The countdown is on to the 40th staging of the Donegal Sports Star Awards which take place in the Mount Errigal Hotel on Friday, January 29th.
This is the biggest sports awards ceremony of its kind in the north-west and one of the biggest in Ireland. There were no shortage of sporting highlights during 2015. So, today we begin a series of articles, compiled by Donegal Sports Star Awards PRO Declan Kerr, that look back at each month in 2015. It makes for fascinating reading and you’ll be amazed at just how many big moments there actually were.
Today we look back at the month of April and the sporting highlights
A variety of sports including athletics, boxing, badminton, hockey, motorsport, soccer and GAA enjoyed terrific successes in the Donegal Sports Star Awards monthly review of April achievements. In athletics Finn Valley AC’s Aaron McGlynn made the qualifying time for the European Youth Olympic Games with a time of 49.97 in a 400m race in Cork while also achieving the qualifying time was his club colleague Sommer Lecky.
In the middle of the month Letterkenny AC took home an impressive nine medals from the National Road Relay Championships in Raheny, Dublin, which included six silver and three bronze. Silvers went to the Women’s Masters team of Jane McGinley, Fiounuala Diver and Irene McFadden along with Senior Ladies Anne Marie McGlynn, Natasha Adams and Sinead Peoples. Ciaran Doherty, Ivan Toner and Sean McFadden took bronze in the Masters Men’s race.
On the Gaelic Games front the resurgence of the Donegal senior ladies side continued as Davy McLaughlin’s finished top of Division 2 following a 4-8 to 2-12 win over Cavan in a play-off decider at Irvinestown while the County Minor Boys made it back-to-back Ulster League titles with a fine 2-14 to 1-11 victory over Derry at Healy Park in Omagh.
On the last night in April Jason Quigley’s unbeaten start to his professional boxing career continued as the 2013 Overall Donegal Sports Star Award winner recorded a second round knock-out win over Joshua Snyder at the Fantasy Springs in Idhio. California.
As well as a successful start to the season with Finn Harps, Ollie Horgan also managed the Republic of Ireland Schoolboys to the International Centenary Shield title with a 1-0 win over England at the Sligo Showgrounds. Crana College goalkeeper Lee McCarron was also a member of the victorious squad.
The in-form Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan finished third at the Monaghan Stages Rally to remain leaders of the Triton Showers National Rally Championships and the Frosses man also drove to victory in the Maiden City Border Hopper Rally.
A home win over North Down at the Royal & Prior secured the Raphoe senior hockey side promotion back to the Premier Division with one league game still left to play.
On the last Saturday of the month there were celebrations for the Letterkenny U16s who won the Ulster Carpets Plate in Cookstown defeating Enniskillen RFC 17-15 in the final while in badminton the Donegal A U15 team retained the Ulster Inter-League Badminton Graham Cup in Lisburn.
Lifford AC’s Brendan O’Donnell won the U17 Boys Hammer Throw at the Liverpool Throws and Jumps competition and in basketball Magh Ene College, Bundoran won the boys 1st Year Final of the Folens Donegal League.
The Donegal U21s lost an Ulster Final for the third successive year going done by a single point on a score of 1-11 to 0-13 Tyrone at Celtic Park.
After a very tough season there was a good ending to the league for the Donegal senior hurlers who will be playing in Division 2B again next year after winning the promotion/relegation play-off against Tyrone at Celtic Park by 2-16 to 2-12.
In motorcycling 17-year-old Kilmacrennan lad Caolan Irwin got his first UK podium finish finishing second at the British GP 450 Championships at Donnington on his Aprilia 450 RRV GP.
April was a very good for Finn Harps who finished the month five points clear at the top of the League of Ireland First Division thanks to a 2-2 draw against UCD at the Belfield Bowl following by three successive 1-0 wins over Athlone Town in Ballybofey, Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park and at home to Shelbourne.
At the start of April a late equalizer by Leitirmacaward’s Karl McHugh kept Plymouth Argyle in the final promotion play-off spot in League 2 in a 1-1 draw with leaders Burton Albion.
The Inishowen Junior League booked their place in the semi-finals of the Oscar Traynor Cup with a 3-0 win over bogey side the AUL in Dublin.
Derry City’s Barry McNamee won the March ‘Goal of the Month’ for his wonder strike against Drogheda Utd in a league game at the Brandywell while in the Donegal Junior League St. Catherine’s from Killybegs and Convoy Arsenal were crowned champions in the Premier and Second Divisions respectively.
Donegal girls Roma McLaughlin and Zoe McGlynn were members of the Republic of Ireland U17 squad that defeated England and drew with both Holland and Hungry in Cork to qualify for the European Championship Finals.
Shay Given was in goal for an Aston Villa side that booked their place in the FA Cup Final with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool at Wembley.
But there was big disappointment for the Donegal lads in the Derry City U19 team who lost 3-2 to St. Patrick’s Athletic in the National League Final at Maginn Park. Aileach’s Georgie Kelly got the two Derry goals while also in the starting 11 were Michael Lynch (St. Johnston), Aidan McCauley (Moville), Jack Blake (Convoy), Chris Flanagan (Letterkenny) and Ronan Curtis (St. Johnston).
Near the end of the month St. Eunan’s College reached the FAI First Year Schools All-Ireland Final after a fine 4-0 victory over Calasanctius College, Oranmore.
Northwest Club Snooker players Sean Devenney and Ronan Whyte secured qualification to represent Ireland at the upcoming Celtic Challenge against Wales in Carlow in June.
In swimming there was success for both St. Eunan’s College and Loreto Convent at the Ulster Grammar Schools Championships in Ballymena. Leon Vaughan took a silver in the 50m backstroke. The Senior Boys team of Caolan Vaughan (captain), Matthew Curran, Leon Vaughan and Jonathon Martin were also silver medal winners in both the Freestyle and Medley Relays. The Loreto Convent Girls team of Emma Harvey (captain), Emma Harvey, Ellen Doherty (captain) and Emma Tinney took bronze in both the 100m Freestyle and 100m Medley.
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