Senior
Despite a good first half performance the senior hurlers had to give second best to Nenagh Éire Óg in the second round of the championship. Next on the agenda is the clash with North champions Portroe on Monday May 6th in Nenagh at 2.30pm.
Féile
Congratulations to the U14 hurlers who had a hard earned victory against a very useful Borrisokane side in the North Féile final in Puckane on a 2-7 to 0-2 scoreline. Captain Craig Morgan won the toss and elected to play with the stiff breeze. With Jerome Cahill and Nathan Ryan very impressive on the half-backline, a plentiful supply of ball was directed towards the Borrisokane goal. However, the MacDonaghs attack found it difficult to breach the opposition rearguard. Craig Morgan opened the scoring with a pointed free. The switch of Craig to full-forward proved to be crucial in chiselling out scores. Devlin Courtney cut in from the right to raise a white flag. Craig Morgan added two more points from placed balls. Luke Dervan hit a peach of a point from the left wing after an astute pass from Ben Healy. A solid Kilruane defence limited Borrisokane to a solitary point to leave the interval score 0-5 to 0-1 in favour of MacDonaghs. Considering the strength of the wind, this lead looked far from healthy.
Against the elements MacDonaghs carried the game to Borrisokane. Ben Healy, who was coming more into the game, hit a point. A Craig Morgan shot was deflected to the net and the champions were firmly in the driving seat. Ben Healy tacked on a point to leave nine between the sides. Borrisokane centre-back Stephen Gavin surged up the field and keeper Mark O’Neill tipped a pile driver over the bar. A second goal from Kian O’Kelly put the issue beyond doubt. After the game Stephen Kenny, vice-chairman of the North Board presented the Maher Cup to captain Craig Morgan. This win completed a three in a row of Féile titles and was the sixth occasion for the club to claim the Maher Cup since it was first presented in 2001. MacDonaghs also won the title in 2001, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 20012. The MacDonaghs club has now won 195 titles: 144 North, 48 county, one Munster and two All-Ireland crowns (the Seven-a-Side in 1984 and the club title in 1986). The county semi-final against the West winners takes place in Littleton on this Saturday at 1.45pm.
Team: Mark O’Neill, Cian Spillane, Oisín O’Meara, Eoghan Mulcahy, Jack Dwan, Jerome Cahill, Nathan Ryan, Tommy Dooley, Jake O’Kelly, Sean McAdams, Craig Morgan (1-3) , Kian O’Kelly (1-0), Devlin Courtney (0-1), Ben Healy (0-1) and Luke Dervan (0-1). Sub: Jack Dunne.
Selectors: Sean Ward, Thomas Williams, John Cahill and Gilbert Williams
Borrisokane: Oisín Larkin, Eddie Dwyer, Michael Heenan, Eamon Hough, Michael Kelly, Stephen Gavin, Roan Murphy, Liam Cleary, Jack Larkin, Conor Gavin, Jack Darcy, Kyle Kennedy, Sean Connelly and Jack McLoughlin.
Referee: Jim Lees (Newport)
Under 12
In the quarter-final the U-12 footballers lost out by the minimum of margins to Borrisokane on a 1-4 to 1-3 scoreline. The sides were all square at the break and as time ticked away they were still deadlocked. However, a point from a penalty with the second last kick of the game gave the spoils to the visitors. Team: Páidí Williams, Kieran Spain, Louis Kennedy, Dylan Moran, Conor Quinlan, Kian O’Kelly (0-1), Matthew Moyles, Aaron Morgan (0-2), James Loughnane, Matthew Spain (1-0) and Sam Darcy. Subs: Shane McAteer and Nathan Lynch.
County Draw
The New County Draw was launched in Nenagh Éire Óg Complex on last Thursday April 25th. The club was represented at the launch by Carmel Daly and Gilbert Williams. Kilruane MacDonaghs promoters are currently doing a forensic trawl of the parish in an effort to reenlist existing subscribers and to recruit new members. The club has produced a special brochure which is being distributed to supporters.
Summer Camp
The annual Kellogs Camp takes place in Thomas MacDonagh Park July 1st to 5th. The cost remains the same as last year: first child €55, second child €45 and third child €40. Application forms will be distributed through the local schools. Places in the camp can also be booked on line at www.gaa.ie/culcamps. Promotional packs of Kellogs Cornflakes and Rice Crispies feature a unique code, which can be used by parents online to receive a €5 discount. For further information you can contact co-ordinator Gilbert Williams 0872176452.
Roche Williams R.I.P.
The death has occurred of club vice- president Roche Williams who was a founder member of the Thomas MacDonagh Park committee in 1961. In his fifty years as chairman he oversaw the opening of the pitch in 1966, the erection of the Pavilion in 1969, the construction of the stand in 1995, the provision of the Complex in 2006 and the building of the hurling wall in 2009. Roche won a county Louth minor football championship medal with St. Marys College Dundalk. He served as a selector with the MacDonaghs juvenile teams in the halcyon days of the late fifties and early sixties when the young hurlers won three county and seven divisional championships. Roche also acted as a mentor with the senior football team. He was an active and effective member of the club committee for many years where his wisdom and experience were invaluable assets. Roche was elected vice-president of Kilruane MacDonaghs in 2001 and prior to that he had filled the role of vice-chairman. In 2007 he was presented with a prestigious Sean Ghael award and in 2011 he was honoured at the club’s dinner dance in recognition of his loyal and committed service to Kilruane MacDonaghs and Thomas MacDonagh Park. Roche spent forty four years teaching, five as principal in Glenahilty N.S. and thirty nine as principal in Cloughjordan. He fostered a love of Gaelic games, language and culture in his pupils. He was a great community man, deeply immersed in the local activities and very proud of his native parish. Roche sang with the church and community choirs, was a former chairman of the Parish Council, a member of North Tipperary V.E.C., secretary of the Borrisokane /Cloughjordan Branch of the I.N.T.O for thirty years and was also deeply involved with the Fianna Fail party. He was highly regarded as a local historian and was a very active member of the Cloughjordan Heritage Group. Roche played a key role in the planning the Heritage Centre, which will be officially opened on May 3rd. He was a recognised authority on Thomas MacDonagh and in 1999 he published “In and out of School, In the Home of the MacDonaghs.” Roche was a very sociable character who enjoyed the camaraderie of the game of cards and revelled in many a rousing session of music and song. A minutes silence was observed before the start of the MacDonaghs and Nenagh senior game. His coffin was draped in club colours and three generations of MacDonaghs players and supporters, augmented by representatives of different community organisations, formed a guard of honour on his final journey to Cloughjordan Church. In a graveside oration Jim Casey, a former pupil, paid a well deserved tribute to one of the village’s most iconic personalities. To his daughter Mary, sons Seán, Pádraig, Conor and Tomás, his brothers Neil, Pat and Joe and extended family sympathy is extended.
Sympathy
The club extends its sympathy to the family of the late Eoin Nugent, Eco Village, Cloughjordan.
