Buncrana GAA Club Notes 14 September 2014

Buncrana GAA Notes for Week Ending Sunday 14th September 2014

The Club wishes to congratulate and wish all the best to Darach O’Connor, Caolan McGonigle and John Campbell who are representing the club on the pitch, and also wish good luck to Sean Noonan, Dave Mc Laughlin, Ronan Doherty X (Minor Backroom) and Paul McGonigle (who is Jim’s right hand man!). It’s really great to see such a big representation from our wee club, a very proud day for all of us.

All Ireland Tickets

Well done to the crew handling ticket orders last week. They didn’t finish till nearly 1am and I’m sure it wasn’t an easy gig! They deserve to be thanked for their hard work and patience. I never knew the club had so many members (hint of sarcasm?)! The queue was way out past the front door most of the night. If half as many people attended our fund-raisers the club would be in a healthy financial state. Don’t forget, there’s a direct link between a successful Donegal team and a club developing players for that team, starting at Underage and progressing through the levels. The hard work and commitment of volunteers who coach, manage and mentor coupled with the skill and enthusiasm of the players is what gets the like of Darach O’Connor, John Campbell and Caolan McGonigle into a county jersey. That’s why our club needs the support of all the community, all of the time, not just when we reach an All-Ireland final.

Preference and priority will be given to fully paid-up adult club members and the ticket allocation process is completely fair and transparent. We made this clear several times during the year that adult membership alone carried entitlement to tickets, not junior. Committee members are subject to the same strict allocation as any other adult member, no special treatment.

Message from Club Chair Sean Clerkin

The Club was allocated 364 tickets (155 of this allocation was Hill tickets) for the All Ireland final. The Club has no control over what seated tickets we receive. We have a request list of 589 people for tickets. As you can appreciate the Club will not, unfortunately, be in a position to cater for all these people. This huge shortfall of tickets is not the fault of Buncrana GAA Club but that of people who got tickets for matches all year from other sources (25% of ticket allocation to the Club was made on orders received by Donegal County Board from our Club for this year). We now ask that respect is shown to Club Officers who are trying to allocate tickets to the people who are entitled to them under the Club membership rules. Members are asked only to take tickets if they are travelling to matches and anyone who receives ticket(s), and are not happy with their allocation (ie seating/standing), can return them to the club as we have a large number of people who will be happy

with a place anywhere in Croke Park. The Club wants this historic occasion to be a very enjoyable one for everyone but reminds everyone that the Club will not tolerate any abuse to Club Officers distributing tickets as this may result in removing your tickets and returning your membership monies. We, as Club members, are giving our time voluntarily and also want to have happy memories of 2014.

All-Ireland Club Fundraisers

You will be aware that the club needs to raise all of its own funding in order to deliver its range of football and hurling services to our young people.

The Club is running a draw for 2 All-Ireland tickets and members are out and about selling lines,€2 for one or €5 for three. The draw takes place at 10pm Wednesday in O’Flaherty’s. And don’t despair if you’re out of the town or country – you can buy lines online at www.MyClubFinances.com/tickets.asp?LL_ID=826&CLB=1

Please enter the draw yourself or forward this email onto friends and family. So far we’ve sold lines in South Korea and California! Thank you for your on-going and valued support. Remember, this may be your best chance of getting a Final ticket!

The club is now selling Donegal bracelets for the big day at just €3 each. Also car stickers at €3 for one or €5 for two and other items. Contact Elizabeth-Anne at 0860604075. Limited number available.

Senior Training

Seniors & Minors Hurling training is on Wednesdays at 7.00pm. All players are urged to make every effort to attend.

Seniors, Reserves, U-18, & U21 Football training is on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 7.30 in the Scarvey. New players always welcome!

Comhbrón

Everyone at the Club was saddened to hear about the passing in Co Down of the grandmother of Ronan, Odhran and Oisin Doherty ‘X’. May she rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam uasal

Senior Ladies

Buncrana Senior Ladies travelled to Glencolmcille where they recorded a massive win of 8-13 to 4-7. A great all-round team performance and well done to all involved.

Hard luck for our Minor Ladies who lost 4-5 to 5-11 to a strong Termon side in their first-ever competitive outing. They could have faced no stiffer challenge in their first game as Termon are the pinnacle of ladies football in Donegal and indeed Ulster. A baptism of fire

and no mistake! For a team being managed by 2 of our senior players, Jenna McDaid and Ciara Masterson, on its first time out this was a great result and augers well for the future.

As the scramble for tickets hots up and ‘Final Fever’ spreads rapidly it’s worth thinking about what a GAA club is really all about. A mere 4 years ago a few people met and resolved to start girls football in the club. Many thought they were either mad or wasting their time but they started training Underage Girls anyway. From such humble beginnings and through their commitment and enthusiasm, along with the whole-hearted contribution of the players, the club now has teams competing at all age levels in girls’ football. That is 12, 13, 14, 16, 18 & Senior! As mentioned above, the Minor Ladies are managed by 2 of the Senior Ladies and it was immensely encouraging to see so many of the Senior team coming to the Scarvey to help and support the Minors. There’s no doubting but that Ladies/Girls football is thriving in the club and will continue to develop and grow with the support of all the club members in the years ahead.

Training every Wednesday at 7.30 in the Scarvey. New members always welcome.

Junior Cert

Good luck from all at the club to those members who got their Junior Cert results. This will be a good trial run for the Leaving Cert in a few years’ time and, just like Donegal, good preparation and hard work will get you where you want to go.

Under Age Reports

Comhgairdeas to the U12 Buncrana hurling team who won the county league final against St Eunan’s on Thursday night.

The game started at a fast pace and each team was as hungry as the other and as the game progressed it was score for score. At half time St Eunan’s were in front by a small margin. Buncrana came out in the second half all fired up after their team talk and within a minute the score was level again. The teams traded scores were level at full time. Extra time had to be played.

Extra time started and Buncrana kept their heads up and the pressure was on. It was a very intense and exciting game with some fantastic defending and scoring with Buncrana being well-deserved winners when the final whistle blew. The final score was 2-8 to 1-7.

Maith thú a buachaillí.

And well done too to the U16’s on winning their semi-final.

Scoil Íosagáin invites all Donegal supporters to come along to the school on Thursday at 1.30pm for the launch of “All the way with Donegal”. The song was specially commissioned for the All-Ireland Finals to celebrate the participation of our past pupils Darach O Connor and Caolan Mc Gonagle on the Senior and Minor teams. The song was written by Patrica Doherty Tinney and the pupils of Scoil Íosagáin have been practising and practising in the run-up to the Big Day! We hope that you will all come along, wearing your county colours and waving your Donegal flags. Darach and Caolan both played football for Scoil Íosagáin while at primary school and even then, their potential as county footballers was clear to be seen. We are extremely proud of both of them and what they have achieved to date. We want to wish them the very best for next Sunday. We know that they will play their hearts out and we can assure you that we will sing our hearts out! Dún na nGall abú!

Under Age Training

U6 Football 6.30-7.30pm Friday Scarvey

U8 Football Tuesday 7-8pm and Friday 6.30-7.30pm Scarvey

U8 Hurling 11-12 Sunday Scarvey

U10 Football returns to normal time Scarvey

U10 Hurling 11-12 Sunday Scarvey

U12 Football 7-8pm Monday & Friday Scarvey

U12 Hurling 7-8pm Tuesday Scarvey

U14 Football Monday 12-1, Wednesday 12-1, Friday 7-8.30 Scarvey

U12/U14 Girls Football 7-8pm Mondays Scarvey

U16 Girls Football 5-6.30pm Tuesdays Scarvey

Girl’s underage training resumes this Monday night at 7pm. All girls from 10 years on are invited to attend.

All players of our Girls U13 team should be at training on Monday night where details of our game against Convoy will be given out.

Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention is everyone’s business. The HSE, in partnership with Donegal GAA and other organisations is developing a Suicide Prevention Action Plan for County Donegal, working with the National Office for Suicide Prevention. We want as many people as possible to have their say about what should be included in the plan. You can print off and complete the questionnaire from our FB page or answer the questions online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/donegalsuicideprevention

Donegal Hospice

Buncrana GAA is hosting an All-Ireland Coffee Morning in O’Flahertys Bar next Friday, 19th Sept between 10am – 2pm. Come along and give the Buncrana boys a big send off. Anyone wishing to help out or do a bit of baking contact Aine on 0863953380. All proceeds go to the Donegal Hospice.

Club Lotto

Weekly Lotto draw took place in the Clubhouse on Friday night. Thanks to everyone who entered or sold tickets for it. There was no winner last week and the numbers drawn were 14, 17, 22, 27. The Jackpot next week will be a whopping €4,400! It would be nice to win that and hopefully add a win for Donegal in the Senior and Minor Finals too! The lucky winner of the August monthly draw for €500 was Ange Gallanagh from the Blackfarm. Lotto sellers always wanted so contact Treasurer or Chair Sean Clerkin for more info.

Club Notes: Anyone who would like to receive a copy of the weekly club notes should email Jim at buncrana.pro@gmail.com to be included on the mailing list. If you have any items which you think should be included in the club’s weekly notes, please email Jim at buncrana.pro@gmail.com by 6pm on each Sunday for consideration. To keep up to date with all the latest goings-on, please join us on www.facebook.com/buncranagaa or www.twitter.com/buncranagaa @buncranagaa, or visit our website www.buncranagaa.com.