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May

6 May

Football
AODH RUADH CONTINUE UNDEFEATED RUN
For a second week in succession Aodh Ruadh were on the goal trail, and could have finished this game with double the three they registered, but for a sparkling performance by Cloughaneely shot stopper Shaun McClafferty. The Ernesiders raised two of those green flags in an entertaining first half to lead by 2-7 to 0-8 at the break. And though the Blues closed to within two points in the second half, Aodh Ruadh never really looked in danger here.
Centre back Eddie Lynch laid down an early marker, getting up to hit two points. Cloughaneely had matters level by the fifth minute, their main dangers, Shaun Maguire and Donnachadh Ó Baoill both on target.
The visitors were undone two minutes later though. Great vision from Eoghan Kelly saw him pick out Shane McGrath who then let off a reverse pass to Cian Dolan and he slammed a low shot to the keeper's right. Aodh Ruadh would not be headed over the remainder of this game.
The hosts had the ball in the net again in the ninth minute, Cian Rooney driving in on goal only to see Shaun McClafferty stop his rasping shot. Rooney remained alert though, and flicked the rebound to the net. When Shane McGrath fisted over moments later Ballyshannon were seven to the good.
Shaun Maguire punted over a reply, but Aodh Ruadh continued to attack with menace. Cian Rooney again broke in on goal, but this time McClafferty turned his effort out for a 45 with an excellent reaction stop. Peter Boyle converted the resultant 45, but Donnachadh Ó Baoill hit back immediately as Cloughaneely hung in.
Diarmaid McInerney and Shaun Maguire swapped scores before another exchange, this time between Maguire and Shane McGrath made it 2-6 to 0-6.
With the half drawing to a close the game was lit up with two luminous points from Donnachadh Ó Baoill, but the final say of the half went to Ballyshannon after Cloughaneely were caught with just two up in their attacking half, Diarmaid McInerney sending over the free.
The first score of the second half came three minutes in with Padraig Coyle sending over from range. Not long after Michéal McHugh came barrelling onto a pop pass and torpedoed a dangerous shot just over Peter Boyle's cross bar.
Two minutes later Cloughaneely had Shaun McClafferty to thank for another top drawer save, this time from Shane McGrath.
Diarmaid McInerney opened Aodh Ruadh second half account eight minutes in with a place ball, but Shaun McClafferty repaid that with interest, firing over a two point free to make it 2-8 to 0-12.
When McInerney pointed a free in the 46th minute it was a badly needed score for the hosts who were now spending long spells out of possession.
Shane McGrath then raised a white flag and McInerney pumped over a two pointer from play to help further settle the local nerves.
There was to be quite a bit of scoring action packed into the closing moments. First Donnachadh Ó Baoill landed his fifth point of the day with four minutes left, then Eddie Lynch and Diarmaid McInerney (free) responded. Ó Baoill came back with what was to be his side's last score of the day, but the last word went to Jimmy Langan's men. It was sassy effort too, Darragh Flood Dolan sweeping in on goal, giving an meaningful look to pass left, but then switching on to the right boot to place a deft shot to McClafferty's left.
That put the seal on a fine win for the homesters who continue their unbeaten start to the season. In an unfussy defensive display Eoghan Kelly really caught the eye with his range of passing, and Darragh Flood Dolan's man marked effectively and his goal really was a peach. Matt Gillespie and Eamonn McGrath had the better of matters around the centre of the pitch, while up front Diarmaid McInerney hit important scores at important times, and Shane McGrath also contributed strongly. We have a gallery of pictures from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Peter Boyle (0-1 45); Michael Ward, Conor Patton, Kyle Murray; Darragh Flood Dolan (1-0), Eddie Lynch (0-3), Eoghan Kelly; Matt Gillespie, Eamonn McGrath; Diarmaid McInerney (0-7, 4f, 1tp), Shane McGrath (0-3), Senan Rooney; Eoin Cassidy, Cian Dolan (1-0), Cian Rooney (1-0). Subs: David Dolan for Senan Rooney 42 minutes; Damian Weber for Eoin Cassidy 51 minutes; Shane Delahunty for Michael Ward 51 minutes; Gary Carty for Eoghan Kelly 54 minutes; Barry Campell for Cian Rooney 57 minutes.

Cloich Cheann Fhaola didn't have the numbers for the reserve game, so there was no curtain raiser on Saturday. The league action continues next Sunday with Aodh Ruadh seniors and reserves both looking to extend their good starts to the season as they travel to Carndonagh. Throw-in for the reserve game is at 1.30pm, followed by the seniors at 3pm.

UNDERAGE FOOTBALL UPDATES
Well done to Barry Ward and the Donegal minors who showed grit to earn the win against Armagh in the Athletic Grounds last Saturday.

The under 16s returned to action on Bank Holiday Monday with an away tie against Saint Naul's. The team was short a few players and Mountcharles took full advantage to run out handsome winners. Next up for the under 16s is a Southern Regional Board semi-final, details to be confirmed.

Our Willie Rogers under 14 tournament ran off very successfully in a sun-drenched Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh and Father Tierney park on Bank Holiday Monday.
Two teams from Aodh Ruadh, along with Naomh Bríd, Realt na Mara, Erne Gaels, and Enniskillen Gaels, took part in a round robin format. Enniskillen showed strong early form, along with the Aodh Ruadh Green team. All teams recorded wins along the way in a competitive tournament, but it was Enniskillen Gaels and Aodh Ruadh Green who qualified for the final.
The obvious favourites were Enniskillen Gaels and they went ahead in the early stages. Aodh Ruadh did not lie down however, and a late first-half goal brought them back into contention.
Enniskillen held the lead throughout the second half, but with only three points between them, Aodh Ruadh pushed hard for an equaliser towards the end, with two goal chances being saved with last gasp blocks and saves.
Enniskillen therefore emerged deserving winners of the 2025 Willie Rogers cup.
The Aodh Ruadh Bord na nÓg chairman Mick McGrath thanked all the people that helped in the lead up, and on the day, including referees, managers, parents and guardians, food providers and the Aodh Ruadh club for their facilities.
He spoke fondly of Willie Rogers, and the influence he had on the many Aodh Ruadh players that he had coached.
Willie's son Niall thanked all who attended, and thanked all who kept his father’s name connected with the tournament.
Willies wife Renee, son Gavin, and daughter Donna were also in attendance, as well as extended family. Niall presented the Willie Rogers trophy to the Enniskillen Gaels captain, and all enjoyed refreshments in the Aras afterwards.
Thanks once again to all the parents and guardians who provided those refreshments, made tea and coffee, and tidied up afterwards, and to all the helpers on the day. We will have a gallery of pictures from the tournament live on aodhruadh.org later in the week. Keep an eye on the club's social media output for updates.

Aodh Ruadh under 12s hosted Saint Naul's on Friday in their most recent round of fixtures. The homesters won their Division 1A game with the whole team really working well together to secure the win. The result was built on a lot of hard graft in the first half which helped the Ballyshannon lads to a good half-time lead. Saint Naul's came back into matters in the second half, but Aodh Ruadh's first half spade work left the visitors with too much to claw back. There was a good performance from Ben Menarry in goal where he was reliable under the dropping ball, distributed well and made some great saves. In front of him Dempsey Lynch was a strong presence in the defence, winning and turning over a lot of ball. Freddie Knott and Darragh Reynolds operated well together in midfield, while in the forward line Jamie Reilly took some great scores.
In the Division 1B game the team put in probably their strongest performance of the season to date, but Saint Naul's came out on the right side of the final scoreline. The Erneside lads were well in arrears at half-time, but they won the second half with a real battling effort. There were three points in it at the end and it would have been interesting to see how things would have worked out if the game had gone another five minutes. The management team were delighted with the progress the team showed in this match. The rearguard grew as the game went on with Tadhg Cooney and James McMurray both really catching the eye. Michael McGuinness had a call on the man of the match honours with the shift he put in at midfield. Up in the attack Adam Doogan was a great outlet and worked hard for the team right through. We have a great gallery of shots from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.
This Friday sees the squad make the short trip up the road to Tir Chonaill Park to face Four Master, the Division 1A game is at 6.30pm, followed by the Division 1B game at 7.45pm.

The under 10s travelled to Ballintra on Saturday morning for a blitz with Naomh Bríd, Devenish, Saint Naul's and Aodh Ruadh. The boys enjoyed a great morning of football playing three games with over 30 boys getting game-time. Training continues on Tuesday evening at Coláiste Cholmcille from 7pm to 8pm. On Friday evening, MacCumhaill Park will be the venue for a game against the homesters. Throw-in will be at 6pm with further details to be confirmed on the team WhatsApp group.

Well done to our under 8 football team who had a very enjoyable run out against Ardara in a sunny Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh on Saturday. The boys were divided into 2017 and 2018 teams and both performed very well, showing some great skills development. Training for the squad continues on Fridays at 7pm.

Hurling
EARLY GOALS COST AODH RUADH DEAR
The old adage that goals win games certainly proved true on Monday afternoon as Aodh Ruadh took on Truagh Gaels of Monaghan in the Ulster Junior Hurling League quarter-final. Under perfect conditions in Lisbellaw, the game got off to a disastrous start for the Ballyshannon men, with Truagh netting five goals within the first ten minutes. A series of high balls into the square caused havoc, slipping past the Aodh Ruadh goalkeeper and leaving the team with a mountain to climb.
From that point on, it became a game of pride for the Ballyshannon men. To their credit, they responded well to the early shock, settling into the contest and producing some attractive passages of play. Several young players stepped up admirably. Dara O’Mahoney impressed with a solid performance in defence, while Lennon Canny worked tirelessly in midfield. Up front, Aaron Cullen and Gareth Sheerin chipped in with key scores to keep the score board ticking over, but the damage had been done in the opening minutes, and Truagh’s lead proved unassailable.
The second half was a much more even affair, with the Ernesiders matching their opponents point for point. The introduction of Jason Patterson injected fresh energy into the side, and he made an immediate impact by rattling the net with his first touch. Danny Breen also stood out, landing several well-taken frees.
While the early goals left too much ground to recover, the second-half showing was a positive takeaway for Aodh Ruadh, who will feel that, but for the early lapse, this could have been a far more competitive encounter. In the end, Truagh Gaels ran out winners by the margin of those early five goals.
The Aodh Ruadh team was as follows: Tommy Clyne; Martin Larkin, Adam Rami, Killian Bradshaw; Johnny Lin, Stephen Connolly, Dara O’Mahoney; Ciaran Rami, Lennon Canny; Caelan Drummond, Aaron Cullen, Cian McDonald; Gareth Sheerin, Ciaran Kilgannon, Danny Breen. Subs: Daire McDevitt for Killian Bradshaw 35 minutes, Jason Patterson for Cian McDonald 45 minutes.
The side's next fixture sees Aodh Ruadh returning to action on Friday evening with a home tie against Dungloe.

UNDERAGE HURING UPDATES
We hosted an under 13 mini blitz on Sunday morning, with Saint Molaise Gaels, Cluainín and Four Masters also attending. Well done to all the players on a great morning of hurling.

Training continues on Sundays at 11.45am, with our under 12s having their mid-week slot on Tuesday at 5.45pm. If you would like your child to have the opportunity to play our national sport, contact the appropriate manager below:-
Under 6s: Kevin Loughlin – 086-3062209
Under 8s: Stephen Sheerin – 086-8616927
Under 10s: Martin Larkin – 086-8033596
Under 12s: John Larkin – 086-1076883

Ladies
FINAL CALL FOR CÁIT
We wish our own Cáit Gillespie and the Donegal senior ladies all the very best in this Saturday's senior Ulster final against Armagh. The Ladies game gets under way at 3pm and we would urge supporters to be there from the throw in to get behind the team.

SHAMETTES TOO STRONG FOR BURT
The Division 3 ladies returned to action with a bang last Wednesday. The opposition were a Burt team who had caused plenty of problems for Aodh Ruadh sides in the past, but with a huge bench to call on, Aodh Ruadh were just too strong for a Hibernian Park outfit travelling short on numbers.
Aodh Ruadh got off to a scorching start with Aoife Bromley, Niamh Hoey and Terri Gallagher all hitting the net, and with points arriving from Elaine Dorrian, Aoife Bromley and Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien the Shamettes were already 3-3 to the good by the tenth minute.
Ballyshannon were dominating the Burt kick out and doing well at turning over possession further out the field too, and with the forwards on form the scores flowed.
Ciara Larkin opened her account in the 11th minute with two quick points in succession. After that Niamh Hoey (0-1), Larkin (1-2), Elaine Dorrian (1-1) were all on the mark for the homesters over the remainder of the half. Burt did manage to lift the siege and raid for a goal and a point, but at the turn around the Ernesiders were well in control, 5-11 to 1-1.
The second half followed a fairly similar pattern, Aodh Ruadh dominant with Burt venturing the odd rewarding sally. Ciara Larkin set the tempo with an early point, and that was followed by scores from Cadhla Dolan (2-2), Ciara Gillespie (0-1), Elaine Dorrian (0-2), Faye Gillespie (1-0), Caoimhe Devine (0-2) and Hannah McGuinness (0-1). The Inishowen girls added three more points to their tally, but the writing was on the wall early in this fixture and Aodh Ruadh were comfortable winners by the end on a scoreline of 8-20 to 1-4. One of those games where everyone in white in green had a great performance. The defence were excellent, keeping Burt to scraps, while the work rate in midfield also made it very difficult for the visitors to make any attacking headway. In the forward department Aodh Ruadh managed an impressive conversion rate, reflected in the final tally. We have a gallery of pictures from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Roisín Maguire; Emer McDevitt, Kate Cunningham, Jessica O'Mahoney; Dáirín Sweeney, Lauren Foy (0-1), Megan Murphy; Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien (0-1), Fiona McGonigle; Aoife Travers, Terri Gallagher (1-0), Aoife Bromley (1-1); Niamh Hoey (1-1), Elaine Dorrian (1-5, 1f), Ciara Larkin (1-5). Subs: Tara Gallagher, Caoimhe Devine (0-2), Cadhla Dolan (2-2), Ciara Gillespie (0-1), Faye Gillespie (1-0), Meabh McCloskey, Rachel Gillespie, Roisin McGloin, Hannah McGuinness (0-1), Hannah Merrifield, Ellen Monaghan, Aodhbha O'Donnell, Anna-Lisa Rabbitte.

A death in Mountcharles meant that the scheduled Division 1 tie on Sunday morning against Saint Naul's was postponed. Our condolences to the Saint Naul's club on their sad loss at this time. Next week the Division 1 ladies make their return to action after a sustained break, travelling to Burn Road on Sunday to take on Termon at 10.30am. The Division 3 ladies will be hoping to continue their good run when they make the trip up to Inishowen to face off against Malin. The throw in is 11am for that one, but it will still be an early start for the squad.

UNDERAGE LADIES UPDATES
Last Tuesday the under 16s hosted Naomh Conaill in Father Tierney Park. In very warm conditions both sides played a good first half. Rachel Gillespie (2-1) scored a penalty for Aodh Ruadh with additional scores coming from Ellen Monaghan (1-1) and Faye Gillespie (2-3). However, the Glenties girls were the stronger side in the first half, edging the half-time score board 2-4 to 2-1.
In the second half the homesters came back into the game, with an impressive defensive performance serving as the platform for Aodh Ruadh's fightback. Cadhla Gillespie and Ellen Monaghan supported and assisted in midfield serving up some great scoring opportunities for the forwards. The Ernesiders really found their shooting boots in the second half, to take the points on a final scoreline of Aodh Ruadh 5-5 Naomh Conaill 2-9. Check out aodhruadh.org where we have a great gallery of shots from the action.
The team were back in action on Bank Holiday Monday evening, this time they travelled to Moville for a 2pm throw-in. It was a warm afternoon and the conditions proved sapping for both sides. The first half was tight with Aodh Ruadh leading by a solitary point at the turn around, Ellen Monaghan and Faye Gillespie both having raised green flags. The second half continued to be nip and tuck with the heavy-scoring Faye Gillespie (2-9) keeping the score board ticking over for the Ballyshannon girls. Moville piled on the pressure as they chased the result, but Aodh Ruadh's defence was enormously resolute as they kept the home side at bay. After a tremendously hard-working performance from the Ernesiders the final score was Moville 3-8 Aodh Ruadh 3-9, a result which leaves Ballyshannon joint top in the league standings, albeit with one game more played than Dungloe, who are also on 12 points.
The next fixture for the team is a home fixture on Tuesday 13th May against MacCumhaill's, throw-in at 7pm.

The under 14 girls continued their preparations for the upcoming league campaign last Monday, 28th April, bringing a 36 strong squad to Kinlough to play two challenge games, with mixed results. One team put in a strong performance coming away with a positive result, while the other team came out second best against a strong Melvin Gaels side. This was followed on Bank Holiday Monday by a trip to Glenties for a challenge game against hosts Naomh Conaill, played in glorious sunshine. A travelling squad of 30 available players meant the entire team was rotated at half-time, with plenty of playing time for all the girls. Both teams put in a great effort and can be happy with their displays, thanks to Naomh Conaill for hosting us and putting on treats for the girls afterwards.
Training continues on Wednesday at 5.45pm. A short meeting for the parents of the under 14 girls ahead of the start of the league campaign will be held in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh at 6.30pm on Wednesday evening, and all parents and guardians are asked to attend.

Under 8 training continues this week on Tuesday at 6pm at Coláiste Cholmcille.

Ulster final 2025
We have now received confirmation of the club's Ulster final ticket allocation. A total of 415 ticket requests were submitted to the club. Unfortunately, Aodh Ruadh has only been allocated 193 tickets for Saturday's deciders. Club officers will endeavor to facilitate everyone’s request as best as possible in what are obviously difficult circumstances. People may be disappointed, but unfortunately we can only do the best we can with the allocation we have received. The club will be in contact with everyone who placed a request in the coming days. Rest assured we will continue to try to get tickets for those who haven’t been successful.
Once again, we remind members that club officers are volunteers doing their best in a trying situation, and we insist they be treated with respect and courtesy at all times.

Donegal v Sligo masters
The Donegal Masters team will play Sligo this Thursday in Father Tierney Park with a 7pm throw-in.

USA Tours
We have had several visiting USA Tour Groups at our grounds during March and April. This activity really takes off from next week with visiting Tour Groups every weekday for the rest of May and each weekday well into June. The schedule runs throughout the summer to the third week of November. Club personnel who would like to assist with this volunteer work, please make direct contact with Tom Daly, Michael Daly or Patsy Kilgannon. The volunteer time commitment each day is from 11.00am to 2.30pm approximately.

Ballyshannon Bingo
Well done to Marion McDermott on winning last week's Ballyshannon Bingo jackpot. The €1,000 summer snowball went unclaimed with Marie Ward taking the €100 house. The house winners were Sonia Kelly, Breege McDermott, Breige Kelly and Mary Donagher shared game three, Gerard Cullen, Martin Travers and Ann Patterson shared game three, Edmund Brennan, Regina Dolan and Mary Kane. The €50 line winners were Martin Travers and Marina Kerrigan. The other line winners were Susanne Cassidy, Margaret Meehan, Geraldine Kane, May Cox, Mary Travers, Marie Gallagher, Mary Cleary, Patricia O’Reilly and Majella Gettins. The last one standing was Regina Dolan to take the €120 prize. The free book winners were Francis Murphy and Mary Donagher. We do it all again this Tuesday again with €2,900 to play for, including €1,000 snowball, €500 50/50 Jackpot and €330 Lucky Numbers game. Door open at the Abbey Centre at 7.45pm for eyes down at 8.30pm. Books still only €10!

Darkness into Light
Darkness into Light Bundoran are seeking volunteers for their walk this coming Saturday. Anyone available to help is asked to contact Louise Larkin who will forward your details onto the organizing committee.

Back to the top

13 May

Football
AODH RUADH GO CLEAR AT TOP OF TABLE
Aodh Ruadh went clear at the top of the Division 2 table with a convincing win in Carndonagh on Sunday afternoon. They now sit on 12 points, a point ahead Naomh Muire, albeit with a game extra played. Once again they turned on the scoring fireworks as they blitzed the homesters at Foden. In a power-packed first half they all but settled the tie, goals from Jack Gallagher (2) and Shane Delahunty seeing the Ernesiders to a 3-11 to 0-2 half-time advantage. Aodh Ruadh continued to pile on the pain in the second half and further goals from Cian Rooney and David Dolan helped their side to a 28 point victory, 5-19 to 0-6 the final score. We have a full gallery of shots from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.

FIVE STAR DISPLAY FROM RESERVES
There was concern in some quarters about getting numbers down to Inishowen for the reserve game after Donegal's Ulster final win, but Aodh Ruadh made the trip just fine and came home with their unblemished start to the season intact. It did take them a while to shake off the effects of the Clones celebrations and the long trip north though, and at half-time only a point separated the sides, Ballyshannon leading by 1-6 to 1-5. The scoring rate ramped in the second half for both sides, but it was Aodh Ruadh who did the most damage and with Barry Campbell (2), Garvey Meade, Cian McKenna and James Gallagher all finding the back of the net, it was the visitors who prevailed on a scoreline of 5-12 to 3-10 after an entertaining tussle. Head along to aodhruadh.org where we have a gallery of shots from the game live now.

League action returns to Father Tierney Park this Saturday with Aodh Ruadh hosting Naomh Columba. Throw-in for the reserve game is at 5.30pm, followed by the seniors at 7pm.

UNDERAGE FOOTBALL UPDATES
Best of luck to Barry Ward, Joe Gibbions and Gareth Brennan, and the Donegal minors who are back out in championship action this Saturday when they travel to Breffni Park to take on Cavan at 7pm.

The under 16s travelled to Ballintra for the Division 2 League semi-final on Monday evening short a number of key players, but they dug deep to come out on top in a high scoring nail-biting encounter which finished 4-16 to 3-16 in favour of the Ernesiders. This one was a tight game throughout and could have tilted either way at the final whistle. Indeed, there was nothing in it at half-time, when the scoreline read Aodh Ruadh 2-8 Naomh Bríd 1-11.
The Ballintra men were physically bigger, but Ballyshannon had the bit between their teeth for this game and were determined not to let the lead slip once they got hold of it. Despite being double-marked Callum Dorrian made a huge contribution, with ten points to his credit, but he was black carded towards the end and that set up a nervy finish. However, Aodh Ruadh showed huge resolve and resilience in the closing stages to clinch the win at the end of a great advertisement for the game.
Alastair Cian was brilliant in goals and his 75 percent success rate from kick outs was the platform for this victory. In midfield Antoin and Anthony Duffy gave absolutely everything as did Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher. All in all, this was a superb team performance and a hard earned, but richly deserved first win of the season.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Alastair Cian; Micheál McGrath, Markko Branley, Alex Kerrigan; Anthony Duffy (0-1), Cole Connolly, Dara Vaughan; Antoin Duffy, Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher (1-3, 2f); Darragh McCready, Callum Dorrian (0-10, 6f), Manus Conlon (1-1); Dylan Cullen, Jack Hassett (0-1), Eoghan McNulty (2-0). Subs: John McHugh for Micheál McGrath, Oisin McGrath for Eoghan McNulty, Iarla Hartin for John McHugh (inj).
The squad are now preparing for a Southern Regional Board Division 2 final against Saint Naul's. Full fixture details to be confirmed in due course.

Our under 14s begin their Southern Regional Board league this Wednesday. The green squad travel to Dungloe for a 7pm throw in, with the white squad making the long journey to Annagry to take on Naomh Mhuire, with a 7.30pm throw-in. We have a massive gallery of over 400 pictures from the Willie Rogers tournament live on aodhruadh.org now.

The under 12s were in Tir Chonaill Park on Friday night to take on Four Masters. The Division 1A team got off to a great start in the first half, dominating possession, but failed to make it count on the score board as well as they might and were only two points up at the turn-around. In the second half Four Masters came into matters more, aided by the fact that this was the second game of the day for most of the Ballyshannon lads, who had played for their schools earlier. Darragh Reynolds stood out in the middle of the field, while Luke Matthews worked really hard at half forward. Further back defenders Alex Gallagher, Dempsey Lynch and keeper Ben Menarry all had strong showings.
The Division 1B team really put in a brilliant performance and got the result they deserved as they claimed victory in their tie. It was the team's first win this year and was all the more note-worthy for coming against a highly rated Donegal town side. Conall McLoone would have been a good shout for man of the match, while Seosamh Keon, Michael McGuinness, Padraig Waugh and Adam Doogan also put in starring performances. In the last line Mattie McCadden was a rock between the posts and Four Masters struggled find a way past him.
This Friday Killybegs are the guests in Father Tierney Park. The Division 1A gets proceedings under way at 6.30pm, followed by the Division 1B game at 7.45pm.

The under 10s travelled to Ballybofey on Friday evening and enjoyed two very competitive games on MacCumhaill Park. Many thanks to the parents and guardians for getting the boys down for the early throw-in. There will be two games this week with Bundoran the visitors to Father Tierney on Wednesday evening at 6.30pm, and on Saturday the boys will travel to Dungloe with a 12.30pm throw-in. Training continues as normal on Tuesday evening at Coláiste Cholmcille from 7pm to 8pm.

Our under 8 footballers hosted Pettigo for a great morning of football in the sunshine. Next week we travel to Dungloe, with all details in the team WhatsApp group. Training continues on Friday at 7pm in the Coláiste Cholmcille field.

Hurling
AODH RUADH DOWN DUNGLOE MEN
Aodh Ruadh’s senior hurlers continued their strong league campaign with a commanding home victory over Dungloe on Friday evening.
Dungloe opened the scoring early on, but the Ernesiders quickly responded in the sixth minute when Aaron Cullen split the posts following a clever interception from the tenacious Cian McDonald. That set the tone for the first half, with Danny Breen adding to the tally — one of three fine points from him before the break.
The Ballyshannon men played with impressive fluency throughout the half, with Tommy Clyne, Lennon Canny, and Johnny Lin all registering scores as they built a steady lead. The game’s stand out moment came in the 22nd minute, when Aodh Ruadh were awarded a free inside the Dungloe 45. A quick exchange between Breen and Clyne caught the visiting defence off-guard, allowing Clyne to fire a clinical goal to the back of the net.
Just before the interval, Dungloe mounted a rare threat and were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Ryan O’Brien was penalised for lifting the ball off the ground following a superb initial save. However, O’Brien atoned brilliantly — producing a sensational full-stretch dive to his right to deny a certain goal and lift the home crowd. At half-time, Aodh Ruadh led comfortably, 1-9 to 0-3.
The second half saw the hosts pull further away, with Aaron Cullen adding steadily to his personal tally to finish with 0-10. Midfielder Gareth Sheerin impressed with his work rate and long-range scoring, notching three points. Daire McDevitt and Aaron Wymbs were introduced with 20 minutes remaining, replacing the industrious Dara O’Mahoney and Johnny Lin. McDevitt made an immediate impact, breaking down a Dungloe attack shortly after his introduction.
In the defence, Caelan Drummond adapted superbly to the full-back role, making a number of key interventions to frustrate the Dungloe forwards.
In the end, Aodh Ruadh ran out deserved winners on a final scoreline of 1-22 to 0-8. We have a great gallery of pictures from the game live now on aodhruadh.org. They now enjoy a rest weekend before hosting Saint Eunan’s on May 24th.
The Aodh Ruadh Team and scorers were as follows: Ryan O’Brien; Dara O’Mahoney, Caelan Drummond, Killian Bradshaw; Martin Larkin, Ciaran Rami, Stephen Anderson; Cian McDonald, Gareth Sheerin (0-3); Lennon Canny (0-1), Aaron Cullen (0-10), Tommy Clyne (1-1); Johnny Lin (0-1), Cian McKenna (0-2), Danny Breen (0-4). Subs: Daire McDevitt for Daire O’Mahoney 40 minutes, Aaron Wymbs for Johnny Lin 40 minutes.

UNDERAGE HURING UPDATES
The minors will make the long journey north to Inishowen to take on Buncrana on Thursday. With no match for the past two weeks, they'll be looking forward to getting back into the action. Best of luck to Paul, Mark and all the panel.

There was good Aodh Ruadh representation on the county minor panel on Saturday with Jayden McGrath Clyne, Daithi Sheerin, Antoin O'Loughlin, Antoin Duffy and the twinners, Oisin and Eoghan McCadden, flying the white and green. Unfortunately, the team were up against a strong Derry side and lost out on the day on a scoreline of 4-21 to 1-7.

This week we have an under 12 challenge match and an under 9 challenge against Saint Molaise Gaels in Grange. All details will be in the team WhatsApp group.

Plans are afoot for our 2025 Summer camp. Anyone who is not a part of one of our panels who would like some more information, is asked to please contact John Larkin on 086-1076883.

Ladies
ULSTER FINAL
Not the result the Donegal ladies would have wanted, but from an Aodh Ruadh perspective Cáit Gillespie really did us proud. James Daly ran the bench, but Gillespie got the full game and showed her mettle against a strong Armagh outfit. It was really special to see her firing over a lovely point in Saint Tiernach's park on the biggest day in Ulster ladies football and we are all so proud of her. We wish Cáit and her Donegal team mates the very best of luck in the upcoming All-Ireland series.

NO JOY IN TERMON FOR SENIORS
The Aodh Ruadh Division 1 ladies made the trip to Termon on Friday evening for their latest league outing. Injuries, county commitments and college exams meant that Aodh Ruadh were making full use of the extended panel for this game. Despite a doughty effort, it finished with a 1-15 to 0-7 victory for the homesters. The backs had a lot of work on hand and Niamh Barrett, Ella Clancy, Lauren Foy and Rebecca McLaughlin put in the hard yards to contain their experienced opponents. In the attack Caoimhe Devine, Ciara Larkin and Elaine Dorrian all contributed hard-earned scorers against a tenacious Termon rearguard, with Katie McGowan giving her all in a more offensive role.

There are no adult ladies games this coming weekend. The Division 3 tie against Malin was rescheduled for Thursday, 22nd May at 7.45pm, and that will be followed on Sunday, 25th May by another away trip, this time to MacCumhaill's for a 10.30am throw-in. The next Division 1 game will also be on Sunday, 25th May away to Glenfin at 10.30am.

UNDERAGE LADIES UPDATES
The under 16s have a home fixture this week on Tuesday evening against MacCumhaill's, throw-in at 7pm.

Our under 14s are due to host Glenswilly in the first round of the league this Saturday. Throw-in at Father Tierney Park is set for 11am.

Under 8 training continues this week on Tuesday at 6pm at Coláiste Cholmcille.

Camogie
Well done to Emily Ryan who recently made her debut for the Donegal under 14 Camogie team. Emily is part of our under 14 ladies squad and has linked up with MacCumhaill's at club level for camogie, having played hurling with Aodh Ruadh from under 6 until last year.

Pitch Bookings
With games every day of the week now, timely pitch bookings for all codes is essential as well as early notification of any changes or cancellations. Please contact Tom Daly with details.

Táin Óg finals
Breffni Park and Father Tierney Park will be venues for the Táin Óg hurling finals this weekend. The under 16 finals fixed by Croke Park for Father Tierney Park this Sunday are as follows:-
11.00am - Fintona (Tyrone) v Calry Saint Joseph's (Sligo)
12.45pm - Kevin Lynch's (Derry) v Roscommon Gaels
2.30pm - Carndonagh v Ballyhaunis (Mayo) or Cluainín (Leitrim)
Some stewarding help will be needed. If available please text David McLoone, Tom Daly, or Michael Daly.

Schools Football
On Tuesday 13th May there will be Primary Schools football in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh from 10.30am. The Holy Family National School League commenced in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh last Thursday and continues on Thursday 15th and Thursday 22nd at 4pm.
In lovely weather conditions last Friday the boys and girls teams from two of our local schools, Creevy and Holy Family played each other in competitive games in Father Tierney Park, much to the delight of one of our visiting USA Tour Groups who were very impressed with the skills on display. Thanks to all the local teachers who give so much of their time to promoting Gaelic games in our area.

Complaints procedure
We would like to publicise the process for voicing a concern or complaint for an underage player, parent or guardian.
1) In the first instance discuss with relevant coach, mentor or manager.
2) Should further action be required, engage with the secretary or chairperson of the appropriate subcommittee. These are as below:-
Juvenile ladies - Donna McNeely or Jackie McGarrigle.
Camogie - Ciara Roper or Sharon McDonald.
Bord na nÓg - Darren McGuinness or Michael McGrath.
3) Issues can be brought to the club's Children's Protection Officer, Josephine McNulty, at any time.
Concerns or complaints can also be communicated to any member of the club executive. This procedure is available to view on aodhruadh.org.

Ballyshannon Bingo
Well done to Agnes Ryder on taking home last week's big Ballyshannon Bingo Jackpot. The new €1,000 spring snowball rolled over for another week and is in play now on 48 numbers, with Margaret Meehan and Frances Murphy sharing the €100 house. The other house winners were Mary B Kerrigan, Sonia Kelly, Tracey Singh, Mary Coughlin, Regina Dolan and Gerard Kane (shared), Margaret Barrett, Margaret Cox, Teresa Campbell. The €50 lines were won by Monica Kildenen - with another line too, and Mary McCann. The other line winners were Geraldine Kane, Fiona Murray and Anthony Reynolds (shared), Josie Lynch, Monica Kildenen, Tina Gannon, Anne Maguire, Kathleen McGrory, Connie Clancy and Seamus Meehan. The stand-up game prize was won by Barney Cullen, with the free books won by Sonia Kelly and Geraldine Kane. We're back at it again this Tuesday at the Abbey Centre with €2,900 to play for, including the €1,000 Snowball, €500 50/50 Jackpot and €330 Lucky Numbers game. Door open 7.45pm for eyes down 8.30pm. As always spread the word and bring a friend, books only €10 for a great night out!

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20 May

Football
BALLYSHANNON POWER PAST GLEN
Aodh Ruadh continued their undefeated start to 2025 with a convincing win over Naomh Columba on a sun-splashed Saturday evening in Father Tierney Park. The Ernesiders looked a limber and dangerous outfit here, although Glen didn't help their cause with some errant shooting at times.
Naomh Columba did go into an early lead, but Ballyshannon got in front in the sixth minute and from there to the finish they dominated this fixture.
Four minutes in Kevin McNern rode the challenges to get the opening score of the game, but Aodh Ruadh went straight up the pitch and Jack Gallagher made no mistake to level it.
Two minutes later Diarmaid McInerney sent over a free to give Ballyshannon the lead for the first time.
They extended that in the eighth minute when brothers McGrath constructed the game's first goal, Eamonn with the defence splitting pass and Shane with the vicious shot to the net. Not long after Senan Rooney popped over after another smooth move from the Ernesiders.
Naomh Columba came back with a bang though, Shane Callaghan being clumsily upended for a penalty which Alex Cunnea dispatched with a minimum of fuss.
The visitors didn't get much time to celebrate though with Ballyshannon racing up the pitch and getting the ball to Jack Gallagher who showed his intelligence to find Shane McGrath with a reverse pass which he flicked to the open net.
Diarmaid McInerney then tagged on two point free with the assistance of the following breeze.
And Naomh Columba's cause took another blow just before the water break when Cian Rooney stabbed the ball to the net after a spill by Padraig Byrne.
Alex Cunnea got the first score following the resumption with the aid of upright to make it 3-5 to 1-2. Five minutes later keeper Padraig Byrne came up to power over a 30 metre free to cut the deficit further.
Four minutes from the interval came one of the scores of the game, Shane McGrath turning over Glen on the way out and running the ball through the defence in a mesmerising passing move before banging over a sumptuous point. That was followed shortly after by a majestic two pointer from play by Diarmaid McInerney.
That proved to be the last scoring action of the half as the homesters headed to the dressing room the happier on a scoreline of Aodh Ruadh 3-8 Naomh Columba 1-3.
It took five minutes of the second half for the first score to arrive, when it did it was from an unexpected source, Darragh Flood Dolan taking advantage of Greg McGroary's raised arm to chance a free shot which he caught sweetly to raise the white flag. Over the next few minutes Jack Gallagher (2) and Cian Rooney found the mark before Naomh Columba raided for their second goal of the game, a great pass from Paul O'Hare to Ronan Gillespie being finished to the net by Gillespie despite the best efforts of the home defence.
In the 43rd minute Jack Gallagher, Kevin McNern and David Dolan exchanged scores to make it 3-14 to 2-4 as Greg McGroary called for the water break.
An Alex Cunnea free was the first score following the hydration halt, following that up with one from play a minute later.
Five minutes from time Jack Gallagher broke the run of Cunnea scores, but a towering two pointer from Ryan McNern repaid that with interest. That was followed by another Glen two pointer, this time from Kevin McNern from a dead ball to leave eight points between them with two minutes remaining.
A tap and go point from Alex Cunnea cut the margin further, but Aodh Ruadh young guns Eoin Cassidy and Eoghan Kelly combined for Kelly to send over an answering point.
Final say in the game went to Diarmaid McInerney with 20 metre free as the hosts put the seal on a ten point win.
A fully merited win by an Aodh Ruadh side playing fluent, direct football. The pace of Darragh Flood Dolan and Eoghan Kelly was a big threat, while in the attack Shane McGrath was in electric form, taking and creating scores with brio. After a quiet first half Jack Gallagher cut loose in the second giving the Glen rearguard a torrid time. We have a gallery of shots from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Peter Boyle; Callum O'Halloran, Conor Patton, Kyle Murray; Darragh Flood Dolan (0-1), Eddie Lynch, Eoghan Kelly (0-1); Eamonn McGrath, Matt Gillespie; Senan Rooney (0-1), Shane McGrath (2-2, 1f), Diarmaid McInerney (0-6, 1-tpf, 1tp, 2f); Cian Rooney (1-1), Cian Dolan, Jack Gallagher (0-5). Subs: David Dolan (0-1) for Senan Rooney (inj) 36 minutes; Shane Delahunty for Callum O'Halloran 46 minutes; Eoin Cassidy for Eamonn 49 minutes; Damian Weber for Cian Rooney 60 minutes.

RESERVES BACK ON THE GOAL TRAIL
Aodh Ruadh ran out 5-17 to 2-5 winners in Saturday's opener at Father Tierney Park, and it would be hard to argue that they weren't full value for that victory. With huge energy levels and no small amount of skill they just had too much power for a plucky Glen side.
Donagh McIntyre opened the scoring in the fourth minute, with Cathal Kelly quickly following that up with a shot dropping just over the bar.
Tiernan Flood Dolan then sauntered through the Naomh Columba defence and fisted over in the seventh minute as Ballyshannon started to unfurl their sails.
Ten minutes in Aodh Ruadh were four up when good work from Gary Carty set up Harry Howarth open his account.
Two minutes later a beautiful ball from Aaron Cullen to Donagh Mcintyre cut open the defence and McIntyre placed the ball to the keeper's left for the first goal of the game.
With 14 minutes on the clock Naomh Columba registered their first score, and that was followed four minutes later by a rocket of a shot to bottom corner from Liam Boyle. Not much Karl O'Brien could do about that.
Cathal Kelly came back with an instant answering point, but Aodh Ruadh had to wait until close to half time before their next score. It was worth the wait though Cian McKenna finishing a silky move with a polished left foot shot which left the keeper rooted to the spot.
The Ernesiders reeled off further scores just before the break. Naomh Columba scrambled to close down a goal effort, but Aodh Ruadh recycled for Barry Campbell tp fist over. That was followed by Aaron Cullen converting before the half ended with Harry Howarth stroking over as Aodh Ruadh drew a curtain the first half action leading 2-8 to 1-1.
The second half proceedings started with a Gary Carty point flashing just over the crossbar, followed by a neat score from Harry Howarth. That was followed by the third goal of the game with Donagh McIntyre serving up Cathal Kelly with a gem of a pass and Kelly placing a classy shot past the keeper.
Then 36 minutes in Cathal Kelly refused to give up on a dropping ball in and Aaron Cullen was the beneficiary as he stretched his sides lead to fully five goals
Naomh Columba finally lifted the siege in the 40th minute with a point, but sub Jake Foley charged into the attack from the restart and fed Gary Carty for the full back to divide the uprights.
Naomh Columba were then gifted their second goal of the game moving into the final quarter as the Ballyshannon defence got their wires crossed under a dropping ball which was spilled into the net.
Once again the Ernesiders responded well though, Cathal Kelly popping over after the door had been shut on a drive at goal.
Naomh Columba pointed twice to make it 3-13 to 2-4 going into the final ten minutes, but Donagh McIntyre kept his side's score board ticking over with a point from the 20-metre line after he was obstructed following a clean catch on the kick out. That was followed by a rasper of a point from Cian McKenna and then a beautiful shot from Mardy McGarrigle.
Aodh Ruadh then tagged on another score, this one a little less lovely in its execution, but Gary Carty wasn't complaining as his flick found the back of the net. The full back was now on 1-2 for the game.
The next score was another goal, this one constructed by the subs, first Liam Doogan took the ball out of defence and then Shane Gillespie got on the end of it with a thumping shot to the net. That was the reserves 19th goal of the season so far.
Glen came back with a 60th minute point, but Shane Gillespie was clearly in a scoring mood and he hit an immediate response to give Ballyshannon a healthy victory and extend their victorious march through 2025 to seven games.
Aodh Ruadh had ten different scorers in this game, only one score from placed ball and controlled matters from the get go. Karl O'Brien was Mr Dependable between the posts, while Messrs Kerr, Carty and Gallagher formed an intimidating last line. Aaron Cullen enjoyed showing he could find the target with the best of them, while Donagh McIntyre was in fine form around midfield regularly orchestrating his side's best work. In the attack Cathal Kelly, Harry Howarth and Cian McKenna were full of movement and offered plenty of threat, while the subs also contributed heavily on their introduction. We have a gallery of shots from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Karl O'Brien; Oisin Kerr, Gary Carty (1-2), James Gallagher; Colm McGloin, Aaron Cullen (0-2), Oran Gillespie; Donagh McIntyre (1-2, 1f), Niall Murray; Garvey Meade, Barry Campbell (0-1), Tiernan Flood Dolan (0-1); Cian McKenna (1-1), Cathal Kelly (1-3), Harry Howarth (0-3).
Subs: Ciaran Slevin for Tiernan Dolan 38 minutes, Jake Foley for Aaron Cullen 38 minutes; Mardy McGarrigle (0-1) for Harry Howarth; Liam Doogan for Cian McKenna; Shane Gillespie (1-1) for Tiernan Flood Dolan.

This Sunday sees Aodh Ruadh back on the road with Milford's Moyle View Park the destination. Throw-in for the reserve game is at 1.30pm, followed by the seniors at 3pm.

UNDERAGE FOOTBALL UPDATES
The Donegal minors came up short in Cavan on Saturday, the homesters winning the Ulster semi-final on a scoreline of 1-17 to 0-15. Joe Gibbions accounted for a third of Barry Ward's side's return with five points, three from placed ball.

Aodh Ruadh went into Monday evening's under 16 Division 2 Southern Regional Board league decider very much second favourites, having sank to an 8-14 to 1-9 defeat against final opponents Saint Naul's in the league stages a few weeks ago. It never looked like that mauling would be repeated in Ballintra, but the Mountcharles lads were still in the driver's seat at half-time, leading by two points. Sticky Ward rallied his troops at half-time and the Ernesiders came out with the bit between their teeth and delivered their finest half of football this season to secure a memorable win.
Saint Naul's extended their lead to five points early in the second half, but Aodh Ruadh responded brilliantly with three well-taken goals. The first came from the boot of Anthony Duffy who made an inspirational contribution to this win. That was followed by further goals from Callum Dorrian and Darragh McCready, definitively turning the game in their side's favour. Meanwhile, Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher kept the score board ticking over with some composed free-taking throughout the match
The defence was solid throughout, but especially in the final quarter when they kept Saint Naul's to a solitary point, with strong efforts from Markko Branley, Cole Connelly, Dara Vaughan, and goalkeeper Alastair Cian, who finished the game with a clean sheet thanks to some outstanding saves.
On Greg McGroary's long whistle it finished Aodh Ruadh 3-11 Saint Naul's 0-13, confirming the Ballyshannon men as Southern Board Division 2 league champions. A great all-round team performance from the Ballyshannon lads. Well done to the players and coaches on a well-deserved victory.
The victorious Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Alastair Cian; Micheál McGrath, Markko Branley, Alex Kerrigan; Anthony Duffy (1-2), Cole Connolly, Dara Vaughan; Antoin Duffy, Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher (0-4, 3f); Manus Conlon (0-1), Darragh McCready (1-1), Ethan Kerrigan; Jack Hassett, Callum Dorrian (1-3), Eoghan McNulty. Subs: Aaron McLoone, Dylan Cullen, Iarla Hartin, John McHugh, Oisin McGrath.
Next up for the under 16s is an all county Division 2 quarter-final, opposition and fixture details to be confirmed.

Our under 14 teams began their Southern Regional Board campaigns last week with long away trips to Dungloe and Naomh Mhuire, Annagry.
Our Green squad were in Dungloe, where the playing conditions were beautiful, but very warm. The Ernesiders worked extremely hard, and went in at half-time with a slender one point lead. Ballyshannon then took control in the third quarter, with some great support play and score-taking, however a Dungloe goal just before the water break brought them back into contention. An Aodh Ruadh goal with 10 minutes remaining put them back in control of the match, and they ran out 1-10 to 1-5 winners.
The White Squad made the long trip to The Banks to play Naomh Muire on Wednesday. It was a beautiful evening for the drive maybe a sign of what was to come. With the Green squad playing Dungloe at the same time and a few injuries, numbers were tight but enough on the night
Robbie van Hooijdonk and Patrick McGurn were quickly into action at midfield. Possession was even enough, but Aodh Ruadh got off the scoring blocks first. Naomh Muire attacked from their kick out, but our full back line of Daire Doogan, Colin Doogan and Ethan Daly were up to the task and played brilliantly all game. Luka Connolly's kick outs were exceptional and a great platform for Aodh Ruadh attacks. Peter Mulligan, Dara Reynolds Magee and Rossa Gallagher bravely defended and attacked all evening in very hot conditions. Eoghan Doherty ran hard for his team mates as did Daryl Brennan and Conor Vaughan. The work rate stayed high all night. Inside Daniel Ward rattled the net and cross bar ably assisted by Christopher Doogan and Alex Hoey. Scores from midfield, half backs and half forwards helped the Ballyshannon lads build a decent lead going into the last 10 minutes but re-enforcements were arriving for Naomh Muire. Aodh Ruadh stayed on task right to the end though, and despite some determined work by the opposition, the final score board read Naomh Muire 2-8 Aodh Ruadh 6-10. Well done to the boys on an excellent performance in their first competitive outing of the year.
Next up for the under 14s, are home fixtures on Wednesday evening. The White squad will be facing Bundoran at 6.15pm with the Green squad taking on Four Masters after that at 7.30pm.

The under 12s make the long trip down to Carndonagh on Friday evening for their next round of fixtures. Throw-in at 7pm.

Our under 10s had a busy week playing two games. First up was the visit of our neighbours Bundoran to Father Tierney Park on Wednesday evening where the boys played two games. On Saturday morning, they made the long trek to Dungloe, again playing two games. Training continues on Tuesday evening at Coláiste Cholmcille from 7pm to 8pm. The boys are on the road again this week with the short trip down the N15 when they take on Four Masters with a 9.45am throw-in on Saturday morning.

Well done to our under 8 footballers who had a great afternoon of football in Dungloe on Saturday. Thanks to all the parents who travelled. This week we make the short journey to Realt na Mara for a big local derby!

Hurling
ADULT FIXTURE
Our senior hurlers return to Donegal Senior League action this Friday when they host Saint Eunan’s, throw in at 8pm in Father Tierney Park.

UNDERAGE HURING UPDATES
Our minor hurlers are due to host MacCumhaill's on Thursday night at 7pm.

Well done to our under 8 and under 10s who had a very enjoyable morning of games against MacCumhaill's on Sunday. On Thursday they also had a game against Saint Molaise Gaels, this was played at under 9 and under 12 levels to facilitate as much game time as possible. Thanks to Grange for the invite.

Plans are afoot for our 2025 Summer camp. Anyone who is not a part of one of our panels who would like some more information, is asked to please contact John Larkin on 086-1076883.

Ladies
ADULT FIXTURES
The rescheduled Division 3 tie against Malin takes place this Thursday in Inishowen at 7.45pm, and that will be followed on Sunday by another away trip, this time to MacCumhaill's for a 10.30am throw-in. The Division 1 ladies are also out this Sunday, away to Glenfin at 10.30am.

UNDERAGE LADIES UPDATES
The under 16s hosted MacCumhaill's in Father Tierney Park last Tuesday. In the first half Aodh Ruadh struggled to take advantage of the wind and were down at break 3-3 to 0-6. At the start of the second half, the homesters started to enjoy more possession and scored a few points from play. Scores were taken by Faye Gillespie (1-5), Rachael Gillespie (0-2), Zara Meade (0-1) and Jenna Britton (0-1). The girls fought hard to the end but it wasn't to be their evening, and the away side dominated the second half winning on a final scoreline of 7-14 to 2-9. Aodh Ruadh's cause wasn't helped by the loss of Ellen Monaghan who broke her arm and had to go to hospital. We wish Ellen all the best for a speedy recovery. We also wish Tara Gallagher well as she recovers from injury. Despite the result, the girls can be proud that they remain in the top three of Division 1. Their next game is at home in Father Tierney Park against Saint Eunan's next Tuesday at 7pm.

Our under 14 ladies campaign is due to start this Saturday away to Termon with both first team (2pm) and development team (3.30pm) in action. Best of luck to squad and management for the coming season.

Our under 12s had another great blitz against Realt na Mara last Monday in beautiful sunshine in Gaelic Park. There were great performances from everyone especially Lexi Gillespie bursting through the middle, Aoibheann McGarrigle scoring from all angles, Ella Downey and Addison Ward minding the nets. Next up is a blitz against MacCumhaill's on Monday evening in Father Tierney Park.

Under 8 training continues this week on Tuesday at 6pm at Coláiste Cholmcille.

Camogie
Well done to Emily Ryan who lined out for the Donegal under 14 camogie team on Saturday in a blitz played in Armagh.

Keyboxes
We have had another instance where keys have not been returned to the keybox at our grounds. We know that on occasion this can happen unintentionally. Coaches are asked to check and to return the keys immediately as other team coaches depend on this system and it is very disruptive if the keys are not returned. Please act on this immediately.

Táin Óg finals
Kevin Lynch's of Derry had a clear victory over Roscommon Gaels in the Div 1 Táin Óg under 16 hurling final in Father Tierney Park on Sunday. In the Division 2 final Carndonagh held out with an impressive display to overcome a good Ballyhaunis side in a closely contested game. A small group of club volunteers spent the day at our grounds to ensure everything went off smoothly and we thank them for their time and commitment. Ulster's Hurling Development Officer, Kevin Kelly, and Kevin Hinphey from the Ulster coaching team were in attendance on the day.

Busy schedule at the Park
We have competitive games every day this week at Father Tierney Park, including double headers. Over the coming weeks we are also accommodating school league games and school sports days. Advance notice of games and of changes is vital. Contact Tom Daly.

All-county Féile
On Monday, June 2nd, the boys Division 1 all-county football Féile competition takes place in Ballyshannon with games running simultaneously at Father Tierney Park and on the main playing field in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh. The games start at 10.30am, with seven clubs participating including Ardara, Four Masters, Dungloe, Glenswilly, Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin, Saint Eunans, and Cloich Cheann Fhaola. The day's action will conclude with the Féile Final.

Ballyshannon Bingo
Well done to Teresa Campbell on winning last week's Ballyshannon Bingo Jackpot. There was no winner of the €1,000 Summer Snowball with Margaret Barrett winning the €100 house, meaning next week's Snowballs rolls to 49 numbers! The other house winners were Marian McDermott, Margaret Meehan, Mary Kane, Margaret McClafferty, Bridget McDermott, Margaret Barrett (her second house!), Mary Kane and Francis Brennan shared game nine, whilst there was a four way share on game three.
The €50 lines were won by Teresa Hannon and Mark Newell. The other line winners were Majella Gettins, Francis Brennan, Gerard Cullen, Mary Reynolds, Conor Gallagher, Philomena McGoldrick, Paul Doherty, Mary McGonigle and Teresa Larkin. The €125 Stand-up game prize was won by Michelle Quinn, with the free books won by Teresa Campbell.
Bingo as usual this Tuesday night at the Abbey Centre with a fabulous €2,900 to play for including the €1,000 Snowball, €500 50/50 Jackpot and €330 Lucky Numbers game. Doors open 7.45pm for eyes down at 8.30pm. Book only €10, come along and spread the word!

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27 May

Football
SENIORS MAINTAIN UNDEFEATED RECORD
Aodh Ruadh made the trip to Moyle View Park on Sunday afternoon to take on Milford in the latest round of league fixtures. In a testing encounter the Ernesiders ability to find the net once again served them well. Darren Drummond bagged two in the first half as Ballyshannon enjoyed a 2-5 to 1-6 advantage at the interval. The homesters had the better of matters in the second half though and an Eoin Cassidy goal helped his side earn a share of the spoils as it finished 3-10 to 1-16. We have a gallery of shots from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.

RESERVES ROMP PAST MILFORD
The reserves continued their free-scoring charge through their league programme with another thumping victory on Saturday. They eased their way into the game over the course of the first 30 minutes, a Philip Patton penalty helping the Ernesiders to a 1-9 to 0-2 lead at half-time.
Ballyshannon went up through the gears in the second half, and with Shane Gillespie and Cathal Kelly raising green flags, they were full value for a winning scoreline of 3-14 to 0-3. That extends the reserves winning run to eight games, with Daniel Warnock's men on a score difference of plus 77, an average winning margin of 9.625 points. We have a great gallery of pictures from the game live now on aodhruadh.org.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Karl O’Brien; Oisin Kerr, Luke Carr, Shane McGloin; James Gallagher, Shane Gillespie (1-1), Oran Gillespie (0-1); Odhran McGarrigle (0-4), Michael McKenna; Garvey Meade (0-1), Philip Patton (1-3), Harry Howarth; Cian McKenna (0-2), Cathal Kelly (1-2), Caelan Drummond. Subs: Ciaran Slevin for Luke Carr (inj) 10 minutes, Jake Foley for Harry Howarth 35 minutes, Liam Doogan for Oisin Kerr 40 minutes, Ryan Daly for Cian McKenna 45 minutes, Aonghus Sweeney for Caelan Drummond 45 minutes.

Aodh Ruadh have a well-timed break this weekend for Rory G, but they are back in action the following week when they travel to take on Saint Naul's.

UNDERAGE FOOTBALL UPDATES
The under 16s followed up their Division 2 Southern Board league win last week, with an impressive victory over Glenfin in Father Tierney Park on Monday evening. The visitors gave Ballyshannon plenty to think about for long stretches, but in the end the Ernesiders skill and athleticism told.
The first half started with the sides feeling each other out until four minutes in when Callum Dorrian oned twoed before popping over the bar to open the scoring.
Aodh Ruadh then won the kick out and worked the ball to the right where Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher connected with a shot which dropped in over the keeper into the net for the game's first goal.
Glenfin opened their account with a point shortly after, but Callum Dorrian cancelled that out with interest, firing over three unanswered points.
Then in the 13th minute Manus Conlon made a great fetch and fed off to Jack Hassett who raced in on goal and made no mistake with a clinker of a shot across the face of goal into the net.
Four minutes later Glenfin were awarded a penalty, and despite Alastair Cian guessing correctly, he couldn't keep the powerful shot out.
Callum Dorrian and Manus Conlon hit answering points, but Glenfin were enjoying their best phase of the game now. They notched three points in the three minutes before a looping shot sneaked into the top corner, just three minutes from half-time to make it a two point game.
It was Callum Dorrian who brought the first half action to a close though, with a lovely individual effort, jinking his way through the opposition defence for 40 metres before stroking over, making it Aodh Ruadh 2-7 Glenfin 2-4 as the team's headed for the dressing rooms.
It was no surprise to see Dorrian opening the second half scoring a minute in, but Glenfin were continuing to own the ball for long spells. Aodh Ruadh's next score came from a break out on a turnover ball, with Jack Hassett sending over a super shot.
That seemed to lend steel to Ballyshannon and further points from Manus Conlon and Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher stretched their side out into a seven point lead.
Glenfin weren't done just yet though, and a 1-1 salvo as the third quarter came to a close kept the home support on edge.
Those nerves were settled somewhat though when Antoin Duffy carved his way through the Glenfin defence before crashing a shot in under the crossbar eight minutes from time. Then a clever free from Callum Dorrian found Jack Hassett and he sent over a well-struck shot. Further points from Dorrian, Manus Conlon and Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher eased Aodh Ruadh towards the final whistle and scoreline of 3-15 to 3-5.
A very impressive display by the Ballyshannon lads here, with Callum Dorrian just different class, with exquisite score-taking complementing intelligent link play. Once again Alastair Cian was good between the posts with Markko Branley generally commanding his area well. Cole Connolly had a strong game at centre back. Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher and Antoin Duffy generally had the better of things in the middle third, while up front Jack Hassett was on form, with Manus Conlon contributing well too.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Alastair Cian; Mícheál McGrath, Markko Branley, Alex Kerrigan; Anthony Duffy, Cole Connolly, Dara Vaughan; Antoin Duffy (1-0), Eoghan 'Blake' Gallagher (1-2); Manus Conlon (0-3), Darragh McCready, Ethan Kerrigan; Jack Hassett (1-2), Callum Dorrian (0-8, 2f), Oisín McGrath. Subs Aaron McLoone for Ethan Kerrigan HT, Iarla Hartin for Oisín McGrath 58 minutes; Senan Ward for 60 minutes.
The Ballyshannon lads now await their semi-final opposition. Keep an eye on the club's social media output for fixture details.

The under 10s travelled to Donegal Town on a very wet Saturday morning playing two games against the home team. The schedule for the coming week starts with training as usual on Tuesday at Coláiste Cholmcille from 7pm to 8pm. Then on Saturday the squad are scheduled for a home game against Ardara at 11am. This may be subject to change, so keep an eye on the team WhatsApp group for updates. Then on Bank Holiday Monday there will be an all-county blitz in Ardara with 24 teams competition. Aodh Ruadh will be bringing two teams, each getting four games. The action starts at 10am in Pearse Memorial Park and should be finishing around 2pm.

The under 8s had another very enjoyable run out in Bundoran at the weekend, in a big local derby. The boys played very well, and there were some great performances right across the team. Training continues on Friday at 7pm, but the boys have no game on Saturday.

Hurling
EUNAN'S PROVE TOO STRONG
It wasn't to be for Aodh Ruadh in the Division 2 final of the Donegal summer league which was played in Father Tierney Park last Friday.
Ballyshannon only had 14 to call on for this decider and Saint Eunan's took full advantage. By the half time break they were already well out of sight, leading by 0-2 to 2-16. Two Danny Breen frees were Aodh Ruadh's only scoring contribution to the first 30 minutes of action.
The second half followed a similar template to the first. Danny Breen landed a free and Ciaran Kilgannon got his side's only score from play, but up the other end of the pitch the scores were flowing freely as the Letterkenny men cantered to a 3-25 to 0-4 victory.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Ryan O’Brien, Kyle McCafferty, Caelan Drummond, Aaron Wymbs, Martin Larkin, Dara O'Mahoney, Ciaran Rami, Johnny Lin, Cian McDonald, Cian McKenna, Lennon Canny, Tommy Clyne, Danny Breen (0-3), Ciaran Kilgannon (0-1).
We have a big gallery of pictures from the final live on aodhruadh.org.

UNDERAGE HURING UPDATES
This Sunday we host the under 9s and under 12s of Saint Molaise Gaels. All details will be in the team WhatsApp groups.

Training continues on Sundays at 11.45am, with our under 12s having their mid-week slot on Tuesday at 5.45pm.

Plans are afoot for our 2025 Summer camp. Anyone who is not a part of one of our panels who would like some more information, is asked to please contact John Larkin on 086-1076883.

Ladies
BATTLING DEFEAT FOR SENIORS
The Division 3 ladies fixture against MacCumhaill's fell by the wayside with no official available to referee, a stark testament to how important referees are to our games. That left the full focus on the Division 1 ladies clash with Glenfin at Páirc Taobhoige.
There was a driving wind down the pitch and Aodh Ruadh had it behind them for the first half. It was the host who got off to a bright breezy start though, hitting the net with less than a minute played. The Shamettes weren't too disconcerted though and steadily worked their way into the game. Katie McGowan pressed up to open the scoring for her side, followed two minute later by a neat point from play by Cadhla Dolan. Dolan then pinged over a levelling free in the fifth minute.
Glenfin pulled away again though, registering 1-2 before Aodh Ruadh next raised a white flag, that from a 14th minute Cadhla Dolan free.
There were only three points scored over the course of the second quarter, Glenfin with two and another Cadhla Dolan free making it Glenfin 2-4 Aodh Ruadh 0-5 at the break.
Glenfin had the wind behind them for the second half hit four unanswered points over the course of the next 25 minutes. Ballyshannon were defending well though and not coughing up too many easy chances.
The next score was a big one, created by great work from Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien, who laid off to Cadhla Dolan and she hit a masterly strike past the keeper to make it game on with five minutes remaining.
Two minutes later Roisin McGloin was hauled down on her way through on goal and a penalty awarded. The resultant spot kick was saved, but Aodh Ruadh rallied well and once again Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien was on hand with the telling pass this time to Roisin McGloin, who wasn't going to be denied at the second time of asking and she sent an accurate shot to the net to put just a goal between them. 2-8 to 2-5.
Unfortunately Glenfin were able to hit back quickly with a goal of their own, but Ballyshannon continued to have the better of things in the final stages and the hosts were slightly flattered by the final scoreline of 3-8 to 2-5.
A good performance from the Ernesiders in testing conditions. Niamh Barrett was superb at full back with some great interceptions, while Roisin McGloin's goal capped a great display from her too. Katie McGowan's consistency and driving runs were a big asset for Aodh Ruadh, as was Ann-Lisa Rabbitte's ball winning. Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien is growing with every game since her return and she made a big contribution here. Meanwhile Cadhla Dolan was excellent, not just with her scoring contribution, but with her ball winning and support play.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Roisín Maguire; Roisín McGloin (1-0), Niamh Barrett, Megan Murphy; Fiona McGonigle, Rebecca McLaughlin, Katie McGowan (0-1); Anna-Lisa Rabbitte, Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien; Gillian Dufficy, Ciara Larkin, Aoibhínn McGarrigle; Cadhla Dolan (1-4, 3f), Elaine Dorrian, Terri Gallagher. Subs: Meadb McCloskey, Niamh Hoey, Cliodhna Kerr, Kate Cunningham.

RESERVES GO A LONG WAY FOR THE WIN
Last Thursday the Division 3 ladies started their week of action with a trip down to Malin. On a lovely evening for football both teams were able to play a fast paced, end-to-end brand of football. In the first half Aodh Ruadh had the better of it. Ciara Larkin opened the scoring two minutes in and that was followed two minutes later by a classy effort from Ciara Gillespie. Further points from Gillespie and Larkin were followed by a powerful shot from Niamh Hoey and an effort from Emer O'Brien after some patient attacking play. That left the Shamettes 0-6 to 0-0 up after the first quarter. The second quarter saw less scoring action with Malin picking up their first point of the game in the 16th minute. Ciara Gillespie and Niamh Hoey added to their tallies before an nasty injury to Síofra Hughes saw her exit the fray. Her replacement, Caitlyn Gallagher registered the last point of the half following some superb set up play by Fiona McGonigle. That left it 0-9 to 0-1 in favour of the visitor at half-time, but with Malin playing down the slope in the second half there was still plenty of work to do.
Aodh Ruadh got off to a great start in the second half with Caitlyn Gallagher chalking up the first score following the restart. However, Malin weren't long in making their reply, coming down the pitch and winning a penalty which they converted to leave six points between the sides. Aodh Ruadh didn't panic though and over the course of the half they continued link up well and pick off scores. One of those was from a well-taken penalty by Ciara Gillespie, with the Rebecca McLaughlin also raiding up to find the net. Come the final whistle Aodh Ruadh were the winner on a scoreline of 2-17 to 2-5, making the long journey home a bit easier on the tired limbs.
While Ballyshannon ran up a big score, with some lovely shooting in particular by Ciara Gillespie, Ciara Larkin and Niamh Hoey, this win was arguable built from the back, with Fiona McGonigle and Rebecca McLaughlin in particular turning over ball and powering in the attack with brisk alacrity. Further back Jessica O'Mahoney caught the eye in a last line which restricted their opponents to just nine scores over the course of the 60 minutes.
The Aodh Ruadh team was as follows: Roisín Maguire; Jessica O'Mahoney, Niamh Barrett, Cliodhna Kerr; Fiona McGonigle, Rebecca McLaughlin, Megan Murphy; Caoimhe Hughes O'Brien, Aoife Travers; Aoife Bromley, Ciara Larkin, Emer O'Brien; Niamh Hoey, Síofra Hughes, Ciara Gillespie. Subs Caitlyn Gallagher, Emer McDevitt, Meabh McCloskey.

This weekend our Division 1 ladies are the only adult team in action, taking on Saint Eunan's as they come to Father Tierney Park on Sunday morning for a 10.30am throw-in.

UNDERAGE LADIES UPDATES
The under 16 girls hosted their last game of the league last Tuesday, welcoming Saint Eunan's to Father Tierney Park. In the first half Aodh Ruadh put in a terrific performance with scores from Faye Gillespie (1-2), Emma O’Donnell (1-1), Rachael Gillespie (1-1) and Jenna Britton (0-1). At half-time it was the Ernesiders who dominated the score board, leading by 3-3 to 0-2.
After a few weeks of great weather, thundery rain descended on the Park for the second half of this game and Saint Eunan's made a come back scoring 1-8. That set up a nervy final few minutes, with the Ballyshannon defence working hard to keep the lead. They got great assistance from midfield and the half forwards to see the game out and secure the victory on a final scoreline of 3-5 to 1-10.
The girls are currently second in the Division 1 league table which secures Aodh Ruadh a place in the semi-final. Fixture details for the that last four clash will be published on the Aodh Ruadh CLG Facebook page when they are released.

On Saturday afternoon in Termon Aodh Ruadh fielded two under 14 teams at the same underage ladies age group for the first time. First up was the Division 2 team who had a slow start and found themselves well off the pace in the first half. Points from Halle McGowan, Jenna Britton and Kayla McDermott were all they had to show for their first half efforts, trailing 1-11 to 0-3 at the break. The girls came out with a much stronger resolve and greater intensity in the second half and showed the type of performance that will be needed in the rest of the campaign. Goals from Kayla McDermott and captain Leia Roper were supplemented by points from Ella Dorrian and Emily Gallagher, to ensure the girls had the better of the second half. The final score was a 2-14 to 2-5 defeat for the young Ernesiders.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Eabha Hegarty, Bethany McNamee, Amy McNeely, Muireann Gallagher (Bronagh Waugh 45 mins), Louise Browne, Nicole McGrath, Emer McGarrigle, Jenna Britton (0-1), Leia Roper (1-0), Emma O'Neill (Mia Duffy 37 mins), Tiah Kane, Halle McGowan (0-1), Emily Gallagher (0-1), Kayla McDermott (1-1), Ella Dorrian (0-1). Subs: Saoirse O'Donnell, Catherine Garvey, Holly O'Neill, Aoife McGee, Aisling Britton.
With squad numbers low on the day, and a panel of just 27 for the two games a number of girls had to dust themselves down and go again straight into action again with the Development team. In an extremely tight and exciting game the girls showed great energy and teamwork throughout. First half points from Emma O'Neill (0-2), Ella Dorrian, Lauren Kane and Catherine Garvey kept the Shamettes in touch, trailing 2-3 to 0-5 at the break. The girls set their sight on goals in the second half and Ella Dorrian, Aoife McGee and Emily Gallagher all raised green flags to go with an Aoife McGee point. The girls showed great spirit but unfortunately time ran out and their effort came up agonisingly short, losing out to Termon 3-7 to 3-6.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Emily Gallagher (1-0), Shiloh Killilea (Mia Duffy 30 mins), Saoirse O'Donnell, Bronagh Waugh, Sophia Hughes, Eabha Hegarty, Holly O'Neill, Aoibheann McGarrigle, Catherine Garvey (0-1), Emma O'Neill (0-2), Ella Dorrian (1-1), Lauren Kane (0-1), Aisling Britton, Aoife McGee (1-1) (Robyn McNamee 45 mins), Larissa Lawless.
It was a great team effort from both teams on the day, and special mention to the six girls who had to play the two games back to back.
Training continues on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5.45pm at Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh. Next up, the Development team play away to MacCumhaill's on Saturday at 10.30am, while the Division 2 team will entertain Ardara on the following Tuesday at 7.15pm.

Last Monday Father Tierney Park was the venue for a titanic tussle between the under 12 girls of Aodh Ruadh and MacCumhaill's. The visitors came down the N15 in big numbers making for a great evening of football. Overall 31 girls wore the white and green of Ballyshannon and they fought tooth and nail for every ball against a very physical Ballybofey outfit. The teams were very well matched in two 13-a-side games with nothing between them in the end. Immense performances were put in by all the Ballyshannon girls, especially Muireann Gallagher driving forward from midfield and Alba Gallagher who starred in goals as well as in a stint outfield too. The Ernesiders' defence was well marshalled by Maia Ferguson and Ciara Gallagher, with Aoife NcGuinness and Grace Coughlan tirelessly running dangerous attacking lines in the final third. The under 12s have break from the blitzes this week with training on Tuesday followed by a trip to take on Four Masters the week after.

Under 8 training continues this week on Tuesday at 6pm at Coláiste Cholmcille.

Aodh Ruadh Club 250 Draw
The second of our Aodh Ruadh Club 250 draws took place at last Thursday's monthly executive meeting. Our first prize winner of €1,000 was David McDonagh. The second prize winner of €300 was Pauric McGurn. Third prize winner of €200 was Liam, Fionn, Colm and Adam Doogan. The May special monthly prize of a €100 voucher for McCosker's Centra was won by Pat Gruddy. Big congratulations to all our draw winners and many thanks to everyone supporting this important fund-raiser for the club. If you missed the annual entry deadline, you can still be part of this massive prize draw over the course of the remaining 10 months. Enter now online at the Aodh Ruadh Klubfunder.com page where you can choose from a range of payment options.

Duck race
The Underage Ladies Football committee would like to thank everyone for getting behind our very successful duck race at McKenna's Brook last Saturday. To all who bought and sold ducks, to Roisín and Sylvester Maguire who organised the race on the day and all the helpers. The break in the good weather was very welcome for ducks and the first one home had Phil Dorrian's name on him. The second was Rachael Gillespie and third was Katie McGowan. Congrats to our winners, and thanks once again for everyone's support for this Bord na gCáiliní Óg fund-raiser, it is very much appreciated.

Massive €4,300 Ballyshannon Bingo prize pot this week
This week we have an extraordinary €4,300 prize fund on offer! Last weeks bingo was cut short when the lights went out across Ballyshannon! This week we start by playing for the remining prize money from last week, starting with the €500 50/50 Jackpot followed by one super €500 must win game. We also play a second stand up game, the first being the unplayed game from last week with €120 already in the pot. So, we have twelve bingo games and two stand up games on offer this week!
The winners from the games played last week were Ann Granaghan, David Percival, Teresa Campbell, Elizabeth McCarthy and Marie Gallagher with the houses, with Kathleen Fallon, Eileen Maguire, Marie Ward, Mary Teresa Travers and Mary Cox winning the line prizes.
This week we also have our cracking €1,000 Summer Snowball in play on 49 numbers, two Lucky Numbers games and a second €500 50/50 Jackpot. Players from last week can present their books from last week to get their sheets for the extra games. Players not present last week have the option to buy sheets for the extra games. We're in for a bumper night and big money out! Spread the word and bring someone along for a special bingo night!

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