back into midfield pairing with Tanya O'Shea as the two dominated the centre of the field. Up front the forwards tormented the Cloughaneely defence. It was a day where the home team's discipline let them down, with one girl sin binned in the first half for a bad hit on Tanya O'Shea. Then mid way through the second half Cloughaneely full forward Maura Mc Manus dragged down Aoife Buggy to earn a yellow card and ten minutes on the line. Almost immediately Gráinne Gillespie was fouled and awarded a penalty which Elaine Dorrian converted clinically. The final score was 1-11 to 1-06. A county final date against Milford awaits the girls on September 1st. Aodh Ruadh's team in Cloughaneely were: Niamh Gallagher; Katie Flood, Aoife Buggy, Megan McGee; Roise Keon, Tara Khan (0-1), Hannah Doherty; Sarah Patton, Tanya O'shea; Danika Doherty (0-2), Anna Rafferty, Gráinne Gillespie; Katie Gallagher (0-1), Donna Martin (0-07, 6f); Elaine Dorrian (1-0, pen). Substitutes: Emma McPhelim, Fionnuala Gill, Glenda McGee Bonner, Shauna Hoey.

The minor girls registered a win away to a weakened Saint Naul's side last week. They put in a very strong performance, well done to the girls on a positive start to their season. They were due to play Ardara this week, but the game has been postponed.

The under 14 girls suffered their first defeat in the 'A' championship against Naomh Mhuire, missing out by two points. It was a strong performance by the girls who play away to Carndonagh this Thursday.

Well done to Terence McShea who refereed the Ladies All-Ireland SFC quarter-final between Galway and Tyrone. We wish him a speedy recovery from the leg injury he picked up during the game.

Fun Run and Walk
Cards are going out this week for the Aodh Ruadh 4K 10K fun run and walk on Sunday 15th September. Runners and walkers go under starter's orders at 12 noon at Father Tierney Park. Registration for the event takes place on Saturday 14th September between 6pm and 7pm and again on Sunday from 10am to 11.30am. Please support this fund raiser generously. Sponsorship is €2 per line, or more if you'd like.

Yes we can
The next collection for our aluminium fund raiser takes place on Saturday 24th August from 12 noon to 1pm. ALL OTHER SCRAP METAL IS WELCOME AT THIS SESSION. For any information in relation to this campaign please contact John Rooney 086-2587793 or Kieran Drummond 086-2368295.

Caps for gear
Bord na nÓg have registered for the Lucozade Sports caps for gear promotion. We ask all club members to collect their Lucozade sports caps. We can then exchange these bottle caps for gear or equipment. The promotion runs till 31st October and we will arrange collection venues and dates over the coming weeks.

Bingo duty
The roster for Bingo callers to the end of September is displayed in Áras Aoidh Ruaidh and at the Abbey Centre. We would now like to recruit a few new helpers to share the workload. You can approach the rostered bingo caller if you are willing to assist them on their night on.

Restricted access
There may be restricted or no access to the car park at Father Tierney Park over the next ten days as work has to be undertaken to deal with surface water there. Vehicles can be parked across the road on the entrance area to Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh.

Trophies and heritage
We wish to use the display cabinet in the hallway of Áras Aoidh Ruaidh to put on display old cups and trophies which have had an association with the club over the years. The Gold Flake Cup (Senior Football Tournament) has been located with the help of Gerry Ferguson. Other cups which we would like to get returned include the Frank O'Neill Cup (Town League), the AIB Cup (Junior Football Tournament); the Agnes O'Neill Cup (Camogie), the James Daly Memorial Cup (Hurling) and the Malachy Cullen Cup (North West Hurling League). Please contact Tom Daly if you know the whereabouts of these trophies which are an important part of club history.

Recreational football
There was another session of highly enjoyable recreational football at Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh last Saturday evening with all the skills of the game on show, albeit at significantly reduced speeds. We have shots from the game up on aodhruadh.org. Football continues this Saturday at 7pm. For more information just text or call Peter (0879755466) or Alan (0868052816).

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27 August

Football
Seniors and reserves were left kicking their heels last week and as at the time of mailing there were no fixtures for this weekend.

Aodh Ruadh get their bid for under 21s B Championship honours underway with a trip to Carndonagh this Tuesday, 27th August. Throw in is at 7pm down in Inishowen with Paul Clifford down to ref.

Ballyshannon's hunt for a first minor county title since 1992 ended at the semi-final stage with a 1-10 to 1-8 loss against Buncrana. It was a gut-wrenching loss for this Aodh Ruadh team and management who had put in so much work to get to this point. Buncrana brought appetite, application and desire to the game and it was those qualities which saw them across the line against arguably a more talented Aodh Ruadh side. For Aodh Ruadh David McGurrin, Eamonn McGrath, Colm Kelly and Jamie McDonald fought hardest. We have a full match report on aodhruadh.org while Ronan Matthews has a gallery of pictures on the Aodh Ruadh CLG Facebook page.

A Donegal under 17 side with a strong Aodh Ruadh contingent scored a notable success last Saturday when they claimed the Jim McGuigan cup in Maghera last Saturday. The Tir Chonaill men beat Monaghan in the semi-final before accounting for Tyrone in the decider on a scoreline of 2-10 to 1-6. Niall Harley captained Donegal on in the day from midfield and received the Jim McGuigan cup while Colm Kelly was deployed at corner back. We have some pictures from the celebrations up on aodhruadh.org.

The under 16s league programme concludes with a game against Naomh Mhuire this Wednesday, 28th August. That match will serve as a championship warm-up with Aodh Ruadh hosting Naomh Columba at Father Tierney Park in the preliminary round first leg on Wednesday, 4th September.

The under 13s enjoyed a comprehensive 8-18 to 2-6 victory over Bundoran in the opening game of their league campaign. A lot of the heavy lifting was done in a dominant first 30 and Aodh Ruadh were leading by 5-16 to 0-2 shortly after the half time break. It was one of those games where everyone in white and green had a good outing. The defence were excellent with Odhran Kennedy really coming into his own at full back and Matthew McDonald outstanding at corner back. John Patton got himself a great goal while there were also impressive performances from the likes of Shane Brady, Mark Gettins, Mark McGlynn with Cian Barden doing well coming off the bench. We have some pictures from the game up on aodhruadh.org. Training continues on Wednesdays at 4.30pm. The next fixture is away to Killybegs on Saturday, 7th September, throw in at noon.

Under 10 training continues this Friday as usual in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh from 6pm to 7pm. There will be a blitz on Wednesday, 4th September in Donegal town. Games throw in at 6.30pm and we are leaving from Father Tierney Park at 6pm and we are asking parents/guardians to provide transport directly to the game. Any volunteers on the day to take players will be most welcome.

The under 8s had an excellent outing in Bundoran last Saturday. Seniors and juniors played Naomh Bríd, Killybegs and Bundoran. Three wins for the seniors and two for the juniors. Some really lovely football played by the Ballyshannon lads. The panel was: Conor Barron, Ronan Barron, Killian Bradshaw, Michael Clancy, Finn Coady, Ryan Daly, Ronan Delahunty, Shane Delahunty, Eoin Doogan, Liam Doogan, Michael Doogan, Eoghan Kelly, Jack Gallagher, James Gallagher, Jack Lyons, James McGinley, Cian McKenna, Garvey Meade, James Monaghan, Tom Murphy, Drew Ryan, Cillian Slevin, Aidan Sweeny, Aonghus Sweeny and Tommy Winters. Many thanks to Bundoran for a well organised blitz and to everyone who helped with transport to the blitz. Under 8 training continues this Friday in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh at 6.30pm. The final blitz of the year will take place in Father Tierney Park on Saturday 7th September.

Hurling
Aodh Ruadh's senior hurlers concluded their season with a 2-14 to 1-8 defeat against Saint Eunan's in Father Tierney Park last Wednesday. Ballyshannon were poor in the first half missing a few goal chances, while Saint Eunan's dispatched two of their own. However the injury hit side were much improved in the second period. Over the course of the championship Aodh Ruadh left it behind them in a number of games and the squad now have an idea of what kind of effort it will take to push for a title. We have pictures from the game and the league trophy presentation up on aodhruadh.org. The talent is there, as proved by the league success, the trophy for which was presented after last Wednesday's game. What is needed now is a greater commitment and drive from every member of the squad. The management thank everyone who helped with the team this year and the club executive for their whole-hearted backing. Thanks also to Dermot Whoriskey of Rathmore Mechanical Services for his constant support.

Aodh Ruadh take on Burt in the under 21 championship quarter-final in Father Tierney Park this Wednesday, 28th August. Throw in is at 7pm and we would call for a good showing of local support at this first championship outing at this grade for the club in many years.

The under 16s suffered a disappointing defeat at home to Saint Eunan's in the league semi-final. They failed to take a number of scoring opportunities in the opening half and both teams went in level at half time. Saint Eunans were the far hungrier team in the second half and ran out convincing winners 5-9 to 4-6. The manner of this defeat and the lack of fight in the majority of the team was very disappointing. It is hoped that the lads will learn from this defeat and will come back stronger for the championship semi-final against Burt on the 12th September. We have pictures from the game up on aodhruadh.org.

On Saturday last Donegal played Sligo in an under 16 challenge game in Father Tierney Park. After a closely contested battle it was Donegal who ran out winners by two points. Eugene Drummond, Oisín Rooney, Brendan Gillespie, Shane McGrath and Cian Duffy are part of the Donegal panel and all performed well on their home pitch. The game was well reffed by Peter Horan. We have pictures from that game up on aodhruadh.org.

The All-Ireland under 14 and under 16 B blitzes take place in Newry this Saturday and Aodh Ruadh will be well represented on both panels and we wish the lads well in these tournaments.

The under 12s continued their winning ways with a hard fought win away to Gaoth Dobhair on Thursday last on a 3-5 to 3-4 score line. They have three league games left and are a strong position to qualify for the A final. They play Four Masters this Thursday in Father Tierney Park.

Training as normal at 12 noon this Sunday.

Ladies
The Aodh Ruadh Ladies had a busy weekend this weekend, as they took to their bikes bright and early Saturday morning to commence the annual Cyclothon. A huge thank you goes out to all who turned out on the day to pedal on the day and all the people who supported the Aodh Ruadh Ladies club on the day in their quest to raise funds. We have some pictures from the event up on aodhruadh.org.

The minors have no fixtures for this week, but are due to play Naomh Columba away next Tuesday and Four Masters at home the following week. Training continues Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm along with the senior ladies who are looking forward to taking on Milford in the intermediate county final on Sunday, 1st September. Time and venue are yet to be confirmed. A large local support would be greatly appreciated. Good luck girls.

The under 14s were defeated on Thursday by Carndonagh which leaves them out of the running for the semi-finals as only the top two teams qualify. Overall the girls put in a great season by making it into the A championship and being able to hold their own against some very tough competition. Well done to all the players.

Under 12 training resumes on Tuesday 3rd September at 6pm in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh at 6pm.

Bingo
This Friday 30th August the Abbey Centre plays host to a monster bingo with a jackpot prize of €1,000 in last game on 50 numbers or less and six games with house prize of €100 and four games with house of €150. All lines are €40. Bring a friend for a great night of craic and prizes.
The roster for Bingo callers to the end of September is displayed in Áras Aoidh Ruaidh and at the Abbey Centre. We would now like to recruit a few new helpers to share the workload. You can approach the rostered bingo caller if you are willing to assist them on their night on.

Fantasy race for Sam
After a two week break in the fantasy race for Sam, it remains unchanged in the top three places this week, after Mayo's fine win over Tyrone at the weekend. The top three all had Mayo. So its Sean McKenna (Mc Kenna's Machine) who still leads on 283 points. In second is still Mick Melly (King of the Hill) on 260, while Joe Gillespie (M Team) are on 248 in third place. Niall Clancy (Run Forest Run) has leap-frogged into fourth place on 240, with Tommy McCafferty (Foaling Around) in fifth place on 238 points. With one more semi-final this weekend and the final where there are 50 bonus points available for the winning team, it's still all to play for. The scenario at the bottom is more straight forward as it's a straight two way battle for last place, which is currently occupied by Shauna O'Mahoney (Girls Rule) on 35 points. Bobby Murphy (Chunky Chips) are on 36 points with all his selections finished scoring. Shauna has Bernard Brogan left, so if he scores more than 2 points in his remaining games, Bobby will be the last place winner, however if Brogan fails to add to his scoring tally, then Shauna will be the last place winner. The others who have the distinction of being in the bottom five are John Patton (The Bookie Men) on 62, Philip Mulrone (Undertakers are go) on 63 with Kevin McGrath (Motor Men) on 67 points. The leader board is be available every Tuesday in the Bridgend Bar, Owen Roes and Ballybookies, of course we also publish the leader board weekly on aodhruadh.org.

Fun Run and Walk
Cards have gone out for the Aodh Ruadh 4K 10K fun run and walk on Sunday 15th September. Runners and walkers go under starter's orders at 12 noon at Father Tierney Park. Registration for the event takes place on Saturday 14th September between 6pm and 7pm and again on Sunday from 10am to 11.30am. Please support this fund raiser generously. Sponsorship is €2 per line, or more if you'd like.

Caps for gear
Bord na nÓg have registered for the Lucozade Sports caps for gear promotion. We ask all club members to collect their Lucozade sports caps. We can then exchange these bottle caps for gear or equipment. The promotion runs till 31st October and we will arrange collection venues and dates over the coming weeks.

Restricted access
There may be restricted or no access to the car park at Father Tierney Park over the next ten days as work has to be undertaken to deal with surface water there. Vehicles can be parked across the road on the entrance area to Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh.

Trophies and heritage
We wish to use the display cabinet in the hallway of Áras Aoidh Ruaidh to put on display old cups and trophies which have had an association with the club over the years. The Gold Flake Cup (Senior Football Tournament) has been located with the help of Gerry Ferguson. Other cups which we would like to get returned include the Frank O'Neill Cup (Town League), the AIB Cup (Junior Football Tournament); the Agnes O'Neill Cup (Camogie), the James Daly Memorial Cup (Hurling) and the Malachy Cullen Cup (North West Hurling League). Please contact Tom Daly if you know the whereabouts of these trophies which are an important part of club history.

Recreational football
Recreational football at Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh continues to attract good numbers, and is back once again this Saturday at 7pm. For more information just text or call Peter (0879755466) or Alan (0868052816).

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