~ FIGHT NIGHT ~
Club members are asked to return money for tickets sold and also unsold tickets immediately in order that accounts can be finalised.
The Park/Development Committee can then proceed with the floodlighting of the training pitch. The return Fight Night is on in the Blue Haven on Saturday 23rd March. Tickets are available from committee members.
Transport will be provided if numbers are sufficient. Contact Conal Gallagher on 0862112812. A full report on the Fight Night will be published next week.
Well done to all the boxers on the night, especially Aodh Ruadh’s representatives: Thomas Gallagher, Diarmaid McInerney, Niall Murray, Philip O’Reilly, Johnny Dolan, Maurice Kane, Tara Khan, Cian Dolan, Christopher Kilgannon, Packie McGrath and Aiden Murray. We have a good selection of shots from the night up on aodhruadh.org.
~ FOOTBALL ~
Aodh Ruadh minors clash with Dungloe didn’t happen. The next outing for the minors is scheduled for this Saturday when they take on Naomh Mhuire up at The Banks at noon.
The under 14s made huge progress from their 2012 under 13 clash with Bundoran, but they still came up short at the last whistle, losing out by 4-10 to 5-3.
Aodh Ruadh got off to the ideal start with a goal from Sean Taylor after three minutes, but Bundoran hit back with two majors of their own.
After that the sides went score for score to the break. Shane Dorrian hit two beautiful points and Sean Taylor and Ryan Ayres got in for goals which left the half time score at 3-2 to 4-3 in favour of the homesters.
Aodh Ruadh delivered an improved performance in the second half right across the pitch, Barry Kelly at full back delivering a particular tour de force.
One disallowed goal, a number of shots off the woodwork and a Bundoran keeper in exceptional form ensured that Aodh Ruadh had to be content with a decent performance. The under 14s next fixture is an trip away to take on Ardara on Sunday 24th March at noon.
The indoor training programme continues this Friday 15th March. Under 6s are in the Mercy Hall at Colaiste Cholmcille from 6pm to 7pm followed by the under 8s from 7pm to 8pm, also in the Mercy Hall.
Under 10s are training in the new hall at Colaiste Cholmcille from 6pm to 7pm. That session is followed by the under 12s from 7pm to 8pm, also in the new hall. There is a charge of €2 per head to cover the cost of the hall.
Please bring runners as no other footwear allowed. Under 8s will also be expected to wear mouth guards as per GAA policy.
Any parent who would like to pitch in with traffic control or managing drills is more than welcome and asked to make themselves known to the coaches on the evening.
These are primarily fun training sessions so no great coaching expertise is required. Parents/Guardians are asked to please collect children promptly after their session is finished.
We are also running a second-hand clothing collection fund raiser at these sessions to help defray coaching costs.
Players are asked to bring back bags over the remaining two weeks of our tenure in the hall. Details of acceptable items are printed on the bags.
Parents/Guardians help with this fund raiser would be greatly appreciated.
Under 12, 10 and 8 players are asked to assemble at the Gaelscoil at 1.45pm this Sunday 17th March ahead of the Saint Patrick’s day parade. Parents and guardians are asked to please note that children should be collected at the Market Yard after the parade.
There will be a Bord na nÓg meeting this Wednesday at 7.30pm in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh.
Advance notice of a Bord na nÓg fund raiser. There will be a céilí, old time barn dance in the Rock Hall, Ballyshannon on Saturday 6th April at 9.30pm.
Music by The Assaroe Céilí Band. Supper Served. Admission €8.
~ HURLING ~
The seventh Annual Hurl-a-thon takes place in the Mercy Hall on Saturday 6th April in the Mercy Hall, this is the Juvenile Hurling Committee’s major fund-raiser for the year.
We ask everyone to support the underage hurlers who are out and about seeking sponsorship for this fun filled event.
It is just over a fortnight to the start of the competitive season with the leagues beginning on the 28th March. The minors are at home to MacCumhaill’s that night while the under 14s are away to the same opposition on the same night.
There is no training this Sunday for the under 8s and under 10s due to their participation in the Saint Patrick’s Day parade. Anyone interested in starting to play underage hurling with Aodh Ruadh is asked to contact John Rooney 086-2587793 for details of training.
On Saturday last the county under 16s played top Derry club Slaughtneil in a challenge game.
It was the squad’s first outing this year and, despite losing, they gave a good account of themselves.
Aodh Ruadh was well represented with Eugene Drummond, Oisín Rooney, Donal Sweeny starting and Brendan Gillespie, Deva Ayres and Cian Duffy coming on, all of the lads performed well.
~ LADIES ~
Indoor training for under 8s and under 10s continues this Wednesday March 13th in the Mercy Hall from 6pm to 6.45pm.
They are followed in the Mercy Hall by the under 12s from 6.45pm to 7.30pm. Membership for 2013 is now due and can be paid at indoor training.
The fee for under 10s is €15, for players born between 2002 and 1995 the fee is €25.
The Senior Ladies team started their league campaign for 2013 on Sunday with an away win against Glenties on a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-2. Training for the Ladies is on Mondays at 7pm and Saturdays at 11am.
Reminder to all girls hoping to play football this season, Registration must be in before March 31st and can be paid to coaches or left in to Shannon’s Corner.
~ REGISTRATION ~
Club membership for 2013 is now due and all club members are asked to submit their registration form and fee at their earliest convenience. Registration can now be paid at Pearse O’Neill’s at the Bridgend, as well as to Mary Matthews in Shannon’s Corner. Betty McIntyre is also taking registrations and can be contacted on 0872363879.
In order to be entitled to the rights of a full member, a person must have their fees paid to the club on a date before March 31st and be registered by the club on the online system in order to have a vote in the upcoming membership year
Remember.
1. Only fully registered players on the GAA online registration system are allowed to take the field for the club. If your name is not in this system you are ineligible. That has repercussions in terms of insurance cover for injuries.
2. Registration is an important component in meeting the running costs of the club.
3. Only fully paid up members will be eligible for the draw for tickets to the football and hurling All Ireland finals.
4. Club membership will be displayed in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh.
Membership rates are as follows: Adult Player (Includes insurance cover for the year), €60; Adult non-playing, €40; Underage (Born 1995-2002 inclusive) €25; Underage (Born 2003-2013 inclusive) €15. The club requires a fully registration form with each fee.
~ SHAM TV ~
This week we continue with our run down on some of the archive material added to Sham TV over the past few weeks.
The first is the Aodh Ruadh Centenary Year Banquet. Friday 7th December 1984 was a very special night for the club as it celebrated both 75 years of proud history and the GAA’s centenary.
PJ Buggy commentates on proceedings as they unfold in the Holyrood Hotel, Bundoran. This video is from the archive of John Travers. Next up is the 1994 Ulster Club Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final between Aodh Ruadh and Bellaghy.
Aodh Ruadh take on Bellaghy at Páirc Seán de Brún in the quarter-final of the 1994 Ulster club championship. Aodh Ruadh lost by a point after an almighty battle.
Bellaghy went from strength to strength afterwards, going on to claim the Ulster title. Unfortunately there’s no commentary on the video, but the crowd certainly make up for that. The final video we’ll trail this week is the 1988 Donegal minor football championship final between Aodh Ruadh and Saint Eunan’s.
This final saw Aodh Ruadh reclaim the minor football championship title for the first time since the final victory of the 1979-82 four-in-a-row.
Ballyshannon prevailed in a close, hard-fought decider on a scoreline of 1-12 to 1-8. This video is from the archives of Peter Conlon. Mick McGrath tries his hand at a bit of commentary before handing over to Denis Doherty on 12 minutes.
~ OFF THE PITCH ~
Ballyshannon Drama Festival
The 61st Ballyshannon Drama Festival runs from March 9th to 17th in the Abbey Centre Ballyshannon. The programme of plays is as follows: Saturday 9th is Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers by Holywood;
Sunday 10th is Peter Fallon’s Tarry Flynn by Pomeroy; Monday 11th is JB Priestly’s When We Were Married by Dromore; Tuesday 12th is Jimmy Murphy’s Brothers Of The Brush by Corn Mill;
Wednesday 13th is Brian Foster’s The Butterfly Of Killybegs by Coolera; Thursday 14th is Billy Roche’s Poor Beast In The Rain by Phoenix Players; Friday 15th is Marina Carr’s On Raftery’s Hill by Yellow Moon;
Saturday 16th Philip Ridley’s Mercury Fur by Silken Thomas; Sunday 17th is Paula Vogel’s How I Learned How To Drive by Braden Players.
Plays show nightly at 8.15pm and 7.30pm on final night. Season tickets are available priced €90, with nightly tickets priced €12, €10 on concession.
Bookings can be made 11am to 1pm daily at the Abbey Centre. Adjudicator is Martin Maguire and Festival Director is John Travers. For further information call 071-9851375 or 0863743207 or check online at http://www.abbeycentre.ie/.
Daniel O’Donnell will be in concert with Mary Duff in the Great Northern Hotel on Wednesday 7th August in a special event with all proceeds going to the Donegal GAA Supporters Club. Tickets are available direct from the hotel.
~ LOTTO ~
Have you ever forgot to do the weekly club lotto only to see your numbers appear? Well you no longer need to worry with the introduction of our yearly lotto ticket.
Your numbers will remain the same for the duration and will run in conjunction with the membership year, that is, from April 2013 to March 2014.
If you do one line it will cost just €90 a saving of €14 (13.5 percent), equivalent to 7 weeks free.
If you do the three lines it will cost €220 a saving of €40 (29.5 percent), equivalent to 8 weeks free.
If you are interested in the scheme you can contact lotto@aodhruadh.org or any club member. Scheduled payments can also be arranged. The first draw starts on 7th April 2013 and runs for 52 weeks. Remember if you’re not in, you can’t win.
There was no winner of the €2,800 Aodh Ruadh Lotto jackpot last Sunday. The numbers drawn were 5, 7, 8, 13, 15 and 16.
In the lucky dip €20 each went to: Pat Melly; Eddie McGarrigle, Abbey Apartments; Marie Gallagher, Erne Street; Patricia Downey, Erne Street; and Liam Branley, West Rock. Next draw is in the Mall Bar on Sunday at 8.30pm.
The jackpot is €2,900 so get out there and buy your ticket; if you’re not in, you can’t win!
The lotto team for the Saimer Court this Saturday is: JUVENILE HURLERS.