Registration 2018

With the club registration deadline closing in we urge members to ensure they have their club membership paid. With only ten days left to the 31st March deadline we have only 160 members registered out of the roughly 550 members usually registered each year, so we have some distance to go yet. There is an open registration session this Thursday in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh from 7pm to 8.30pm. Membership can be paid at any time to Gerry Ferguson at Ferguson's Jewellers. Players can also download registration forms from aodhruadh.org and submit this along with the relevant fee directly to their manager. Further registration sessions will be organised over the coming weeks and it is especially important all players are signed up club members.

Saint Patrick's Day celebrations

The weather might have been a touch on the Arctic side on Saint Patrick's Day, but that didn't deter our young footballers and hurlers who came out in large numbers for the annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade last Saturday. Well done to all who endured the chilly conditions and did so with a smile. Thanks to all those who helped pull together a great display by the club. We have a big gallery of images from the festivities up on aodhruadh.org.

 

Additions to the aodhruadh.org

Thanks to the Donegal Democrat we have been able to add a few items to aodhruadh.org for posterity. These include the Democrat's obituaries for John Larkin Sr and Jackie McDermott. We have also been permitted to reproduce their marvellous coverage about the 1992 Ulster minor champions. We are still working on converting the Ulster final video to a YouTube friendly format, and will publish that on ShamTV in the near future.

Football

The seniors put in an impressive display as they took on Four Masters in a challenge on Saint Patrick's morning. A lot of players got game-time and on the evidence of this showing Division 1 football shouldn't be approached with many undue fears. We have pictures from the game up on aodhruadh.org. Aodh Ruadh open their Division 1 campaign with a double header on the Easter weekend. First up is the trip to Dunfanaghy to take on Saint Michael's on Good Friday, 30th March. The reserves lock horns at 4.30pm, followed by the seniors at 6pm. The first home game is on Easter Sunday, 1st April, with the reserves throwing in at Father Tierney Park at 1.30pm, followed by the seniors at 3pm. Needless to say, with this marking the return of Division 1 football to the town after an absence of a decade, we'd like to see a crowd present equal to the magnitude of the occasion.

 

The under 16s have had a tough start to the league campaign. They lost out to Ardara in their first match of the season on a scoreline of 1-2 to 3-16 down in Pearse Memorial Park last Tuesday. On Bank Holiday Monday their first home game against Dungloe was a more balanced affair, but the visitors still managed to claim a 6-5 to 5-17 victory. Kyle Murray was good in defence while Senan Rooney went well in midfield. Up front Harry Howard battled well while Shane Brady did a fair bit of damage in front of the posts. Aaron Neilan came on and helped bolster the Ballyshannon cause. Next up for the under 16s is a trip to Donegal Town on Sunday to take on Four Masters. Throw in for that game is down for noon.

 

Under 12 training continues on Friday from 7.15pm to 8.15pm.

 

Indoor underage training for boys continues this Friday. The under 10s are in the New Hall from 7.15pm to 8.15pm. Under 6 and under 8 training continues on Friday. The under 8s are in the New Hall from 6pm to 7pm. The under 6s are in the Mercy Hall from 6pm to 6.45pm. There is a charge of €3 per head, please note the new rate. Please bring your own water and wear runners as no other footwear allowed. Parents / Guardians are asked to please collect children promptly after their session is finished.

 

Ladies

The Ladies are hosting an open registration session this Thursday 22nd March in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh from 7pm to 8.30pm. Our aim is to complete registration of ladies players at this session and as a wee incentive everyone who registers on the night will be entered free into the prize raffle at the Duck Race. The session is open to all, but we specifically urge all ladies players to use this opportunity to take care of registration.

 

The under 16 girls will commence training in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh this Wednesday from 6pm to 7pm.

 

The under 12 girls began their season with a challenge game away to Ballintra on a wet and windy Wednesday night last. Every girl got a run out and even though daylight was against us all the girls were glad to get outdoors. Training continues this Wednesday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at the Holy Family school field. Remember boots and gum shields girls.

 

Under 6 girls training continues in Creevy School Hall this Friday and runs from 6pm to 7pm. There is a charge of €2  per child to cover the cost of the hall. Under 8 girls training continues on Tuesdays in the Mercy Hall and runs from 6pm to 7pm. There is a charge of €3  per child to cover the cost of the hall. Under 10 girls training continues on Tuesdays in the Mercy Hall and runs from the later time of 7.15pm to 8.15pm. There is a charge of €3  per child to cover the cost of the hall.

 

Well done to Eilish Gallagher and Sarah Jane Keon who were starters on the Donegal team which defeated Derry in Glenswilly on Sunday. Sarah Jane was among the goals as the hosts easily accounted of the Oak Leafers.

 

We are hosting the Donegal v Derry Ladies under 16 inter-county championship game in Father Tierney Park at 2pm this Sunday. If you are not going to Ballybofey, come up and support what is a quality and promising Donegal team at this level.

 

Hurling

The under 14 hurlers open their League campaign this Thursday at home to Setanta. Throw in at Father Tierney Park is 6pm. All support welcome to cheer on the lads.

 

Training continues as normal Sunday at 12 noon. Boys and girls from 5 years upwards are welcome, come along and learn the skills of our native game in a fun filled environment. Helmets and hurls are provided for training. For any information contact John Rooney on 086-2587793.

 

National Hurling League

Armagh play Derry in Father Tierney Park at 3pm this Saturday in a NHL Division 2B relegation play-off in what is expected to be a closely contested game. We need the usual key stewards at the Park for 1pm.

 

Scheduling of games and training

All team managers are asked to attend a meeting with Park / Development Committee Officers on Tuesday next, March 27th, at 8.30pm to deal with scheduling as we move into the busy months of April and May in terms of games, coaching and training.

 

Question time

The annual Table Quiz organised by the Park / Development Committee takes place in Owen Roe's on Holy Thursday night, March 29th at 9.15 pm. This is a way of showing your support for the continuing development programme at Aodh Ruadh's grounds. Please text a confirmation of your participating team as soon as possible to Tom Daly, David McLoone or Conal Gallagher. This is always a good social night for the club so we would like to see as many supporters as possible.

 

A date for your diary. Bord na nÓg will be staging a Sports Quiz on Saturday 14th April in the Bridgend Bar at 9.30pm. There will be a raffle on the night and a big turnout of support is needed to help continue the great investment in underage football in recent years.

 

Recycle fund-raiser

Aodh Ruadh Ladies are collecting any unwanted clothes, bags, belts, pairs of shoes and bed linen you might have. The aim is to collect as many 10kg bags as possible. To arrange a drop off or collection please make contact with Siobhán McGarrigle (086-6860178), Mairead Caldwell (083-1099434), Paul Gillespie (086-0430045) or Thomas O'Brien (086-6091852). Please spread the word as we'd like to see a big response to this much needed fund-raiser

 

Egg-citing news! The Duck Race is back!

The Aodh Ruadh ladies Duck Race returns to its traditional Easter slot this year and with that comes the return of the famous Easter Egg raffle giveaway. The Ducks go under starters orders at 2pm on the testing McKenna's Brook course on Easter Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd April. Members of the under 6, under 8, under 10 and under 12 teams should all have their cards by now with under 14 players receiving their cards over the next week. All players are asked to fill a card, except where there is more than one player in a household.

 

Easter Camp

Aodh Ruadh are running an Easter Camp from Monday 26th March to Wednesday 28th March. Each day runs from 10am to 2pm and welcomes children from junior infants to sixth class. It costs €30 per child, but family concessions are available. Contact Brian Roper on 087-6139065 for further information and bookings.

 

Last One Standing

The Healy Rae's weren't the only cute Kerry supporters this week as 29 people had Kerry as their pick in week six of Our Last One standing competition. Five of our entrants were left like Stephen Rochford after picking Mayo. Meanwhile, Johnny Heaney's last minute point in Pearse Stadium saw three more leave the competition. Following this weekend's games there are 40 left standing in our competition kindly sponsored by Liam Gallen of Mr G's.

 

Child Protection course

There will be a child protection course in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh on April 7th starting 2pm and running to 5pm. There are 20 places on the course with ten places available for Bord na nÓg coaches and ten for Ladies coaches. Contact Patricia Hill, David O'Donnell or Lisa McTernan to book your place.

 

Well done John

Well done to John Travers on his inauguration into the Ballyshannon Drama Society Hall of Fame on the opening night of the 66th Ballyshannon Drama Festival.

 

Abbey Centre Bingo

Last week's €400 bingo jackpot was won by Bridget Quinn of the Knather.  The stand up game prize of €130 was won by Paddy McDermott of Belleek. Anna Daly, Belleek checked out on 42 to bring home the spot prize teddy, Lucky. The winter snowball had no winner so rises to €500 on 47 numbers or less. Bingo as usual this Friday at the Abbey Centre at 9pm. Books cost just €10 with a €2,200 prize fund up for grabs.

 

Aodh Ruadh Lotto

There was no winner of last week's Aodh Ruadh Lotto jackpot of €7,100. The winning numbers drawn were 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 15. In the lucky dip €20 went to Mary E Patton, Lower Creevy; Mary Butler, Erne Dale Heights; Joe Davis, c/o Pat's Bar; Marie Gallagher, Erne Street; and Rory O' Neill, The Bridgend. Next draw is in the Bridgend Bar with a jackpot of €7,200 on Sunday at 8.30pm. Tickets are now available in the following outlets: Seán Óg's, O'Donnell's, Dicey Reilly's, The Limit, Pat's Bar, The Bridgend, Owen Roe's, Fin McCool's, The Lantern, McGinley's, Pearse O'Neill's, McCosker's Centra and Kernan's Spar and at the weekly bingo in the Abbey Centre. You have to be in it to win it!

 

The lotto team for McCosker's Centra on Saturday is: JUVENILE HURLERS.

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