Inter County
Best wishes to the Tipperary team and management against Clare.
Senior
Interest in the County League came to an end with a two-point defeat against Upperchurch in MacDonagh Park. The final score was 0-24 to 2-16 in favour of the visitors. The Mid team were not flattered by the margin of victory and only a late rally by the Magpies put a more favourable complexion on the scoreboard. With so many players absent for a multiplicity of reasons, victory was never a likely prospect. Only five of the team that started against Kiladangan in the North championship began this game. Thomas Williams, Brian O’Meara and Thomas Cleary, who were unavailable for the Kiladangan game, also made the first fifteen for this encounter. Upperchurch looked the sharper team from the off and were wining virtually all the rucks. After fifteen minutes they led by 0-7 to 0-2. A goal by Conor Cleary in the 18th minute cut the gap to two and gave the Magpies a foothold in the game. At the interval the score was 0-11 to 1-7 in favour of Upperchurch.
The visitors continued to dominate the second half and with six minutes left were eight points ahead. The MacDonaghs defence, in which Jack Peters and Kieran Cahill were superb, were under severe pressure. The inability of the Kilruane forwards to win any breaking ball meant that scores were at a premium. To their credit the made a great rally in the final minutes and almost caught Upperchurch. Team: Thomas Williams, Eoin Hogan (0-1), Jack Peters, Conor Austin, Willie Cleary, Kieran Cahill (0-2), Cormac Williams, Declan Barrett, Alan Darcy, Liam Gibson (0-2), Conor Cleary (1-0), James Williams, James Cleary, Brian O’Meara (1-8, 0-8 from frees) and Thomas Cleary (0-2). Subs: Paddy Ryan (0-1), Conor Doheny and Bob Dooley. The next competitive game will be against Carrick Swan in the County Championship.
Junior
In the second round of the championship MacDonaghs are away to Nenagh Éire Óg on this Friday, 21st July at 7.30pm.
Minor
MacDonaghs had a 4-14 to 4-11 home victory over Nenagh Éire Óg in the third round of the championship. The Magpies fully deserved the points against a Nenagh side short the services of Jake Morris. MacDonaghs were without the suspended Oisín O’Meara and Devlin Courtney was unable to start after a long period of absence with injury. The home team opted for a very attacking line-up. Jerome Cahill and Mark O’Neill started at midfield, Craig Morgan operated at centre-forward. While this selection looked threatening going forward the defence never looked secure. It was only in the final quarter when Jerome Cahill began to operate around the centre-back and Mark O’Neill went to full-back that the defence snuffed out the goal threat from Nenagh. Without these changes victory would have been squandered. Expect Jerome at six and Mark O’Neill with three on his back for the next game.
MacDonaghs made a lightning start to the game and Jerome Cahill had the ball in the net in the first minute. However, the home defence was exposed in the 6th minute and Nenagh scored the first of their four goals to edge a point ahead. While the Magpies looked the better team, Nenagh cut through the centre of the Kilruane defence with ease. At the interval the sides were level: MacDonaghs (2-9), Nenagh (3-6). Nenagh’s fourth goal eight minutes into the second put them two points ahead. Immediately, Craig Morgan responded with a goal. In the eighteenth minute Craig scored MacDonaghs fourth goal to put the home side ahead. The selectors then took remedial action to solve the problems in the defence. Although Nenagh pressed hard in the seven-minute period of injury time MacDonaghs held out for a valuable pair of points. Team: Páidí Williams, Kevin Oakley, Nathan Ryan, Ben Chadwicke, Kian O’Kelly (0-1), Sean McAdams, Luke Morkan, Jerome Cahill (1-2), Mark O’Neill, Owen Usman, Craig Morgan (2-9),Nathan Lynch (0-1), Matthew Spain (1-0), Luke Dervan (0-1) and Dylan Moran. Subs: David O’Sullivan, Aaron Morgan and Devlin Courtney.
The sides were level at the interval but a brace of goals by Craig Morgan in the second half helped tilt the balance in favour of the Magpies. The third round will be away to Kiladangan in Puckane on this Thursday, July 20th at 7.00pm.
Under 16
Despite coming out the wrong side of a 5-16 to 0-19 scoreline, MacDonaghs gave a very good account of themselves against Borris-Ileigh in the opening round of the championship in MacDonagh Park. Very little separated the sides in general play with the visitors enjoying a one-point interval lead. However, Borris-Ileigh’s ability to create and take their goal chances proved to be the difference between the teams.
Under 14
MacDonaghs travelled to Gardiner Park and came home with a 3-8 to 3-5 victory against Borrisokane. Kilruane enjoyed a five-point lead at the break but had to battle hard to withstand a determined second-half effort by the home team. Oisín Williams helped himself to (1-2), Kevin Naughnane raised four white flags, Paul Dwyer finished with (1-1), Cillian O’Neill grabbed a goal and Eoin Carroll chipped in with a point. The next game is at home to Ballina on this Wednesday, 19th July at 7.00pm. Team: Zack Dervan, Jack Gleeson, Cian White, Sean Hayes, Jack Mulcahy, Neasa Minogue, Ciaran Coffey, Eoin Carroll, Rory Grace, Oisín Williams, Sean Williams, Cillian O’Neill, Paul Dwyer, Darra Hannon and Kevin Naughnane. Subs: Thomas Coonan, Jake Alder, Tadhg O’Brien and Georgie O’Leary.
William Spain
On this Thursday, 20th July the club will honour the memory of William Spain, Moanfin, Kilruane with the unveiling of an information board in the clubroom at 9.00pm. William was the first player in the history of the GAA to win All-Ireland senior medals in hurling and football. He won the football medal with Limerick, represented by Commercials, in 1887 and the hurling accolade with Dublin, represented by Kickhams, in 1889. William was also the first player to score a goal in a football final when notched the only goal in the 1887 decider against Louth. He was also the first player to score three goals in a hurling final with a hat trick in the 1889 final for Dublin against Clare. William emigrated to America in 1890. Descendants of William Spain will be present on Thursday night. Everybody is welcome to attend and refreshments will be served.
Sympathy
The club extends sympathy to North secretary Marian Minehan on the death of her father Jack Hayes.
