Monday, April 21st
50/50 Draw: Congratulations to Alison Smith on winning the jackpot prize of €2,000 in the latest 50/50 club draw which was held in Henry’s Haven on Easter Sunday night. Over the past number of weeks, the club has given out almost €13,000 in prizemoney. A big thank you to those of you who support the draw online or through ticket sales in the various premises around the town. We are extremely grateful to Conway’s Corner House, Henry’s Haven, Berry’s Tavern, Monica’s Bar, Hegarty’s Centra, Scollan’s Gala (The Post Office), Jinny’s Tearooms & The Credit Union for facilitating the sale of tickets in their premises. A special thank you to the draw organisers who put in a huge effort on a weekly basis to ensure things run smoothly.
25 Card Drive: The final 25 Card Drive of the current season will take place in Áras Pádraig on Sunday night next, April 27th. Many thanks to those card players who attend and to the organisers who make it a very enjoyable night for all concerned.
Club Meeting: A club meeting will be held in the clubhouse on Thursday, April 24th at 9.00pm. Please make every effort to attend.
Underage: In the Barna Recycling U-13 League our Div. 1 team travel to Kinlough to take on Melvin Gaels on Thursday, April 24th while on the following evening, Friday, April 25th the Div. 3 team face an away fixture against Glencar/Manorhamilton in the same competition. Both games throw in at 7.00pm. The North West Tool Hire U-15 Div. 2 League sees Allen Gaels travel to Aughavas to face local side, St. Joseph’s with the throw-in at 7.30pm. Or U-17 team make the short trip to top of the table Annaduff on Thursday evening, April 24th in Div. 1 of the Westlink Coaches League. The game starts at 7.00pm.
Girls Underage: Our U-16 Girls complete their Div. 1 league campaign on Wednesday, April 30th with a home game against Glencar/Manorhamilton. Let’s hope they can finish the league with a victory. Meanwhile the U-14 Girls have a home game against Melvin Gaels on Wednesday evening, April 23rd in the U-14 Div. 1 League with both sides looking for their first victory. Both games commence at 7.00pm.
St. Francis Ladies: The Ladies team travelled to Ballintogher on Sunday morning last and recorded their first win in Group 1 of the Spring league against Drumkeeran. They are in action again on Sunday next, April 27th with an away fixture against St. Joseph’s. Throw-in is at 11.00am.
Spring League: Round 4 of the Spring League Div. 1 takes place on Saturday evening next, April 26th with our senior team playing an away game against Drumkeeran. The action commences at 7.00pm.
Reserve League: The Reserve League Div. 3 resumes on Sunday next, April 27th with our Junior team entertaining Gortlettragh at 1.00pm in Shane McGettigan Park.
County News: Congratulations to the Leitrim Minor team on winning the Connacht Championship Shield Final when they defeated Sligo in Kilcoyne Park, Tobercurry last Friday evening. Leitrim dominated the game throughout and were deserving winners on a score-
line of 4-11 to 2-12. Well done to Daire McCabe and Senan McGowan who lined out in the final and to panel members Mark Nolan, Daniel Gilrane, Rhionn Gallagher & Oisín McGarry. Dr. Hyde Park was the setting for the Connacht Championship U-20 meeting of Roscommon and Leitrim last week with the home side recording a comprehensive victory in a one-sided affair. Leitrim now contest the Connacht Shield Final against Galway in Kiltoom on Wednesday, April 23rd with a 6.30pm start. In the Connacht Senior Championship, a plucky Leitrim side put up a brave display before losing to Mayo by 7 points in Páirc Seán last Sunday. The home team gave a fine first-half display and matched Mayo throughout with a single point separating the teams at half-time. Mayo dominated possession and took some fine scores in the second-half but a young, inexperienced Leitrm side made them work hard for their victory with a very gutsy performance. Midfielder, Barry McNulty, stood head and shoulders above every other player on the field and was a very deserving winner of the Man of the Match award. The new Páirc Seán pitch looked resplendent and is a credit to all who played a part in its development.
Monday, April 14th
50/50 Draw: Congratulations to Keith Chambers, Dristernan, who won the jackpot of €1,790 in last week’s 50/50 Draw, which took place in Conway’s Corner House. This week’s draw will be held in Henry’s Haven on Saturday next, April 19th with a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €2,000. Tickets may be purchased online or through the usual outlets around the town.
25 Card Drive: The weekly 25 Card Drive takes place every Sunday evening in Áras Pádraig at 8.30. A very enjoyable night is guaranteed with light refreshments provided.
Thank You: The club extends a very heartfelt thank you to all those who played a part as the club hosted two Connacht Championship games last week at minor and U-20 level. Your contribution in various roles such as parking, stewarding, catering etc. presented the club in a very positive light and the feedback received regarding the venue and its facilities was most encouraging. Míle Buíochas.
Spring League: Well done to our senior team who travelled to Manorhamilton last Saturday evening and recorded a fine victory over the home side in Div. 1B of the Spring League. The team continue their campaign when they visit Drumkeeran for Round 4 of the competition on Saturday, April 26th with the throw-in at 7.00pm.
U-13 Leagues: It was a busy week in the Barna Recycling Leagues when we had three teams competing in their respective divisions. The Div. 1 team had a good win against St. Brigid’s in their opening game and travel to Gortlettragh on Tuesday, Apr. 22nd to face Rinn Gaels in the next round. The Div. 2 team went down to a goal-hungry Mohill outfit in their home fixture on Thursday last. Hopefully they can turn things round when they face the long trip to Kinlough to play Melvin Gaels on Thursday, April 24th. In a tight encounter the Div. 3 team lost narrowly to MacCumhaill’s (a combination of Leitrim Gaels & Kiltubrid) in Shane McGettigan Park also on Thursday last. They face an away game against Glencar/Manorhamilton on Friday, April 25th in the next round.
U-15 League: After a fine win over Drumkeeran in their opening game of the Div. 2 North West Tool Hire U-15 League, Allen Gaels were brought back down to earth when going under to Dromahair in St. Osnat’s last Monday evening. Their next outing in this competition sees them travel to Aughavas to take on St. Joseph’s on Monday, April 28th with the throw-in at 7.30pm.
St. Francis: The ladies resume their Spring League Group 1 campaign with an away game against Drumkeeran on Sunday next, April 20th. The action begins at 11.00am.
County News: Two very entertaining and high-scoring games were hosted in Shane McGettigan Park last week in glorious conditions. On Wednesday evening the County U-20 team put in a fine performance against Sligo in the Connacht Championship, just losing out by four points. Oran Foley, the only Allen Gaels player on the panel, came on in the second half as Leitrim closed in on that Sligo lead. Once again the summer-like conditions prevailed last Friday evening as the Leitrim minors faced neighbours, Roscommon in the Connacht Minor Championship. Two late injury-time points saw Roscommon over the line in an extremely tight finish. There were strong performances from our two club representatives, captain, Daire McCabe and Senan McGowan.
County Seniors: All roads lead to Páirc Seán MacDiarmada on Saturday afternoon next, April 19th, as Leitrim host Mayo in the Connacht Senior Football Championship. After a very disappointing league campaign, which saw Leitrim return to Div. 4 of the NFL, hopes are not high within the county of a Leitrim win. Nevertheless, we wish the team every success as they take on a highly-fancied Mayo outfit. Tickets may be purchased online or through selected Supervalu & Centra stores.
Monday, April 7th
50/50 Draw: Congratulations to Gerry Healy who won last week’s jackpot of €1,955 in our 50/50 Draw. This week’s jackpot will once again be a guaranteed minimum of €1.500. You can enter by purchasing a ticket in the usual outlets or online through the Allen Gaels App.
25 Card Drive: The weekly 25 Card Drive takes place every Sunday night at 8.30 in Áras Pádraig. A very enjoyable night is guaranteed for all enthusiastic card players with refreshments provided.
U-17: Goals win games and this was certainly the case in Shane McGettigan Park last Thursday evening when Allen Gaels hosted St. Mary’s in this Div. 1 clash of the U-17 League. Despite each side recording sixteen scores, the visitors ran out winners on a score-line of 0-16 to 4-12. The team are not in action again until April 24th when they travel to Annaduff.
Reserve League: Sunday last, April 6th, saw the start of the Reserve League Division 3 fixtures with the Gaels travelling to Aughawillan. A close encounter saw the sides share the spoils on a score line of 2-13 to 3-10. The team takes the field again on April 27th when we host Gortlettragh at 1.00pm.
U-13: A busy night on Thursday next, April 10th, with both U-13 teams beginning their Barna Recycling League campaigns. The Div. 2 team start proceedings at 6.15 when they host Mohill while the Div. 3 team entertain MacCumhaill’s (an amalgamation of Kiltubrid & Leitrim Gaels) immediately afterwards with the throw-in at 7.50pm.
Spring League: The senior team travel to Boggaun to take on Glencar/Manor. in Round 3 of the Spring League Div. 1B on Saturday next, April 12th. The action gets underway at 6.30pm.
St. Francis: The Ladies team just lost out by 2pts. in Round 2 of the Spring League Group 1 last Sunday morning in Drumshanbo. Final score was St. Francis 4-05, Seán O Heslin’s, Ballinamore 3-10. The Girls are in action again on Easter Sunday, April 20th when they travel to Drumkeeran with the throw-in at 11.00am.
County News: The Co. U-20 team suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Mayo last Wednesday evening in McHale Park, Castlebar in the Connacht Championship. Their next game in the competition is on Wednesday, April 9th in Shane McGettigan Park, Drumshanbo with Sligo providing the opposition. Throw-in is at 6.30pm. Two days later on Friday, April 11th the same venue hosts the Connacht Minor Championship clash of Leitrim and Roscommon with the action commencing at 6.30pm.
Monday, March 31st
50/50 Draw: Congratulations to Adrian Flood who won last week’s 50/50 Draw jackpot of €1910. In the last three weeks we have now given away a total of €6,200 to three lucky winners. This week’s draw takes place on Saturday evening next with a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €1,500. If you’re not in, you can’t win so be sure to purchase your ticket at the usual outlets or online through the Allen Gaels App.
25 Card Drive: The weekly 25 Card Drive takes place every Sunday evening at 8.30pm in Áras Pádraig. A very enjoyable night with refreshments provided.
Spring League: Round two of the Spring League Div. 1B was played last Saturday Evening when we hosted Fenagh, St. Caillin’s. In a close encounter, Fenagh emerged as winners on a 3-05 to 0-16 score-line.
St. Francis: Our ladies team travelled to Boggaun last Sunday morning to face Glencar/Manor in the opening round of their Spring League Group 1 campaign. Unfortunately, things didn’t go their way as the home side took the spoils with a 10pt. victory. Hopefully, the girls can get a win when they entertain Ballinamore in Shane McGettigan Park next Sunday morning at 11.00am.
Reserve League: The Div. 3 Reserve League commences on Sunday next, April 6th when the team travels to Aughawillan to take on the home side at 1.00pm.
U-15: Div. 2 of the U-15 League got underway on Monday last with the Allen Gaels lads recording a comprehensive victory over Drumkeerin in their opening match. The final score was 4-12 to 1-04.
U-17: The Westlink Coaches U-17 League, Div. 1, gets underway on Thursday next, April 3rd when the lads have a home fixture against St. Mary’s with the throw-in at 6.45pm.
U-13: Our U-13 team begin their Barna Recycling League Div. 1 campaign with a home fixture against St. Brigid’s on Tuesday, April 8th. Throw-in is at 7.00pm.
Girls U-14: On Wednesday, April 9th the U-14 Girls begin their U-14 League fixtures with a home game against Annaduff at 7.00pm.
County News: The Co. U-20 team continue their Connacht Championship run when they travel to McHale Park, Castlebar on Wednesday, April 2nd to challenge Mayo. The game begins at 6.15pm. The following week Leitrim host Sligo on Wednesday, April 9th in Cloone with a 6.30 start.
Leitrim Ladies: The Div. 4 semi-final of the Lidl National Football League proved to be a close encounter with Antrim just edging it by 4pts, the exact same margin as in their earlier league clash. Early Antrim goals were crucial as they ran out winners on a score-line of 5-08 to 3-10. The result means that Leitrim will remain in Div. 4 for next season.
Monday, March 24th
50/50 Draw: Congratulations to Seamus Keane, Dristernan, on winning the jackpot prize of €2065 in our 50/50 Draw which was held last Saturday evening. This week’s draw, which takes place on Saturday evening next, will once again have a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €1,500. Tickets priced at €5 each, 3 for €10 or 7 for €20 are available online through the Allen Gaels App or from the usual outlets around town.
Spring League: The Gaels launched their Div. 1B Spring League campaign with a fine home win over Mohill last Saturday evening. The game was somewhat overshadowed by a serious arm injury to Mohill player, Shane Quinn. The club extends its warm wishes to Shane and we hope he makes a speedy recovery. Our next fixture in this competition takes place on Saturday evening, March 29th when we host Fenaghh St. Caillin’s in Shane McGettigan Park. Throw-in is at 5.00pm.
U-16 Girls: After suffering two heavy defeats in their opening two games of League Div. 1, the U-16 Girls showed great character and determination in Mohill last Sunday morning to defeat the home side on a score line of 3-07 to 3-10. The girls have a break now until April 30th when they host Glencar/Manor in their final game of the league.
St. Francis Ladies: Group 1 of the Ladies Spring League commences on Sunday next, March 30th when St. Francis Ladies travel to Boggaun to take on Glencar/Manor. Throw-in is at 11.00am.
Leitrim Ladies: Having completed their league campaign, Leitrim Ladies have qualified for the Div. 4 semi-final and travel to Kingscourt to face the challenge of table-toppers, Antrim. The girls will be anxious to avenge their defeat to the same opposition last month and qualify for the final. Best of luck to the All-Ireland Intermediate champions and to our two St. Francis players, Michelle & Lauryn.
County News: It was a tough week for Leitrim football both on and off the field of play last week. The county certainly made the headlines and in some cases not very pleasant commentary, following last week’s non-fixture against Fermanagh in the National Football League. On the playing front, our Senior team finished its league campaign with a very heavy defeat against neighbours, Sligo. Our league campaign certainly does not bode well for our upcoming Connacht Championship game against either Mayo or Sligo which takes place on the weekend of April 19th/20th.
County Underage: Both the County U-20 & Minor teams suffered defeats at the hands of Galway opposition in their respective Connacht Championship first round games last week. By a strange coincidence the margin of defeat in both games was eleven points. The Minor team take the field again on Friday next, March 28th at 5.30pm when they travel to Ballina to take on Mayo. We wish the team and our five representatives, Daire McCabe, Senan McGowan, Mark Nolan, Rhionn Gallagher & Daniel Gilrane the very best of luck in Round 2 of the competition. Similarly, we send best wishes to the U-20 team and our sole Allen Gaels representative, Oran Foley along with team physio, Martin Raftery when they face Mayo on Wednesday, April 2nd in McHale Park, Castlebar.
Monday, March 17th
50/50 Draw: The club’s first 50/50 Draw took place last Sunday, March 16th in Conway’s Corner House. The jackpot was set at €1,500 but because of the level of interest and a surge in ticket sales that figure more than doubled and rose to €3,125. Congratulations to our first winner of the jackpot, Betty Cannon, Dristernan, who was presented with her cheque on St. Patrick’s Day. This week’s draw, which will take place on Saturday next, March 22nd will once again have a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €1,500 but will certainly well exceed that figure, depending on ticket sales. Tickets, which cost €5 each, 3 for €10 or 7 for €20, are available online or at the usual outlets.
Tony McGowan Run: The club extends a huge thank you to the Tony McGowan Run Committee for their generosity in donating a cheque to the value of €13,000 to Allen Gaels. Rest assured the funds raised will be put to good use for club development going forward. The event was a huge success yet again and special thanks to Áine Cull & Tonita McKeon who represented Allen Gaels on the committee. Many thanks to the Allen Gaels volunteers who played a vital role in making the day such a success.
Spring League: Allen Gaels kick off their Spring League campaign on Saturday next, March 22nd with a home game against Mohill in Div. 1B of the competition. Throw-in is at 5.00pm.
County News: There was much discussion and debate during the week about Leitrim’s failure to fulfil their NFL Div. 3 fixture against Fermanagh in Ballinamore last weekend. A combination of factors including the unavailability of players, a glut of injuries and the proximity of the Connacht U-20 championship left Leitrim in the unfortunate position of being unable to field a team. Hopefully, the situation will have improved by next weekend when the team conclude their league campaign on Sunday next against Sligo in Markievicz Park with the throw-in at 2.00pm.
County Underage: Both the county U-20 & Minor teams begin their Connacht Championship campaigns with home fixtures against Galway in both codes. The U-20 team entertain the Tribesmen in Cloone on Wednesday evening at 7.00pm while the Minor team, including Daire McCabe, Senan McGowan, Mark Nolan, Daniel Gilrane & Rhionn Gallagher from Allen Gaels, face Galway also in Cloone on Friday next again with a 7.00pm start.
Monday, March 10th
50/50 Draw: As you are aware the club is changing over to a 50/50 Lotto draw with the first draw taking place in Conway’s Corner House on March 16th. Tickets have been selling very well and to such an extent that the guaranteed minimum jackpot, which must be won on the night, has increased from €1,500 to €2,000. Tickets are available at all the usual outlets or online using the new Allen Gaels App.
Reminder: Registration is now overdue for all players and may be completed online through Foireann.ie. Any player who is not registered by Friday, March 14th is not allowed to partake in training or playing. For further information or for any issues arising in relation to registration please contact Seán Lynch (087 384 0950) or Áine Flood (087 167 8562).
Pre-Loved Gear: A collection of pre-loved Allen Gaels, St. Francis & Leitrim gear (shorts, jerseys, training tops, sweatshirts) and football boots took place in the Clubhouse on Saturday last, March 8th. If you have items to donate that are in good condition you can still do so by contacting Kathleen Canning.
U-16 Girls: Last Sunday morning saw the U-16 Girls begin their league campaign with a home fixture against St. Mary’s. Unfortunately, things didn’t go their way with the St. Mary’s girls emerging victorious.
Congratulations: It’s a rare occurrence for a Leitrim team to win an All-Ireland title but St. Clare’s Comprehensive School did the county proud in Tuam last Saturday when they defeated Ennistymon CS to lift the All-Ireland Schools Senior C title. In an enthralling encounter, which went to extra-time, St. Clare’s prevailed and edged out the Munster side by 4pts.
Sympathy: The club extends its sincere sympathy to the English & Finlay families, on the sad passing of their beloved Myra and to the Price family on the sad passing of their cherished father, Dessy. Faoi bhrat Mhuire go raibh siad.
Monday, March 3rd
Club Lotto: There was no winner of last week’s jackpot. The numbers drawn were 16, 26, 10 & 14. Lucky Dip winners of €20 each were Evan Foley, Emma McCawley, Sandra Moran, Áine Cull & Geraldine Heeran. Prizes may be collected in Hegarty’s Centra from Thursday following the draw. The club is currently changing over to a 50/50 draw with the first draw under the new system taking place in Conway’s on Saturday, March 16th. Many thanks for your continued support and to those businesses who have stocked our Lotto envelopes over many years.
50/50 Draw: The club is changing over to a 50/50 draw. Tickets are currently on sale from the usual outlets around town and may also be purchased, online from our new Club App. The draw will take place every Saturday night with the first draw being held in Conway’s on Saturday, March 16th. There will be a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €1,500 on the night. Tickets are priced as follows; 1 for €5, 3 for €10, 7 for €20 & Annual Ticket for €250. Remember, if you’re not in, you can’t win. Anyone who has an Auto Renewal Ticket with Clubforce is advised to cancel it with immediate effect. The club will be making contact with all those who have draws remaining on their annual tickets over the coming days.
The 2 Johnnies: Drumshanbo’s 2 Johnnies (John McKeon & John Moran) have organised a spinathon which is taking place in Drumshanbo on Sunday, March 16th and which will coincide with Drumshanbo’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. All funds raised on the day will go to The Irish Pilgrimage Trust to help bring local children to Lourdes. Donations may be made online through idonate or on the day itself. Your support would be greatly appreciated for this very worthy cause.
Quid Games: Former club player, Declan Gilhooly, is currently clocking up the miles to enable him to participate in the upcoming Leitrim GAA/LGFA Quid Games fundraiser which takes place in The Landmark Hotel on Sunday night, May 16th. By competing in this event, Declan has the chance of winning €5,000 for Allen Gaels. If you wish to support Declan, you may do so by going to his I donate page or through Allen Gaels social media channels.
County News: A much-improved Leitrim side battled bravely before losing out to Offaly in Round 5 of the Allianz league in Ballinamore last Sunday afternoon. Leitrim raced into a five- point lead in the early stages of the first half but an Offaly goal in injury-time gave the visitors a half-time lead. A Darren Cox goal 10mins from full-time brought the lead back to 2pts but two late points gave the Leinster side a 4pt victory.
Leitrim Ladies: Leitrim Ladies looked home and dry as they led by 3pts going into the final minutes of this National Football League, Div. 4 clash in Kiltubrid last Sunday. However, the Longford girls struck three late points to clinch a nail-biting draw in a very close and hard-fought game. The final score was Leitrim 0-16, Longford 1-13.
Monday, February 24th
Club Lotto: There was no winner of last week’s jackpot of €4,600. The numbers drawn were 28, 1, 11 & 12. Lucky Dip winners of €20 each were, Ciarán McMorrow, Neil Nolan, Noel McPartland, Shane Connaire & Betty Cannon. Prizes may be collected in Hegarty’s Centra from Thursday following the draw. Next week’s jackpot will stand at €4,700. Many thanks for your continued support and to those businesses who stock our Lotto envelopes.
Use of Gym: The HSE will be using the gym every Tuesday & Thursday morning from 9.00am to 1.00pm, until May 9th of this year. If possible, please avoid using the gym facilities during these hours. Míle buíochas.
New Club App: The club is in the process of adopting a new club App which will involve moving from the traditional Club Lotto Draw to adopting a new 50/50 fundraising draw. With this in mind, a demonstration of the new App took place in the clubhouse on Tuesday evening last. Many clubs around the county have adopted this new App and new method of fundraising with great success. The introduction of this new system of funding will involve a good deal of work and the club is appealing to all members to get involved and help out with the 50/50 draw. Many hands make light work. Further details to follow.
County News: Unfortunately, the Co. Senior team suffered their fourth successive defeat in Div. 3 of the National Football League last Saturday in Corrigan Park, Belfast. Four 1st half goals from the Antrim men gave them an unassailable half-time lead and they eventually ran out comfortable winners. Next Sunday, March 2nd, Leitrim host Offaly in Ballinamore in Round 5 of the competition.
Leitrim Ladies: After three successive victories the Leitrim Ladies momentum came to a shuddering halt against Antrim in Belfast last Sunday morning. Despite Leitrim registering more scores than the opposition the Antrim goals made the difference in the end. Final score was Antrim 3-08, Leitrim 1-11. The Leitrim girls will hope to get back to winning ways next Sunday morning, March 2nd, when they entertain Longford in Kiltubrid.
Sympathy: The club extends its sincere sympathy to the McDowell family, Ballinaglera, on the sad and sudden passing of their beloved James last week. James was a much-loved coach whose knowledge and expertise was highly respected and appreciated in clubs and schools all over the county. Go raibh leaba I measc na naomh aige.
Monday, February 17th
Club Lotto: There was no winner of last week’s jackpot of €4,500. Lucky Dip winners of €20 each were Noel McPartland, Aoife Greer, Irene McGovern, Tony Conway (Arigna), & John Reynolds (Arigna). Winnings may be collected in Hegarty’s Centra from Thursday following the draw. This week’s jackpot will stand at €4,600. Many thanks for your continued support and to those businesses who stock our Lotto envelopes.
Tony McGowan Run: Congratulations to the organising committee of the annual Tony McGowan Run which took place in dry but overcast conditions last Sunday morning. The event was a huge success with over 1,600 athletes from all over the country taking part. The winner of the half-marathon was Shane Begley in a time of 1hr. 17mins., while the winner of the 10k race was Ciaran Cox coming home in a time of 35mins. 10secs. First home in the 5k event was Peter Gilmartin with a time of 17mins. 33secs. In the 5k event the first Allen Gaels person over the line was Patrick Keane in a time of 20mins. 42secs., with Brian Kielty being the first Allen Gaels participant to cross the line in the 10k event, with a time of 40mins. 57secs. A huge thank you to all the Allen Gaels members who gave their time as volunteers in various capacities such as registration, stewarding, car-parking and catering. Your contribution on the day played a major role in the smooth running of the event.
County News: Once again it was a tough day at the office for the Leitrim senior footballers in Div. 3 of the National Football League. Kildare proved much too strong for a young Leitrim side, building up a big half-time lead before running out easy winners on a score line of 1-27 to 0-07. Leitrim travel to Corrigan Park, Belfast on Saturday next, Feb. 22nd to take on Antrim in round 4 of the competition.
Leitrim Ladies: In a very one-sided affair last Sunday, the Leitrim Ladies recorded their third consecutive win, in Div. 4 of the Lidl National Football League. The Kilkenny girls were simply no match for a rampant Leitrim side as the final score of 6-19 to 0-02 suggests. The All-Ireland Intermediate champions will be hoping to make it four in a row next Sunday, Feb. 23rd when they travel up north to face Antrim.
Sympathy: The club extends its sincere sympathy to the Raftery family on the sudden and tragic passing of Peter Raftery, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge, Co. Galway, brother of Michael who served as a Gárda in Drumshanbo for many years and uncle of club player, Martin. Go raibh leaba i measc na naomh aige.
Monday, February 10th
Club Lotto: There was no winner of last week’s jackpot of €4,400. Lucky Dip winners of €20 each were Ciara & Conor Tiernan, Síle Tighe, Emma McCawley, Bernard Brady & Evan Foley. Winnings may be collected in Hegarty’s Centra from the Thursday following the draw. This week’s jackpot will stand at €4,500. Many thanks for your continued support and to those businesses who stock our Lotto envelopes.
Membership: Club membership is now due for all members. If you wish to renew your membership online, you may do so at Foireann.ie. If you have any issues with your online renewal, please contact Sean Lynch, Aine flood or Berni Lynch. If you prefer to renew membership in person, you may do so on Friday next, Feb. 14th between 7.00pm and 8.00pm in the clubhouse.
Tony McGowan Run: All roads lead to Drumshanbo on Sunday next, Feb. 16th for the annual Tony McGowan run. Huge numbers have registered and the action gets underway at 10.00am. If you are available to volunteer for a couple of hours on Sunday next, please contact any of the organising committee. Allen Gaels volunteers will be on duty in The Mayflower from 7.00am so can we ask you to drop off any food donations between 7.00am and 9.00am to avoid traffic congestion at the venue. Please put your name under any non-disposable dish so it can be safely returned to you.
Congratulations: The club extends its warmest congratulations to Eamonn McGowan on receiving yet another award for his contribution to Allen Gaels. Last Saturday night at the Leitrim Sports Partnership Awards, which was held in The Landmark Hotel, Eamonn was presented with the Club Volunteer of the Year Award. This is in recognition of Eamonn’s outstanding dedication, commitment and loyalty to Allen Gaels in 2024. Eamonn has been a shining example to all over many years and his work and input as a volunteer for the club can never be measured. Comhghairdeas leat, Eamonn.
County News: It was a disappointing day for our senior team last Saturday in Ballinamore with Laois running out comprehensive winners in this Div. 3 clash of the National Football League. Three Laois goals in the first eight minutes essentially finished this game as a contest as they raced into a 3-12 to 0-02 half-time lead. A very young and experienced Leitrim side gave every effort but were no match for their Leinster rivals in a one-sided contest. Leitrim host Kildare in Ballinamore next Sunday in round three of the NFL with the throw-in at 2.00pm.
Leitrim Ladies: The Ladies team had a narrow, hard-fought victory over Wicklow in Bray last Sunday in Round 3 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League on a score line of 3-04 to 1-11. The girls will hope to make it three wins in a row when they entertain Kilkenny at a venue yet to be confirmed. Throw-in is at 2.00.
Quid Games: Former player, Declan Gilhooly, will be representing Allen Gaels in the forthcoming Quid Games fundraiser which is being organised by Leitrim GAA & LGFA. The event takes place in The Landmark Hotel on Sunday, March 16th when the various contestants will complete challenges to see who emerges victorious and claim the top prize of €5,000 for their chosen club. However, prior to this, each contestant has been tasked with raising at least €2,000 and those who raise the most have a better chance of winning. As part of his fundraising effort, Declan has set himself the challenge of running 210km, the equivalent of five marathons between now and the day of the event. This will entail 28 runs of 7.5km finishing on the 16th of March on the Boardwalk, Drumshanbo. If you wish to support Declan in reaching his target you may do so by going to his I donate page or through Allen Gaels social media channels.
Gear & boot Collection: The collection of pre-loved Allen Gaels / St. Francis / Leitrim gear & boots in good condition will take place in the clubhouse this Friday, Feb. 14th between 7.00pm & 8.00pm, to coincide with club membership registration. Gear & football bootsmay be left in the home dressing room. Míle buíochas.
Monday, February 3rd
Dinner Dance: Congratulations to the organising committee of the St. Francis Ladies/Allen Gaels Dinner Dance, which was held in The Landmark Hotel on Sunday night, Feb. 2nd. The night was a tremendous success with the huge crowd in attendance generating a wonderful atmosphere. The double-winning St. Francis Ladies stole the show as they were paraded in to the dining-room with both trophies, receiving a standing ovation and rapturous welcome from all present. There were jubilant scenes of celebration as the ladies were presented with their medals by special guest and Leitrim player, Charlene Tyrell. Award winners on the night were as follows: Mothers & Others Most Improved Player, Victoria Stakelum. Mothers & Others Player of the Year, Sinéad Kielty. Minor Girls Most Improved Player, Katie Gilroy. Minor Girls Player of the Year, Ella Casey. St. Francis Ladies Junior Player of the Year, Shannon McTiernan. St. Francis Ladies Senior Player of the Year, Éilis Cornyn. Allen Gaels Junior Player of the Year, Eoin Guckian. Allen Gaels Senior Player of the Year, Adrian Sorohan. The biggest cheer and loudest applause of the night was reserved for Eamonn McGowan who was chosen as the Club Person of the Year. Eamonn’s award is in recognition of a lifetime’s dedication & commitment in various roles and over several decades to Allen Gaels GAA Club. Richly deserved Eamonn. Comhghairdeas leat. There were also presentations to the management team of St. Francis Ladies, Ray McBrien, Dylan McGowan & Ann Flood and to the Allen Gaels management team of James Flynn & Stephen Tiernan. In her address to the gathering, Chairperson Berni Lynch thanked players, coaches, fellow officers and volunteers for their valiant efforts over the past year. Congratulations Berni, on a wonderfully inspiring address and the hugely important role you play in all club matters. Once again, well done to the organising committee for a thoroughly enjoyable night.
Tony McGowan Run: Just over a week to go now until the big event as the organisers make their final preparations. Over 1,500 participants have registered and the action gets underway at 10.00am on Sunday morning, February 16th. If you are free to lend a hand in any capacity, please let the committee know.
Gear & Boot Swap: Before the underage season gets underway, the club is organising a pre-loved gear & boot swap. If you have any football boots, Allen Gaels/St. Francis/Leitrim gear that is in good condition and that you no longer need and are willing to donate to the club, please set it aside. Further information to follow.
Congratulations: The club extends its warmest congratulations to club player Ryan Higgins and his wife, Aoife on the birth of their baby daughter, Éabha.
County News: Leitrim began their National Football League, Division 3 campaign last Sunday in Cusack Park, Ennis, but the home side were comfortable winners. Leitrim fielded a very young and inexperienced side under their new manager, Stephen Poacher, due to the non-availability of several regulars and other players recovering from injury. Clare led by nine points at half-time but the Leitrim lads fought back early in the 2nd half to reduce the gap. However, two Clare goals in the latter stages made a big difference to the score line and Clare eased to a 2-17 to 0-10 victory. Their next outing is the re-scheduled game against Laois which takes place next Saturday, Feb. 8th in Ballinamore at 2.30pm.
Leitrim Ladies: After a disappointing showing against Fermanagh last week, the All-Ireland Intermediate champions bounced back and cruised to a comprehensive victory over Derry in the Lidl Ladies NFL Division 4 clash. The game was played in Kiltubrid last Sunday and ended on a score line of Leitrim 3-13, Derry 1-05. The girls travel to Bray next Sunday, Feb. 9th to take on Wicklow.
Monday, January 27th
Sponsorship: Many thanks to Niall Scollan Cars for the recent sponsorship of a set of training tops for the U-17 team. We greatly appreciate Niall’s generous gesture.
Dinner Dance: A reminder that the St. Francis Ladies/Allen Gaels Dinner Dance takes place on Sunday night next, February 2nd in The Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, commencing at 7.30. It’s the biggest social night in the club’s annual calendar so don’t miss out as tickets are selling fast. There will be several presentations on the night including the Ladies Intermediate Championship & League medals, the Ladies Senior, Junior & Minor Player of the Year awards, the Allen Gaels Senior & Junior Player of the Year awards, the Allen Gaels Mother & Other Player of the Year awards and the Allen Gaels Club Person of the Year awards. Tickets costing €50 each can be obtained by contacting any of the organising committee which includes Berni Lynch, Sinéad Dolan, Paddy Higgins, Ann Flood, Kevin Moran, Annette Reynolds & Ríona Gilgunn.
Cancellation: The Community Engagement meeting with An Garda Síochána which was due to take place last Thursday night, Jan. 23rd was cancelled due to the bad weather forecast.
Leitrim Fixture: The National League Div. 3 fixture involving Leitrim v Laois which was to be held in Ballinamore last Saturday afternoon was cancelled due to the effects of Storm Éowyn. The game was re-scheduled for Saturday afternoon but was once again called off due to electrical issues as a result of the storm.
Underage Coaches: Please note that on Tuesday evening, Feb. 4th, in the Allen Gaels Clubhouse, the club will be appointing coaches for our underage teams in the following age groups: (1) Boys U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15 & U17. (2) Girls U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16 & U-18. We are looking for at least 4 coaches for each group. This is to ensure that at no stage will there be a coach on their own coaching children and that training hasn’t to be cancelled due to the unavailability of a coach. For girl’s teams it is imperative that at least 2 adult female coaches are on the management team to ensure there is always an adult female present at training and matches. Coaches will be selected on the night but not ratified until Garda Vetting & Child Safeguarding is complete. Any coach without this requirement will not be permitted to coach. This is the law and cannot be ignored by the club. The club expects all coaches to have at least the Foundation Coaching Course completed. Leitrim County Board will be rolling out these courses in early 2025. If it’s a case where 2management teams are proposed for the same group, as in previous years a secret ballot will take place on the night in order to choose the management team. Nomination forms are available from Damien McCabe on 087 291 1778. Closing date for nominations is Wednesday, Jan. 29th at 8.00pm.
Tony McGowan Run: The organising committee of the Tony McGowan Run are busy making their final preparations for the big day which takes place on Sunday, Feb. 16th. If any Allen Gaels members are free to help out on the day, the committee would be delighted to hear from you.
Sympathy: The club extends its sincere sympathy to the Wynne family, Paul, Alan, Ricki, & Brian and to the McGowan family, Kiltyclogher, on the recent sad passing of your beloved Margaret. Go raibh leaba I measc na naomh aici.
Monday, January 20th
Dinner Dance: The Allen Gaels / St. Francis Ladies 2025 Dinner Dance will be held in The Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday, February 2nd. Tickets are now on sale at €50 each. Doors open at 6.45pm and dinner commences at 7.30pm. The following presentations will be made on the night: St. Francis Ladies league & championship medals, Minor, Junior & Senior Ladies Player of the Year, Junior & Senior Men’s Player of the Year, Mothers and Others Player of the Year and Club Person of the Year. The following day, Monday February 3rd , is a Bank Holiday so hopefully there will be a good attendance for what should be a very enjoyable and memorable night.
Fundraiser: Following a club charity game which took place on St. Stephen’s Day, a cheque for €2,000 was presented to the Smith Family to help with ongoing medical bills for newly-born baby Harrison. Well done to the Allen Gaels & St. Francis players for organising and participating in this very worthwhile event. We send our prayers and best wishes to Baby Harrison.
Tony McGowan Run: This year’s Tony McGowan Run takes place on Sunday, February 16th with the Half-Marathon commencing at 10.00am, the 10K race at 10.30am and the 5K event at 10.45am. Over 1,400 participants are expected to take part. The Half-Marathon and the 10K races are sold out but there are still some places available in the 5K race. Of course, the event is also open to walkers. The proceeds from this year’s event will go to the Baby Harrison Smith Fund. This is a huge event and the club is appealing to anyone who wishes to volunteer their services in the areas of catering, stewarding and traffic management, to contact the committee with your details.
Leitrim Ladies: It was the clash of champions last Sunday in the opening round of the Lidl LGFA National League Div. 4, when All-Ireland Intermediate champions, Leitrim, hosted All-Ireland Junior champions, Fermanagh, in Kiltubrid. However, the Fermanagh girls proved much superior on the day building up a healthy first-half lead. This was a much changed Leitrim team with several of the All-Ireland winning stars not available. Despite a pair of second-half Leitrim goals, the Fermanagh ladies ran out winners on a score line of 3-13 to 2-09.
Monday, January 13th
Club Lotto: The first draw of 2025 took place last Tuesday evening, Jan. 7th. There was no winner of last week’s jackpot of €4,000. Congratulations to our Christmas Draw winners, John Reynolds (Arigna), Josephine McTigue, Emer Lynch (Corryard Wood), Declan Lynch (Rooskey) & Donncha Lynch who win €200 each. Prizes may be collected in Hegarty’s Centra from Thursday following the draw. This week’s jackpot will stand at €4,100. Many thanks for your continued support and to those businesses who stock our Lotto envelopes.
Every Step Counts: Allen Gaels will take part in the Irish Life MyLife Every Step Counts Challenge 2025. The Challenge began on January 8th and runs until February 12th. The minimum goal of this challenge is to collectively hit at least 4,000km and be entered into the Connacht provincial draw. The more participants we have within our community, the faster we will hit that target – last year we hit it in one day. You can participate in the Challenge by downloading the MyLife app.
Club Members Draw: The following winners have been selected through Foireann using a random number generator and have won the following prizes in our Christmas Club Members Draw, Gareth Higgins (Jinny’s Voucher), Kathryn McGreevy (Bellz Voucher), Sharon McGourty, Ballinaglera (Gunpowder Gin), Alan McKeon (Bottle of Brandy), Cathríona McGourty (Bottle of Whiskey), Barta Orawiec (Bottle of Vodka), Aidan McKeon (Boxed Wine Set) & Patricia Keane (Box of Biscuits).
Wedding Bells: The club extends its warm congratulations to Aidan Heron on the occasion of his recent wedding in Perth, Western Australia. Aidan has always been a staunch supporter of Allen Gaels and Leitrim GAA over many decades. We wish Aidan and his new bride, Cheri, every happiness as they begin a new chapter in their lives.
Club Meeting: A club meeting will take place in the clubhouse at 8.30pm on Thursday next, January 15th. Please make every effort to be in attendance as important decisions will have to be made for the club going forward.