Football  

Both scheduled adult football fixtures fell by the wayside last weekend. Now all eyes turn toward the intermediate championship final in O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny on Saturday at 4pm. Due to the limited availability of tickets for this game, they will be allocated on a random draw basis. Any member who wants to enter their name into the draw should please text Lisa McTernan on 086-2338636 by 5pm on Tuesday, 22nd September. Texts received after deadline will not be entered. It is a curiosity of club history that Aodh Ruadh have never won the Cathal McLaughlin trophy, and claiming it would write this group of players a unique page in the annals of Ballyshannon GAA. It certainly won't be easy. Aodh Ruadh and Cloich Cheann Faola have played three championship games in the past 12 months with the Gaeltacht side coming out on top twice and the first game ending in a draw. Nevertheless, Barry Ward and his squad are sure to have left no stone unturned ahead of Saturday's clash and we wish them all the very best in what is a huge game for the club.  

 

The under 16s made it two wins from two with a hard-fought victory over Saint Naul's in the Park last Wednesday. It was a low scoring first half with Aodh Ruadh only two points ahead thanks to some good scores by Damian Weber and Darragh Owens. Saint Naul's had a gilt-edged chance to take the lead early in the second half, but Aaron Cullen pulled off a penalty save which was right out of the top drawer. Saint Naul's did chip back a point, but a score from Aaron Neilan and a Weber free ensured the hosts sustained their narrow lead. Slowly the Ernesiders began to find a bit more rhythm and a brilliant Robbie Murphy free put a goal between the sides. Damian Weber converted two further frees before Aaron Neilan hoisted over a lovely point to put two goals between the sides. The coup de grace arrived in the closing stages, a superb ball in from Ryan Keenaghan found Aaron Neilan and he slammed past the Naul's net minder to leave it 1-11 to 0-5 at the final whistle. As the scoreline probably indicates, this was a game where the Ballyshannon defence arguably won the game. Well marshalled by Ryan Keenaghan they kept Saint Naul's scoreless for practically the entire second half. All the same, the lads will know they have plenty more in the tank and will be hoping for a more fluent performance on Saturday morning when they entertain Naomh Bríd / Pettigo for an 11am throw-in.   

 

On a glorious Saturday morning in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh our under 11s played Erne Gaels while our under 12s took on Four Masters. Both matches were very tight contests. We finished both games very strongly in the last 20 minutes to leave nothing between the teams. Thanks to Chris Kelly and Barry Travers who took care of the refereeing duties. We have a great gallery of pictures from both games up on aodhruadh.org. Training continues on Tuesday at 7pm ahead of the lads next outing, which is against Naomh Bríd in Ballintra this Saturday at 11am.

 

The under 10s travelled to Donegal town last Friday evening for two exciting battles with our neighbours Four Masters. The A team put in one of their best performances of the season against very strong opposition. The B team also had a terrific duel and showed great progress especially the younger members of the team. The squad hosted Melvin Gaels in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh on Saturday morning, again two very competitive games on display. We have a great selection of pictures from the blitz on Saturday up at aodhruadh.org. Training continues on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5.45pm.  

 

Our under 8s played Four Masters at home on Saturday. We had five teams out at a very busy Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh, with a great effort by all, and some great football played. Thanks to Damian Conlan, Stephen Ward, Aaron Brennan, Brian Gillespie and Philip O'Reilly for reffing. The under 8s train this Friday as normal from 6.15pm to 7.15pm. The squad play Four Masters again this Saturday, in Donegal town. Players are to meet down at Tir Chonaill Park for 12.30pm.  

 

Ladies  

Colman Kerr came through with the goods and organised glorious weather last Saturday for the tournament run in his memory. This year the competition drew together the club's under 16, minor and senior ladies teams. Four teams were drawn and a round robin competition was played before Shield and Cup finals brought the day to a close. Anna Rafferty's team got off to an impressive start and carried that form through the group stages, going undefeated in all three games. They defeated Amanda Mahon's team in that opening match, but Amanda's side won their second round game ensure that their meeting with Sara Gallagher's side in the last round of games would decide who would progress to the cup final. After a high-scoring and entertaining clash it was Mahon's girls who were looking to break Rafferty's winning run. In the Shield Final Hannah Doherty's side put a winless run through the group stages behind them to reach the break leading. Sara Gallagher's charges upped the ante in the second half though to emerge as Colman Kerr Shield champions. In the final Anna Rafferty's team saw off a gallant challenge from Amanda Mahon's girls to be crowned the overall Colman Kerr tournament champions. Deirdre Kerr and Oisin Kerr were present to oversee the presentations and Deirdre pointed out that Colman had been managing the club's under 16 girls in the year of his untimely passing. Sara Gallagher collected the Shield from Clare Flood, an old managerial colleague of Colman's while Anna Rafferty picked up the beautiful Colman Kerr trophy, a real work of art. Colman's old employers at the ESB very kindly sponsored medals for the competition and the club express their gratitude for this lovely gesture. Thanks to the ageless John McGlanaghey and Sylvester Maguire for reffing on the day, thanks also to Patricia Hill for her organisation of matters pitchside, and to Donagh Keon for sorting out a timely delivery of ice cream and ice pops. With Deirdre Kerr also laying on a wonderful spread of post-match refreshments and bakes the players were all royally catered for after a wonderful day of football which did great credit to the memory of a dedicated club man.    

 

After a sluggish start in Gaelic Park, Aodh Ruadh under 16s got their season off to a winning beginning against Bundoran on Sunday morning. The hosts played their best football in the opening half and showed that they have the ability to trouble plenty of other teams in this section. Bundoran got the opening and closing scores of the first quarter and it took Evelyn Rose Gallagher to set up Chantelle Timoney for a goal to send the visitors into the first water break with the lead. The Seasiders continued to give as good as they got in the second quarter and had pulled themselves back within a point of Ballyshannon when Aoibhinn McGarrigle teed up Ciara Gillespie to slip home the visitor's second goal of the game. Cara O'Loughlin found the net a minute later and after that Aodh Ruadh played with something approaching their usual verve. They pulled away in a withering third quarter of football where Katie O'Brien was on fire with a sustained volley of clever scores. In the final quarter Aodh Ruadh continued to play well, with a number of the younger players making the step up from under 14 catching the eye. The Shamettes had 11 scorers in all with Caoimhe Hughes-O'Brien, Niamh Hughes, Dairín Sweeny, Niamh McGloin, Hannah McGuinness and Annie Keon all getting in on the scoring act. Further back captain Ciara Caldwell got good assistance from Lauren McHugh and Fódhla Sheerin on her introduction. Next up for the under 16s will be an away clash with Saint Naul's on Wednesday, 30th September. 

 

Under 13 training continues this week on Thursday. Further details will be circulated via the team WhatsApp group. 

 

Good luck to our under 12s who will be facing Killybegs in the under 12 Shield semi-finals in Ballyshannon this Saturday at 11am. Training continues this Tuesday at 7pm. 

 

Hurling 

It was a much improved display from their championship opener against Carndonagh, but in the end it wasn't enough to claim the Aodh Ruadh senior hurlers a place in the junior county final. It was a real championship match with some hard hits and very little between the teams. It was the motivated Ernesiders edged who matters in the first half. Some clinicial score taking from Oisin Rooney had them three points clear at one point, only for the Inishowen men to rally and send the sides in with the half-time scores reading Aodh Ruadh 0-7 Carndonagh 0-8. Carn got the perfect start to the second half when John O'Donnell hit the net, but now it was Ballyshannon's turn to show their grit, and points from  Stephen Connolly and Oisin Rooney levelled matters up once again at 1-8 to 0-11. That was as good as it was to get for Aodh Ruadh though, as Carndonagh hit six unanswered points over the closing 13 minutes to run out 1-14 to 0-11 winners. The Aodh Ruadh team and scorers were as follows: Ryan O Brien; Peter Horan, Jack Matthews, Adam Rami; Conor McNeely, Paul Sheridan, Stephen Connolly (0-1); Brendan Gillespie (0-1), Eugene Drummond; Gareth Sheerin (0-1), Oisin Rooney (0-7, 3f), Ciaran Kilgannon (0-1); Micky Bowering, Martin Larkin, Rory Cullen. Subs: Ciaran Rami for Adam Rami HT; Stephen Anderson for Rory Cullen 40 minutes; Adam Rami for Paul Sheridan 45 minutes. 

 

Good luck to the under 16s who take on Saint Eunan's in the county A semi-final in O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny on Thursday.
 

It hasn't been a good year for the club when it comes to bringing home silverware, but our under 14s set that record straight in spectacular fashion as they romped to the under 14 A County Hurling title with a 2-7 to 1-2 victory over MacCumhaill's. Not only is it Aodh Ruadh's first county title this year, it is the first time the club has won a county title at this grade since 2010. Played in Indian Summer conditions in Donegal town Aodh Ruadh were clearly up for this encounter having been beaten by the Ballybofey lads by two points earlier in the season. The defence was in unforgiving mood and contained MacCumhaill's to just three scores over the course of the game. At half-time though it was still anyone's game with Aodh Ruadh holding the slim advantage on a scoreline of 1-4 to 1-1. It was the Ballyshannon lads who went up through the gears in the second-half though, Corey Sheridan in particular putting on a scoring exhibition as Aodh Ruadh ran out victors on an eight point margin at Marc Brown's long whistle. Fittingly it was our own Denis Daly, on behalf of the hurling board, who made the presentation to captain Tommy Clyne after first extending commiserations to a gallant MacCumhaill's side. Congratulations to Paul Sheridan, his mentors and squad who delivered this much-needed boost for the club. Hopefully it will help inspire our senior footballers this weekend as they also bid to overturn an early season defeat. We have reproduced Michael Daly's magnificent report on the triumph on aodhruadh.org, where you will also find an equally fabulous gallery of pictures from a victory which will live long in the memory.
 

Bingo is back!  

Not to be beaten by the coronavirus, the club held its very first drive in bingo last Friday night at the Market Yard. Novel to most in attendance, the evening was a great success and the weather couldn’t have been kinder. The €250 jackpot was shared three ways. It is planned to hold the drive in bingo for the next number of weeks, so we will go again this Friday night at the Market Yard, Ballyshannon. Please note we will have an earlier start time of 7pm, so books will be sold from 6pm onwards. Look forward to seeing you there! 

 

Coaching position  

The club’s Park / Development Committee has recently received approval to continue the Community Employment Scheme (CES) which it will run for a further three years up to the Autumn of 2023. The Aodh Ruadh managed scheme is a major one with over 30 participants assigned to a variety of voluntary organisations in south Donegal. The Development Committee have again received approval to appoint a Gaelic Games  coach to work in the club area. This position is open to men and women who meet the CES criteria. Applicants from outside the Aodh Ruadh club area are equally entitled to apply. For further information or to express an interest in the position please contact Tom Daly by email at [email protected]. Full training towards accredited GAA coaching qualifications will be provided and funded. Several past holders of this position have gone on to gain full time employment in a variety of spheres. 

 

Tournaments  

With the Colman Kerr and Joe Roper tournaments successfully completed and the Willie Rogers tournament planned for next month, we want to finalise all tournament bookings by this weekend. Please contact Tom Daly on this so that the schedule going forward makes provision for all club units. We would expect that all tournament activity will be completed by the second half of October.

 

Condolences  

The club extends its condolences to the family of Anthony Browne following his tragic and untimely passing. Our thoughts are with Majella, Neil, Catherine, Hugh and all their family circle and friends at this sad time. We also extend our sympathies to our senior goalkeeper Ryan O'Brien and his family on the passing of his grandmother Mary O'Brien, Falcarragh. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

 

Aodh Ruadh lotto     

There was no winner of last week's Aodh Ruadh Lotto jackpot of €4,000. The winning numbers drawn were 5, 7, 13, 14, 15 and 16. In the lucky dip €25 went to Kieran Mulligan and Dympna Cronin. The next draw is for a jackpot of €4,100 on Sunday at 9pm. 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. You have to be in it to win it!         

          

The lotto team for McCosker’s Centra on Saturday is: SENIOR FOOTBALLERS.         

          

You can receive the club notes by e-mail every Tuesday morning. To subscribe, enter your details on the website, www.aodhruadh.org, or e-mail your request to [email protected]

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