Donegal GFC Boston celebrates its 21st anniversary this year, and hoping it will prove just as successful as 2008 is the club's chairman Paddy McDevitt. Donegal GFC Boston comes of age this year when it celebrates its 21st anniversary. The club has come a long way since a group of ex-pats came together in 1988 to form what has become one of the leading lights on the Boston GAA scene. Last year was one of the club's most successful years to date as they captured the Boston junior football championship and finished runners-up to Aidan McAnespies in the senior championship decider. "Things went well for us last year and the fact that we are celebrating our 21st anniversary gives us an added incentive to win both the senior and junior championships this year," says Donegal Boston chairman Paddy McDevitt, who is a founder member of the club. "The North American Board is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with the finals weekend taking place in Boston on the first weekend in September, and that is something else we will be targeting. But for the moment, we're just concentrating on the defence of our Pat O'Brien Cup and if we could win that again, it would set us up nicely for the rest of the year," the Fintown native adds. After a disappointing 2007, Donegal bounced back in impressive fashion last year to come within a whisker of landing the two biggest prizes in Boston GAA. Under the management of John Cunningham and Ricky Rush, the seniors started the season well by claiming the Pat O'Brien Cup following a hugely impressive victory over Wolfe Tones. In the championship, they played eight group matches before going on to defeat Wolfe Tones in the semi-final. But they came up short in the final when losing to old rivals Aidan McAnespies by 1-7 to 4-6. Donegal could have few complaints about the outcome after being outplayed by a McAnespies team who captured their fourth championship on the trot. An early Conor McGourty goal gave the victors a dream start, and Steven McGettigan and Colm McCrory added points before Dualtach Molloy finally opened Donegal's account in the 10th minute. But five wides did nothing for Donegal's confidence and they were dealt a further blow when Christy Lynch converted a penalty to give McAnespies a 2-3 to 0-2 lead at the break. Donegal's task was made all the more difficult when Lynch slotted home a second penalty just three minutes into the second half to put 10 points between the sides. Points from substitutes Michael McGinty and Ronan Diver gave John Cunningham's charges hope, but a David Donegan goal 10 minutes from the end ensured a comfortable victory for the holders. Donegal atoned for that disappointment by getting the better of McAnespies by 1-9 to 0-10 in the junior final to claim their first title since 2005, while preventing their South Boston opponents from taking three-in-a-row. Managed by Felix Granaghan, Eamon Kelly and Darren Duffy, Donegal had survived a tough semi-final encounter with Cork before producing their best display of the year in the decider. Forwards Paul Boyce and Aiden O'Hagan were in top form as Donegal led from the start, although their hearts skipped a collective beat when Gary Hennessy's shot for McAnespies in injury-time flew over rather than under the crossbar. Having suffered a 13-point loss to McAnespies in an earlier round, Donegal were given little or no chance of turning the tables, but they set out their stall by racing into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after 15 minutes. The margin was still three points, 0-6 to 0-3, at half-time, but two quick scores after the restart for McAnespies reduced the deficit to the minimum. All the pressure was now on Donegal, but they responded impressively when a Paul Boyce free was followed by a goal by former Tyrone minor O'Hagen from the penalty spot. Leading by five points, Donegal looked home and hosed, but the reigning champions finished refused to wilt and the green and golds were left hanging on for a two-point win. Donegal subsequently lost to eventual winners Ulster of San Francisco in the North American semi-final, but could still reflect on a successful season. Last year's junior triumph means Donegal have now won the Boston senior, intermediate and junior championships twice. They also won the North American intermediate championship in 1995. Last year's Donegal Boston senior team included three players who have since returned home to Ireland to play with Donegal, namely Ciaran Bonner, Eoin Wade and Ronan McNeillis. Among the well-known inter-county stars from past and present who have represented the club are Kevin Cassidy, Jim McGuinness, Rory Kavanagh, John Gildea, Declan Bonner, Donnie McCole, Johnny McCafferty, Adrian Sweeney, Padraig Gallagher, James Ruane, Kevin McMenamin, Martin Caulfield, Ryan Bradley and Ollie Reid (all Donegal), Martin Penrose and John Lynch (Tyrone), Dessie Dolan, Denis and David Glennon (Westmeath), Raymond Gallagher, Niall Cox, Dermot Feely and Cormac McAdams (Fermanagh). Colm Parkinson and Cahir Healy (Laois), Glen Burke (Tipperary), John Finucane (Antrim), Paul Noone (Roscommon) and Jamie Carr (Louth). Currently training two nights a week on Malibu Beach, Dorchester under senior manager John Cunningham (Glencolmcille) and junior boss Felix Granaghan (Bundoran), Donegal Boston have high hopes of celebrating their 21st anniversary in style. "Our aim for the year is to win both the senior and junior championships," their chairman explains. "We have 40 members, a very dedicated 12-man committee and also have players from Ireland lined up to come out and play for us this summer. We'd love to go on to play in the North American championship and we'll also be playing a game to mark the 20th anniversary of former member Padraig Gallagher's death. Padraig was a brother of Donegal's 1992 All-Ireland winning full back, Matt Gallagher, whose record number of appearances for the county was recently surpassed by Brian Roper." Despite the predicament facing the undocumented Irish in the US, Paddy believes the GAA in Boston is as strong as it has been for some time. "Our situation has been helped by the rise in emigration from Ireland, but unfortunately many of those coming over are illegal and that creates its own problems," he says. "However, several Irish groups are lobbying both the US and Irish governments on the visas issue, and hopefully their efforts will pay off. "The GAA in Boston is strong at every level from under 8 upwards. We are the second biggest division outside New York with nine senior football clubs, seven junior football clubs, four junior 'B', five senior hurling, four junior hurling, four ladies football and one camogie club." Donegal Boston's founding members were: Jackie Rush (Castlefin), Eamonn McGinley (St. Michael's), Patrick O'Malley-Daly (Ballyshannon), Ricky Rush (Castlefin), Manus McFadden (Glenswilly), Francie Heutson (Glenties), Anness McClafferty (Downings) and Paddy McDevitt (Fintown). Paddy regards John McCafferty's late winning goal from a 21-yard free in the 2002 Boston senior championship final as the finest moment in the club's history. The team was managed that year by Bundoran's Billy Gavigan and Dermot Ward from Glenfin. He also expresses his appreciation to Kevin Doherty Plant Hire, Sean Farrell Excavating and Centre Bar, Dorchester for their sponsorship of the club this year. Looking forward to Boston's hosting of the North American championships in September, Paddy concludes by saying: "It promises to be a great weekend with teams from all the divisions, except New York, taking part. There will be teams from Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago and Florida to name but a few taking part, and everyone in Boston is really looking forward to it." Donegal Boston's 2008 senior squad was: Niall O'Connell (Kildare), Peter Witherow (St. Michael's), Thomas Maguire (Ardara), Noel Hegarty (Kilcar), Keith Cunningham (do), Eoin Wade (Glenties), Ronan McNeillis (Gweedore), Donal McNulty (Fermanagh), Dualtach Molloy (St. Eunan's), Eamon Murphy (Kildare), Kevin Curran (Robert Emmets), Gareth Concarr (Ardara), Declan Murphy (Tyrone), Ciaran Bonner (Glenswilly), Michael McGinty (MacCumhaills), Paul Roper (Aodh Ruadh), Sean Lee (Cavan), Ronan Diver (Gweedore). The successful junior squad was: Emmet McLaughlin (Moville), Damian Harkin (Urris), Rory Grant (Burt), Kieran McGee (Robert Emmets), Darryl McNulty (Fermanagh), Felix Granaghan (Bundornan), Simon McDonagh (Antrim), Jonathan Byrne (Malin), Paul Friel, captain (Urris), Adrian O'Hagen (Tyrone), Paul Boyce (Carrigart), Michael Corr (Tyrone), Shane Kelly (Urris), Ricky Rush (Robert Emmets), Paddy O'Connor (Tipperary), Danny Friel (Urris), Eamon Kelly (Buncrana), John Deery (Malin), Brian Boyce (Carrgart), Colm O'Sullivan (Kerry), Gareth Ruddy (Carndonagh), Mark Canny (do). Tweet

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