Senior
The semi-final against Boris-Ileigh is expected to take place on the weekend of 30th July.
Munster Senior Final
Congratulations to Niall O’Meara who won his second successive Munster senior hurling medal. Niall gave his usual effective and unselfish performance. Nine MacDonaghs players have won a total of seventeen Munster senior hurling medals: Tom McLoughney (1960, 1961, 1962), Len Gaynor (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971), Seamus Gibson (1987, 1988), Ger Williams (1987),Tony Sheppard (1987), Mark O'Leary (2001), Seamus Hennessy (2009), Brian O'Meara (2012) & Niall O’Meara (2015, 2016)
Munster Minor Final
Congratulations to Cian Darcy, Jerome Cahill and the Tipperary minor team on a magnificent victory in the Munster final. Twenty MacDonaghs players have now won Munster minor hurling medals. The first were Liam White and Paddy O’Dwyer in 1961. The following twenty players have won a total twenty-one Munster minor hurling medals: Liam White (1961), Paddy O’Dwyer (1961), Len Gaynor (1962), Mackey Waters (1973), Jim O’Meara (1973), Seamus Hennessy (1973), Joe Hutchinson( 1973), Eamonn O'Shea (1976), Enda Hogan (1976), Michael Conway (1980), Liam Gleeson (1987), George O’Leary (1987), Brian Gaynor (1991), Martin Haverty (1993), Ray McLoughney (2003), Seamus Hennessy (2007), Jack Peters (2012), Darragh Peters (2015), Cian Darcy (2015,2016) & Jerome Cahill (2016). Interestingly, there are two father-and-son combinations Len and Brian Gaynor & Seamus and Seamus ‘Fez’ Hennessy.
Junior
MacDonaghs overcame a nine-point deficit in the second half to earn a valuable point against Kiladangan in the third round of the championship. Final score: MacDonaghs 2-14, Kiladangan 1-17. This point keeps the Magpies in the hunt for a qualification spot. Kildangan had the aid of the breeze in the first half. MacDonaghs received a set-back in their first attack. Eoin Williams suffered a shoulder injury as four players collided under a dropping ball. Eoin was forced to retire and Kevin Ryan entered the fray. Fortunately, Kevin Shinners who received a blood injury in the tangle was able to resume his place after some running repairs on the sideline. Kildangan made the early running and had two points on the board before Declan Barrett opened MacDonaghs account from a free in the eighth minute. Although Kiladangan were dominating possession, MacDonaghs were keeping in touch and were just three points adrift as the half was coming to a close. However, Kildangan had a purple patch before the interval and hit 1-3 in reply to a point from a Declan Barrett free. MacDonaghs retired to the changing room with the scoreboard reading 1-11 to 0-6 in favour of Kiladangan.
The Magpies needed a good start. However, they hit three wides and had a penalty saved. To compound matters, Kiladangan tacked on another point. There were now nine points between the sides and the signs looked ominous for Kilruane. It was hurl-or-go-home time. Against the odds, MacDonaghs took the game to Kiladangan and began to get the upper hand in most sectors of the field. With a quarter of an hour to go a goal from Kevin Ryan injected new life into the game. There were now only four between the sides. With seven minutes left Kevin Shinners — he was a handful for the Kiladangan defence all the evening — made a nuisance of himself under a long-range free from Declan Barrett and the sliotar went all the way to the net. Incredibly, MacDonaghs were now on level terms. As the game went deep into injury time the Magpies nosed a point ahead. However, a lack of composure, which had been evident throughout the game, resulted in the concession of an unnecessary free in the forwards. The ball broke in the Kilruane goalmouth from the resultant free. Dan Hackett was first to react and slotted over the equaliser. With the second last puck of the game Colm Williams was unfortunate to see a long-range effort just trail wide. It had been a tremendous recovery. MacDonaghs have three games to play and victory is essential in every one of them. They now face Nenagh in a “win-or-burst” game.” To achieve victory the concession of lazy frees — chopping, pulling into a ruck etc. — will have to be totally eliminated. This failing has been very costly for the junior team over the last few years. Team: Conor Doheny, Colm Williams (Capt), Cormac Williams, Brendan McAdams, Bob Dooley (0-1), Declan Barrett (1-4), Caoilainn Conroy, Conor Austin, Jonathan Cahill, James Keogh (0-3), Robert Austin, Liam Gibson (0-3), Eoin Williams, Kevin Shinners (0-3) and Tom Dooley. Subs: Kevin Ryan (1-0) and Pat Williams.
Minor
Kilruane MacDonaghs take on Toomevara in the first round of the championship in Moneygall on this Wednesday, 13th July at 7.30pm.
Under 16
In the first round of the championship an understrength MacDonaghs team—Sean McAdams, Kian O’Kelly, Matthew Moyles and Matthew Spain were unavailable —travelled to Dolla but lost out to the home side on a 2-11 to 1-7 scoreline. The sides were level at the interval, but Silvermines were the better side in the second half. Team: Páidí Williams, Conor Quinlan, Owen Usman, Aaron Morgan, Dylan Moran, Mark O’Neill, David O’Sullivan, Devlin Courtney (0-1), Nathan Lynch (0-1), Ben Chadwicke, Patrick Hayes, Sam Darcy (0-1), Eoin England (1-0), Jack Dunne (0-4) and Ben Cahalan. Sub: Kevin McDonald
Under 14
Kilruane MacDonaghs play Silvermines in MacDonagh Park on this Wednesday, 13th July at 6.30pm.
Cúl Camp
A record 170 children attended the annual Kellogs Cúl Camp in splendidly-prepared Thomas MacDonagh Park. The Camp was blessed with favourable weather which facilitated a week of uninterrupted activities. The highlight of the week was the visit of Tipperary star, Mikey Breen who signed innumerable hurleys, answered probing questions from the participants and patiently posed for both group and individual photographs. Niall O’Meara was a very proactive supervisor and made every effort to ensure that everybody had a fun-filled week. We very fortunate to have a very enthusiastic and competent group of coaches in the Camp. Thanks to Sinéad Meagher (Kiladangan), Ciardha Maher (Burgess), Laura Cuneen (Silvermines), Mairéad Teehan (Moneygall), Caroline Mulanney (Newport/Ballinahinch), Niall McIntyre (Lorrha), Eoin McIntyre (Lorrha), Jack Delaney (Toomevara), Robbie Quirke (Cappawhite), David Shanahan (Silvermines), Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) and Jerome Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs) who organised a varied programme to cater for all abilities. Club volunteers Sorcha Heenan, Georgiana Finn, Lisa Cahill, Darragh Peters, Kevin Oakley and Craig Morgan provided valuable assistance to the coaches. Thanks to Emby Foote and Teresa Williams who looked after the catering and were on hand to carry out multiple tasks during the week. Thanks to June Whelan who answered an eleventh-hour call to take photographs which can be viewed on Facebook.
Lost Gear
Some items of gear were left behind at the Cúl Camp. Contact Gilbert Williams 087-2176452 to claim lost items. Any items not collected by Friday, 15th July will either recycled or raffled.
Best Wishes
The club extends best wishes to Michael Cahill who is recuperating in hospital.
MacDonagh Park
While Michael Cahill is out of action, the field should be booked with Gilbert Williams 087 217 6452
Patrons
We have now 101 patrons on board who have pledged €5,570— €4,700 has already been paid over. We are reasonably certain that no GAA history in the county has ever sourced that amount of funding from patrons. Our next target is to achieve the highest number of patrons for a GAA history. We have some way to go, but I am confident we can meet that target. We have patrons from Arizona, Chicago, Perth, Kilkenny, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Shannon Rovers, Burgess, Lorrha, Nenagh and all corners of the parish. Contact Gilbert Williams 087-2176452 to have your name included as a patron. “Kilruane MacDonaghs 1970-2013, Heirs to a Proud Tradition,” will be launched on Friday, 14th October by Len Gaynor. For as little as €50 you too can become part of the club history by becoming a patron. All patrons will be acknowledged in the publication. Thanks to all who have contributed to date. Your children and grandchildren will be very proud in years to come when they see your name listed as a patron.
