As a enjoyable season at Drumbar United draws to a close, it’s perhaps a little early for a season review, but most certainly not so for a season appraisal. Personally I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time here and I just cannot speak highly enough of the club and everybody involved. As a relative newcomer, I can only say this club has been fantastic to me. I have made my views known, particularly in relation to underage football, of my football ethos and of the ethos of the club. I’m very proud to say the club, particularly Paddy Brogan with whom I’ve worked very closely, shares my vision of the game and has always been very supportive of my efforts. For this, I’m very grateful and its not necessarily just the club that benefits. It’s the entire community, every young person who wants to give the game a go. I’m well aware of the interest in the game with the particularly strong influence of TV. It’s therefore my thinking and ambition to foster that interest and it’s for this reason that the club welcomes everybody to that most idyllic setting just out the Old Laghey Road.
This week I’m also mentioning the new pitch development. This development was generously supported and I would once again like to extend the club’s appreciation to everyone who backed our efforts. Work is progressing and the ground has now been levelled and drained.
Drumbar United’s U-12 side, under the careful eye of Rory O’Donnell and Danny McMenamin, kicked off their league campaign with a well earned 1-0 win in Ballyshannon against Erne Wanderers. This was followed up with a 2-2 draw at Eany Park against Eany Celtic on Sunday. I’ve been impressed by the attitude shown by this side and this has been reflected by results. Well done to everybody involved.
I’d also like to say a huge well done to last season’s U-14’s league and cup double winning side as they defeated the U-14 South Donegal Schoolboy’s League on Sunday. I have no doubt that our club will be well represented in this summer’s Foyle Cup as the South Donegal Schoolboys League will compete with some of the most famous club names, as they did last year. For example, a particularly famous Hungarian outfit, Ferencvaros, will be represented this year. Again the attitude of this entire side was fantastic and as they now go forward to represent our club at U-16 level in September, I’m very much looking forward to working with them at this level over the summer months.
The programme for football at the club is outlined below
MondayU-8s and U-10s.
Football for boys and girls continues at the pitch at 6.30 on Monday evenings. This continues to be very successful and newcomers will always be made welcome at the club.
Wednesday
Training for our U-10s and U-12s takes place on the pitch at 6.30 on Wednesday evenings. Training for our U-10’s, with myself and Michael McLaughlin takes place at 6.30 while the U-12s overlap starting at 7pm with Rory O’Donnell and Danny McMenamin.
Saturday
Our training programme for U-10s continues on the pitch on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. While our season is over and most of our underage participants are involved with the Four Masters, I have decided to continue training on Saturday morning due to sustained interest. So for the next two Saturday mornings I would encourage any child wishing to try their feet with a ball to come and try out. I will, as ever, be taking this session and would encourage anybody with an interest to come along.
Drumbar United Seniors
The season ended on Sunday week last as the last game was played out against Gweedore United. The outcome of the league as I know it may not be decided just yet, so we’ll have to wait just a little longer.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish Enda Brogan a safe return to Los Angeles and here’s hoping he has a copy of this paper with him to help him sleep on the long flight.
I had been meaning for some time to include contact details for the club and so I can be contacted at 086 1731757 or Paddy Brogan at 074 97 21708. For anybody who has any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Brendan Grufferty, PRO
Four Masters Presentation
Above: Michael Breslin, on behalf of Dom’s Pier 1, presenting new set of gear to Four Masters GAA. Doms are renewing their sponsorship for the next two years. Pictured is Sean Dunnion presenting a reserve jersey to Peter Dunnion and Paul Duncan, and Michael Breslin presenting a senior jersey to Shane Carr and Paul Timoney. Included in photo is Chairman, Anthony Timoney. Photo: Jason McGarrigle
Donegal Town FC
Donegal Town completed a very successful season as they finished runners-up to Raphoe Town in the Milford Inn Division One. They are now promoted to the Premier Division where next season they will play the strongest teams in the county. Pete and Rory would like to thank all the players for their commitment throughout the year and the committee members and supporters who helped in any way possible. There was a great mixture of players in this panel from the young McGroary brothers, Kevin Haughey, Daniel McGarrigle and Rob Timoney, to the more experienced members of the squad. Next season promises to be another great year for the club.
The under 14 team are really enjoying their season under Marty and Pauric and are presently mid-table. They play near neighbours Killymard Utd in the cup this Saturday in Killymard at 11am. Ryan Muldoon, Chris Doherty, Josh Lacey and Ryan (Tino) Gallagher are performing well in a good team.
The under 12 Donegal/Killymard side started their campaign with a good 3-1 win over Erne Wanderers, with goals from Liam Martin, Jamie White and Thomas McGroary. Decy and Alan are doing great work with this team and we are looking ahead to a great season.
The U16 training will be starting very shortly. Finally the committee would like to thank Rory and Pete for the great season
Donegal Town victorious over Letterkenny IT in one of the most exciting basketball league finals ever
Donegal Town 77 Letterkenny IT 75
Donegal men won the league final in double overtime in what was, quite simply, one of the greatest finals ever. It couldn’t have been scripted, the twists and turns that occurred in the final quarter of normal time and the two periods of overtime, were unprecedented in Donegal Basketball. Neutral spectators were on their feet in the stands roaring on both teams, such was the intensity of the game. Paradoxically both teams experienced the highs of winning and lows of defeat as the match ended in dramatic fashion. While the score sheet will show that it was Donegal that ultimately came out on top, the real winners were everyone involved in the game and those fortunate enough to witness it.
Having comfortably beaten Donegal one month earlier in the cup final IT entered the game as firm favourites. Indeed the early stages of the match mirrored those of the cup final as IT raced into an early 6-0 lead as Donegal struggled to penetrate their zone defense. Instead they had to resort to shooting over the zone, Gareth Britton duly stepped up sinking two outside shots. No one player dominated the opening quarter as both teams had a good spread of scorers and, after the opening ten minutes, Donegal led 12-10.
Donegal upped their game in the second as their tough defense restricted IT to a meagre five points from open play, Stephen Cannon hit a three pointer and Colm Hickey capitalised on a turnover. The biggest lead of the game developed as Donegal led by ten at one stage, again with a big spread of scores, with three pointers from Paul McHugh and Glen Matthews being the pick of them. IT battled back valiantly and narrowed the lead through Tony Sharkey and Dan Mulholland from the free-throw line, as they punished some over zealous defending from Donegal. With four seconds remaining and IT in possession, the score read 25-21 in favour of Donegal, John Kennedy made a vital steal and broke down court to beat the buzzer with a lay-up cum shot to leave his team up by six at the interval.
IT’s big game players stepped up in the third. Mark Cannon hit eight points in this quarter, Mulholland seven, as they reduced the deficit to a mere basket. However, just when the game appeared to be swinging in their favour, they found themselves in foul trouble. With four fouls, the influential Ger Murray had to be benched, Donegal duly took advantage. Britton and Matthews converted free throws, and Liam Travers used his height to drive to the basket, hitting six points to just about keep their noses in front.
Donegal 44 - LYIT 42.
Having been behind since the mid-point of the first quarter, Dan Mulholland gave IT back the lead with a big three point shot. The lead switched over and back as Britton and Sharkey twice traded scores. Mark Cannon, having the game of his life, stepped outside to keep IT ahead by two, Kennedy replied with a lay-up and a free throw to leave Donegal ahead by one. Tony Sharkey, having a big final quarter, and Mulholland both made shots to put IT up by three points.
The remaining three and a half minutes had everything. In need of a score Donegal gave the ball to Glen Matthews down low and he converted from close range. Unfortunately he fell awkwardly and had to be stretchered out of the gym in intense pain, with what was believed to be a broken and dislocated ankle. When the game resumed, Donegal shut out IT and then Paul McHugh was fouled going to the basket. He held his nerve and converted two shots to give leave his side ahead by one going into the last minute and a half. IT were stopped again on their next attack. As Bill Collins was bringing the ball back up the court for Donegal, he went down with a chest injury. Down by a point with one minute fifteen remaining on the clock, Dan Mulholland sportingly gave the ball back to Donegal. Donegal failed to score. Mulholland himself came down the court and made an outside shot to restore his team’s lead.
Then the drama began. Staring into the jaws of defeat, Donegal pushed the ball up the court. John Kennedy was fouled, and with six seconds remaining, he went to the free-throw line needing to make one of his shots to keep his team in the game. He made them both. It seemed he’d won the game, only for the referee to disallow the second for breaking the line. IT stacked up along the free throw line waiting for the ball to be inbounded, with Donegal pressing them. Mark Cannon, chased by Kennedy, broke down the court, they appeared to run into each other and the momentum of the clash saw Kennedy fall to the floor. Cannon then caught a javelin pass to convert an unchallenged lay-up. With two seconds still remaining, the table officials didn’t stop the clock. The buzzer sounded and ecstatic IT players and supporters rushed onto the court to congratulate their team. While Mark Cannon was carried shoulder-high off the court, Donegal players swarmed to the referees to contest the non-call on Kennedy and the two seconds left on the clock. The referees were already aware of the time discrepancy and both teams had to come back out onto the court. Donegal’s Cookie Meehan went to the base-line to inbound the ball, the rest of his team lined up on the halfway line. Liam Travers broke to the basket, Meehan put in a mammoth throw down the court, Travers caught the ball, incredibly put it to the floor, then made a lay up. The score read 58-58 and the game was heading for overtime. Donegal players celebrated, having seemingly seen their season come to a terrible end a minute earlier, they were still in with a shout.
The overtime was every bit as exciting as the fourth quarter. Mulholland hit an early three pointer to put his team in the ascendancy, Donegal replied with four points from Meehan and Travers. Colm Hickey levelled matters, then Paul McHugh rushed up the court to give Donegal back the lead. A Travers free throw stretched it to three. McHugh was then fouled out, catching Steven Cannon on the hand as he shot a three pointer. With less than thirty seconds remaining, Cannon made two of the free throws to reduce the deficit to one point. Needing to stop the clock, IT fouled John Kennedy. He went to the line and made both his shots, there was a sense of déjà vu as the referees disallowed the second one for breaking the line. Trailing by two points and with the shot clocks switched off, IT kept their nerve and ran a controlled offense. With a second remaining Colm Hickey put up a three pointer, he missed, but was also fouled. He went to the line to shoot three free throws knowing that two would take it to overtime, three would win it. He made the first, missed the second, and then showed tremendous resolve to sink the third. Lesser men would have crumbled.
In the second period of overtime both teams lost pivotal players through foul trouble. Mulholland opened the scoring with a three pointer. Donegal got the lead back with drives from Britton and Kennedy. Mulholland hit another three. Liam Travers was fouled and went to the line, he sank both his free throws. Britton was then fouled, he made one of his shots, Donegal led by one with a minute remaining. Mulholland hit his third three pointer of the overtime, IT led by a basket.
Time was running out for Donegal, with the seconds counting down into single digits, John Kennedy was fouled. The tension in the gym was unbearable. Having twice been in similar situations before, he sank both free throws to tie the match. It seemed it was going to take a third period of overtime to level the match. Under intense pressure, IT turned over the ball, it eventually came into the hands of Aaron Slevin, things moving as if in slow motion. Slevin passed the ball to Kennedy who was on a charge to the basket, he put up a lay-up, releasing the ball from his hand just before the buzzer sounded. It dropped sweetly off the backboard through the ring. There was no time for IT to respond, Donegal had won an epic encounter.
The MVP award could have gone to any number of players, Kennedy, Britton and Travers, were all in the running for Donegal, Mark Cannon, Tony Sharkey and Colm Hickey excelled for IT, but it was fitting that it went to the game’s top scorer Dan Mulholland.
Donegal: John Kennedy (17), Simon Waugh,
Gareth Britton (17), Paul McHugh (11), Niall Timoney, Fiachra McIntyre (2), William Timoney, Liam Travers (16), Bill Collins (2), John Meehan (1), Aaron Slevin, Glen Matthews (11). Coach: Stephen Carty.
LYIT: Steven Cannon (8), Dan Mulholland (33), Aiden Wilkinson, Patrick Hickey, Tony Sharkey (7), Colm Hickey (7), Gerard Murray (4), Mark Cannon (14), Reggis Perrot. Coach: Pat Hickey.
Referees: Nigel Weir and Brian McHugh.
Table Officials: Owen Bradley and Lynda Murrin.
The MVP awards for the overall season were presented after the match and were as follows:
Young female player of the year: Ciara Buggy (Donegal Town). Young male player of the year: Mark Cannon (LYIT). Female player of the year: Mary Kelly (LYIT). Male player of the year: John Kennedy (Donegal Town).
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