News from Clann na Banna as they suffer another home loss

Earlier in the week, the Clann na Derg Minors head to Glasdrumman to play Baileghlas on Tuesday, before U16’s Thursday trip to Saval.

The weekend sees home blitzes for U8 on Saturday 28 April, and U12 on Sunday. First matches on both days throw-in at 10:30am. Players need to meet at Cottage park at 10:00am.

SPONSOR WALK: The club is organising a sponsor walk of Scarva Tow Path on Sunday 13 May at 3:00pm. The walk is to raise funds to improve underage coaching equipment and update underage playing kits.

DUBLIN CITY RAMBLERS - Tickets for the Sunday 3 June bank holiday Dublin City Ramblers concert are now on sale. At £10, they are available from the club secretary. Please use the contact form at http://clannnabanna.org/contact for any enquiries.

Clann na Banna 0-05, Loughinisland 2-08: Clann na Banna suffered their second consecutive home defeat at the hands of a strong Loughinisland team.

Bann competed well in the first quarter and opened the scoring through Rory Hill. Despite winning their share of possession around the middle where Lunny and Kennedy worked hard to provide break ball for Paddy Feeney and Hill, Bann’s shooting was not up to scratch and Loughinisland took the lead with points from Jamie O’Reilly and Doran.

Paddy equalised from a free before what looked like two Bann points were signalled wide by the referee. Loughinisland delivered a sucker punch when Bann’s defence allowed them in for Doran to shoot to the net from close range.

Thereafter Banbridge were chasing the game. Hill managed a point from play but the visitors increased their lead to five when midfielder Stranney burst through for their second goal. Loughinisland added three more points while Bann were unable to find the target with four wides in the same period.

The second half was a more even affair with both sides struggling to score. The introduction of Liam Devlin at half time had an immediate effect as he pointed with his first kick. Points for Loughinisland from Stranney, Doran and Maginn stretched their lead to ten but, despite sustained pressure, Banbridge could only manage one more score from Brian Donaghy and the goal they needed never looked likely. Bann’s defence were much tighter in the second half with Rooney, Fairbairn and Michael Feeney all showing well but the attack will be disappointed with a second half tally of eight wides to add to the seven from the first period.

Team: M McAllister, L Rooney, M Loughlin, JP Gartland; M Fairbairn, M Feeney, S McGarry; C Lunny, M Kennedy; P Feeney, R Hill, C Lenaghan; L McGarry, P Bradley, B Donaghy Subs: L Devlin, G Quinn, M Mallon, D Brooker, L McCrum, M McEvoy, A Doyle, S Bradley, A Nelson