DONEGAL TOWN COMMUNITY GAMES 2006 ROUNDUP

U14 Relay. Silver medal winners. L-r: Coach Geraldine O’Connor, Aoife O’Connor, Louise Harvey, Molly O’Gara, Kitty O’Kennedy, Amy Brogan and Coach Eamon Harvey

As the grand finale of the 2006 Community Games National Finals came to a close in Mosney in the last two weeks of August, Donegal Town competitors could be justifiably proud of their season’s performance. They competed in over 15 events throughout the spring and summer months with many teams and individuals making it through to the Ulster Finals and all the way to Mosney.
In Rounders three teams from Donegal Town (representing Co.Donegal) travelled to Armagh to compete in the Ulster finals on July 8th 2006. What a game the U-13 Girls had! They were tied at 14 runs each with the Monaghan team and to progress to the national finals they had to keep Monaghan scoreless. In a nail-biting finish Monaghan produced a last minute score to win. It was a very spirited performance by the Donegal town girls who were represented by Hannah Quinn, Mary O’Kennedy, Lauren Duke, Tanya Friel, Kelly Gurren, Haley O’Neill, Shannon Kelly, Karla Mulreaney and Orla Gillespie
The U-15 Girls came up against a very strong Cavan team who have represented Ulster for the past 4 years at the National Finals. The Donegal Town girls put on brave performance and fought gamely, but the experience of the Cavan team was too much for them in the end. The team of Tamsin Lyons, Julie Friel, Rosa Devanney, Yvana Murphy, Sinead Doherty, Grainne Hegarty, Valerie Friel, Sinead McGee, Andrea Griffin, Amanda Gallagher, and Alannah Gogarty can be very proud of their performance.
In the U-15 Boys a very young Donegal Town team took on a very experienced Cavan team. The Cavan team built up early lead and looked as if they would emerge as easy winners. However, the Donegal lads fought back and ran them close but could not erode that early lead. This team shows great potential and we hope they build on this year’s experience. Roll on 2007! The team were represented by James Friel, John Meehan, Brian Lyons, Aaron Hughes, Dillon Muldoon, Jeffrey O’Callaghan, Ruairi McCrudden, Kevin Corley, Peter Quinn, Joe Mulhern and Billy Wilson.
The coaches Kieran Murphy and Paul O’Gara would like to thank all those who helped out in any way during the year.
In the Tag Rugby Ulster Finals, also on July 08th 2006, the Donegal town U-11 team put on a gutsy performance. In the first 10 minutes they found themselves down 8 points against a strong Monaghan team. However, as the match progressed, they grew from strength to strength with a string of 6 unanswered tries. Unfortunately, they ran out of time and the Monaghan team went on to win. With their strong tackles and agile running this team of Caolan Loughney, Conal Loughney, Shane Gallagher, Aisling Casey, Niall McGroarty, Laura Sheerin, and Laura Thomas can be very pleased with their performance.
The U-14 Tag Rugby team also came up against a very strong Monaghan team in the Ulster final. This young team put up a brave performance with some great tackles and strong runs at the Monaghan backs. The lack of competitive games in the lead up to the final showed on the day and the experienced Monaghan team proved too strong. Well done to the team who trained so well and we look forward to seeing them compete next year. Representing the Donegal Town team were: Ciaran Cornyn, Darren McConnon, Adam Voss, Ciara Boyle, Molly O’Gara, Loughlan Casey, Chloe Gallagher, Rory McGee, Christopher Doherty, Arlene McLaughlin and Nicole Hanna. The coaches again were the hard working Kieran Murphy and Paul O’Gara. Well done to both teams for their excellent performances and sportsmanship
The Draughts Teams were also very busy in Armagh on July 8th. This was the first time the Donegal Town Draughts team made to the Ulster Finals, so it was a great achievement for all concerned.
The U-10 panel of Conal McCrudden, Myles Quinn, Caolan O’Callaghan, Brianna Hanna, Seamus Carr, Aisling McCauley and Louise Carr performed admirably against a team from Monaghan. Captain Conal McCrudden achieved 2 draws, Caolan and Brianna won one game each and Aisling won both her games. Unfortunately this was not enough to win, but a very impressive performance at this level.
The U-12 Panel was reduced to four players on the day, Fergal McConnon, Kyle O’Callaghan, Craig Trimble, and Katelyn Hanna. Again everyone played extremely well. Captain Fergal and Katelyn won one game each with Kyle winning both his games against a very fancied Cavan team. Cavan beat Donegal by just two points in the end and next year hopefully we will have Mosney very clearly in our sights. Many thanks to the management and staff of the Mill Park Hotel for providing a venue for the past few months, and to John Given for the benefit of his draughts expertise. Also thank you to Margaret Trimble for helping out each week.
In Swimming Donegal town girl Gemma Haughey represented the county at the swimming finals on the third week end in August. This was not the first time that this very experienced swimmer has gone all the way to the finals, and against very stiff opposition in the U-13 Breaststroke made it through the heats to the final. A great achievement at this level.
The Art competition, which is held on the first of the two National Finals weekends in Mosney saw young Oisin Gillespie from Drimark represent the county in the U-10 painting category. The standard at national level is very high and it was a great experience to win gold at county level and go on to Mosney.
Athletics National Finals Mosney 2006
The tradition of Donegal Town athletes representing the county in Mosney was upheld again this year as 13 young competitors set off to seek gold. As the mist cleared over the grassy track in the early morning, the U-12 Relay Team of Leean McInaw, Andrea Keeney, Ailis O’Gara , Clare Brady and Felicia McHugh lined out on the track. The relays are always very exciting and the girls put up a very spirited performance. Next up were the very experienced U-14 team of Amie Brogan, Aoife O’Connor, Kitty O’Kennedy, Louise Harvey and Molly O’Gara who booked a place in the next round by winning comfortably. In the afternoon they again stormed home in pole position to guarantee a place in the final as real contenders.
Individual athletes performed CONTINUED IN PAPER

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Donegal Game Angling Federation elects new executive committee

The Donegal Game Angling Federation elected a new Executive Committee at an EGM on Friday 22nd September. This follows the resignation of most of the previous officers at an earlier meeting, at which a vote of no confidence in the chairman was proposed.
The new Committee of the Federation will shortly publish its mission statement and articles of association. Responsibility, determination and unity of all Donegal anglers are necessary to restore the quality of fishing to former levels. Salmon stocks have declined, dropping by 75% since 1987. The sea trout is, apart from isolated pockets, almost completely extinct. Brown trout fishing suffers greatly from pollution. These factors, combined with high cost, have reduced angling tourism by 50% in the last five years.
Donegal angling clubs have been singled out for the introduction of complicated, exclusive and bureaucratic management plans that are not being applied anywhere else in Ireland. The new Federation will call for a suspension of these plans until the Fisheries Board enters into meaningful discussions regarding the management of all the rivers in the county. Angling clubs will no longer accept the position of tolerated tenant on the waters. Only recognition as an equal partner in the tasks of management and development of the fisheries will suffice.
Angling in Donegal will be restored and local anglers will welcome visitors to rivers and lakes, as it always has been.
The new Federation will operate in an open and consultative manner. Policies will be decided by the majority view of the membership. We ask that the Fishery Boards will operate in a similar fashion. No other approach to the problems created in the past will be acceptable to the anglers.