Ladies
There’s only one show in town this week with a dramatic injury time free from Eimear McMahon helping Aodh Ruadh to the under 23 Gold championship title on Friday evening. It was very cold at the Centre of Excellence in Convoy, but conditions were clear and dry. Festive rust was going to be a factor for both sides, but it was Termon who were quickest to blow off the cobwebs. They laid siege to the Ballyshannon posts for the first 15 minutes and ran up a 2-1 tally, which could have been higher had the Burn Road girls accuracy been a bit better. Aodh Ruadh badly needed a score and it finally came in the shape of a goal from the boot of Cáit Gillespie. Nevertheless, Termon hit two answering points as the Shamettes continued to struggle to find their groove. Things finally started to click in the 18th minute when Eimear McMahon registered a free and Cáit Gillespie went on to add three point from play between the 20th and 26th minutes. The sides then swapped scores before the break, Eimear McMahon firing over for the Ernesiders, to leave it at Aodh Ruadh 1-5 Termon 2-4 as the sides turned around. Given how dominant Termon had been for much of the first half, the interval score flattered Aodh Ruadh somewhat.
The second half saw Ballyshannon coming out a team transformed. They catapulted themselves into the lead two minutes in when Emer McMahon linked in with Caoimhe Keon who laid the ball off for Síofra Hughes and she unleashed a rocket of a shot to the top left corner. Termon did quickly get back on level terms, but two more points from Cáit Gillespie had Aodh Ruadh’s noses in front going into the final quarter. Termon were far from out of this contest though and they retook the lead with three unanswered points. Gillespie squared matters up again in the 54th minute and from there to the final whistle it was anyone’s game. Two minutes into added time it looked like Gillespie had clinched it, but Termon came straight up the pitch and Jodie McFadden kicked a score of real quality to leave the game deadlocked once more. Gerard McHugh decided there was still time for a winner though, and it came when Cáit Gillespie was fouled on her way to the posts. In normal circumstances it would have been a difficult free, but when you have a shooter of Eimear McMahon’s calibre on board, the result was in little doubt. McMahon duly obliged with a marvellously struck free which dropped just over the bar to finally decide this helter skelter clash.
Aodh Ruadh took their time to get going, and a strong defensive performance against a formidable Termon outfit was key to the win, with Caitlin McGarrigle, Caoimhe Keon and Ciara Caldwell all delivering strong displays. In the middle third Síofra Hughes had an outstanding game, covering every blade of the Centre of Excellence and smashing home a brilliant goal. Anna-Lisa Rabbitte and Aoibhínn McGarrigle also made big contributions in this sector. Up front Cáit Gillespie had a phenomenal game, with Eimear McMahon coming up with big scores too.
The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Roisin Maguire; Ciara Caldwell, Caitlin McGarrigle, Grainne Maguire; Síofra Hughes (1-0), Caoimhe Keon, Aoibhínn McGarrigle; Orla Keon, Anna-Lisa Rabbitte; Mary Flora Scott, Cáit Gillespie (1-7), Emer O’Brien; Eimear McMahon (0-3, 2f), Brídín Maguire, Niamh Hoey. Subs: Dáirín Sweeney for Hoey (44), Niamh Hughes, Hannah McGuinness, Niamh McGloin.
Last One Standing
The Juvenile Hurling Committee are delighted to run our ever popular, annual fund raiser thanks to the continued support of Liam Gallen at Mr G’s. Test your football knowledge by picking a winning team for each of the seven rounds of the upcoming National League, the only catch is that you can only pick each team once! There’s a prize fund of €250 to be won by the player or players that manage to correctly predict the winning teams right through to the finals and of course, the smugness of being the Last One Standing! Entry costs €10 and cards can be collected from Owen Roe’s Bar or from any committee member and can be sent via WhatsApp or email – contact Orla Bannon on 086-8035316. Payment can be made in cash, via Revolut or Klubfunder.com. Get your entries in before Friday, 26th January and let the best one win!
Dinner dance
Mark it in your diaries! The social night of the year takes place on Saturday, 17th February, as Aodh Ruadh host their annual dinner dance! As usual the action takes place in Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel, and we are all looking forward to what should be a big night of craic and celebration. Thankfully the club had a successful 2023 on a number of fronts, so we have quite a bit of achievement to mark. Attendees will be greeted with a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival from 6pm, before proceedings formally get under way with the banquet at 7pm sharp. After the fine dining, Master of Ceremonies Sean Perry will take to the rostrum to introduce the presentation of awards. As well as our usual individual presentations we will be saluting our senior reserve championship winning footballers, as well as the under 23 championship winning ladies. We will also be honouring our 1998 senior and reserve championship winning sides, as well as the intermediate camogie champions as they mark their jubilees. With the gongs given out, the fabulous Keltic Kaos will take to the stage to entertain the crowd into the small hours. Tickets priced €40 are now available on klubfunder.com or by contacting Lisa McTernan on 086-2338636. Don’t delay, get yours today!
Club Calendar
The 2024 Aodh Ruadh Calendar is now on sale! The calendar can be purchased at Kernan’s Spar, A Novel Idea and Pearse O’Neill’s shop. Copies will also be available this Saturday at the lotto stand at McCosker’s Centra, as well as at Aodh Ruadh fund-raising events over Christmas.
Ballyshannon Bingo
Bingo returned to the Abbey Centre for the New Year last Tuesday, 2nd January. The jackpot was shared between Gerard Kane and Cecelia Keating. The €100 house winner was Rosemary Patton. The other house winners were Patsy Quinn, Antoinette McKinney, James Gettins, Aiden Duffy, Ellen Maguire, Catherine Sheehan and Tracy Rami, with a three-way split on game three. The line winners were Rosemary Tracey, Jean Brolly, Leanne Carty, Margaret McBarron (twice), Louise Tracey, Senan Ward, Sarah Coughlin (twice), Ann Gallagher and Marie Gallagher, with Antoinette also taking the €50 double line prize. Jude Rooney took home €120 on the Stand-Up Game. Caroline Rooney and Marie Gallagher were the free book winners. The €1,000 Winter Snowball is hanging by a thread as it escaped another week so will be played on 53 numbers this week. Bingo at the usual time of 8.30pm Tuesday at the Abbey Centre with a prize fund of €2,800 including €1,000 Snowball, €500 50/50 Jackpot and €300 Lucky Numbers Game. Doors open 7.45pm, with books priced just €10! Come along and spread the word!
Aodh Ruadh lotto
There was no winner of the Aodh Ruadh Lotto jackpot of €5,500. The winning numbers drawn were 2, 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16. In the lucky dip prizes of €20 were won by Tom Daly, Kevin Connolly, Mary Donagher, Lauren Sweeney and Helen McGuinness. The next draw is for a jackpot of €5,600 on Sunday in Owen Roe’s bar. Lotto tickets are available in Kernan’s Spar and Pearse O’Neill’s. You can play also play the lotto online. Log onto klubfunder.com and then search for and select Aodh Ruadh Ballyshannon. Users can now avail of the auto-renew option to play the same line every week until they decide to stop when they pay using Stripe. If you’re not in, you can’t win!
The lotto team for McCosker’s Centra on Saturday is: BORD NA NÓG.