Senior

MacDonaghs bounced back from the loss to Toomevara in the county championship with a 3-22 to 2-14 victory over Lorrha in Gardiner Park, Borrisokane in the first round of the North championship. The management shuffled the deck for this encounter with Niall O’Meara and Seamus Hennessy pushed forward into the attack to provide a cutting edge in an area that had misfired in the first match. Sean McAdams started at corner-forward in place of the injured Ray McLoughney and Stephen Cleary was introduced at corner-back. Similar to the Toomevara match, MacDonaghs dictated the early play. On this occasion, however, the forwards were prepared to roll their sleeves up and work with possession translated into early scores. With just twelve minutes gone the Magpies led by 3-4 to 0-3 with Niall O’Meara bagging two goals and Thomas Cleary adding the third. Lorrha were struggling to stay in the game and by the twentieth minute a fifteen-point gap had opened up. Lorrha managed to stem the tide before the interval but when MacDonaghs retired to the changing room at the break they had a comfortable thirteen-point cushion with the scoreboard reading 3-12 to 0-8.

On the resumption any hopes of a Lorrha revival were quickly dashed when Kieran Cahill and Seamus Hennessy fired over early points. Even the dismissal of Kieran Cahill with over twenty minutes to go failed to put a dent in MacDonaghs supremacy. With nine minutes left nineteen points separated the sides. To Lorrha’s credit they kept battling away in a lost cause. Goals in the twenty-fourth and thirtieth minutes were too little too late but will have annoyed the Magpies defence that was anxious not to concede any green flag. This was a much-improved performance by the Magpies with a very obvious increase in work rate. However, players will be very much aware that the intensity and work rate will have to reach new levels in the next match. At this stage of the championship one uncontested ball or one half-hearted chase could mean the difference between victory and defeat.   

Team: Thomas Williams, James Cleary, Jack Peters (Capt), Stephen Cleary, Craig Morgan, Darragh Peters, Eoin Hogan, Jerome Cahill (0-2), Justin Cahill, Thomas Cleary (1-0), Kieran Cahill (0-3, 0-1 from free), Cian Darcy (0-9, 0-2 from frees), Niall O’Meara (2-3), Seamus Hennessy (0-2) and Sean McAdams (0-3). Sub: Conor Cleary.

MacDonaghs mow take on Newport in the quarter-final in Dolla on Sunday at 2.00pm. Once again it is vital that supporters get to Dolla and get behind the team.

 

Under 16

A 6-6 to 2-6 away victory over Nenagh Éire Óg in the second round of the football championship secured a home quarter-final berth. The teams were very evenly matched throughout the game with MacDonaghs leading by 3-3 to 2-2 at the interval. In the second half MacDonaghs took their chances but were fortunate when a Nenagh effort cannoned off the crossbar and another was taken off the line. A hat trick of goals from Nathan Lynch plus one each from Barry Shanahan, Niosa Minogue and Arran Morgan helped secure the points.

Team: Kevin McDonald, Eoin O’Meara, Shane Whelan, Padraic Coonan, Ciaran Coffey, David O’Sullivan, Colm Cleary, Páidí Williams (0-4), James Loughnane, Barry Shanahan (1-0), Nathan Lynch (3- 0), Oisín Carroll, Kevin Naughnane, Aaron Morgan (0-1) and Niosa Minogue (1-1). Subs: Eoin Carroll, Cian White and Fionnan Hurley

 Lorrha/Rovers Gaels will provide the opposition in the quarter-final in MacDonagh Park on this Thursday, 26th April at 7.00pm.

 

Féile

Liam Mellows, Galway will be our Féile hosts on the weekend of 8th to 10th June. Meanwhile, fundraising efforts are gathering pace. On Sunday, 13th May the juvenile committee is organising a dance in the Thomas MacDonagh Complex. Music is by Declan Aungier and dancing is from 9.00pm to 12.00. Tickets, costing €10, are available from parents or any member of the juvenile committee.

 

Under 12

MacDonaghs (Dubh) recorded a 7-0 to 2-0 home victory over Borris-Ileigh in the quarter-final of the football championship.

 

Community Games

In the county quarter-final the hurling team made home advantage count with a victory over Boherlahan. In the county semi-final they will host Templemore in MacDonagh Park. 

 

Cúl Camp

The annual Kellogg’s Cúl Camp is scheduled for 2nd to 6th July in MacDonagh Park. In 2017 we had a record attendance of 199. We are encouraging all parents to book their children on www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie. Last year 66% of participants were booked online. To secure a place for this year’s Camp parents should book immediately as the committee has decided to limit the capacity to 200. Registration will close on Thursday, 28th June and under no circumstances will bookings be accepted after that. This year gear will be distributed in the Complex on Saturday, 30th June.    

 

Meeting

The monthly meeting of the Club Committee will be held on this Thursday, 26th April at 8.30pm. All committee members are requested to attend.

 

John Ryan R.I.P.

Sunday, 18th December 1960 on a famous foggy day in Borrisoleigh John Ryan etched his name in club folklore when he scored a last-minute winning goal in the county junior final against Moycarkey-Borris. MacDonaghs caused a major upset that day when they overcame the favourites who had just regraded from senior. John lined out at full-forward in that victory and also wore the number fourteen shirt in the North final triumph against Templederry. The previous year he had been a member of the senior squad that got the better of defending champions Toomevara in the North final. His brother Mikey was the goalkeeper on that successful side. John had worked for a period in Swanton’s shop in Nenagh and he was affectionately known by all and sundry as Swanton. Later he opened a licenced premises in Summerhill. John and his wife Susan proved to genial hosts in that hostelry. It was a regular pit stop for club members, particularly after matches. It was the venue for many a celebration and the occasional sombre post mortem. Despite his long residency in Nenagh, John never forgot his roots in Ardcroney and remained a staunch MacDonaghs follower all his life. Club members, led by chairman Joe Whelan and 1959 senior captain Gerry McCarthy, formed a guard of honour as John was taken to his final place of rest in Lisboney cemetery and his coffin was draped in the MacDonaghs colours. To his daughter Deirdre, sons Denis, Joe, Liam, Damian and Dermot, brother Francie, sister Mai and extended family sympathy is extended. Go soilsí solas na bhFlaitheas ar a anam uasal.   

 

Sean McLoughney R.I.P.

Yet another link with the successful MacDonaghs 1960 junior side was severed with the death of Sean McLoughney, Ballythomas. Sean was one of two sixteen-year-old panel members on that junior team that created club history. The previous year he had formed a powerful midfield partnership with Tony Heffernan as a MacDonaghs U15 team, captained by Len Gaynor, won the North final with a victory over Toomevara and added the county crown by overcoming the challenge of a Grange side that included Babs Keating. Further success was to elude Sean until 1964 when he lined out at wing-forward as MacDonaghs became the first holders of the O’Keeffe Cup when they captured the North junior title by prevailing over Lorrha in the final. Sean had a great interest in greyhounds and he was a member of the Nenagh Coursing Club. As his funeral arrived in Ardcroney members of the Coursing Club and MacDonaghs club members formed a guard of honour and his coffin was draped in the black and white. To his sons Eamonn and Patrick, daughter Maureen, sisters Alice, Maureen, Margaret, Pauline and Geraldine & extended family sympathy is extended. Leaba i measc na naomh dó.  

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