THE Donegal senior footballers’ season got off to a false start as their League opener against Kerry was postponed.
Jim McGuinness’s men were due to travel to the Kingdom on the Saturday and face Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday.
However, in the aftermath of Storm Eowyn, the match was called off on the Saturday morning due to weather conditions preventing Donegal from travelling.
While that match was postponed, the Donegal senior ladies did travel to face Clare.
Captain Roisin Rodgers came up trumps with a late point to rescue a draw.
The Donegal senior hurlers put in a great display against Meath but lost by 2-12 to 1-14 in Trim.
Ballyshannon’s Sean Taylor, Paddy Dolan (Convoy) and Ciaran Diver (Moville) all played for the London senior footballers in their league opener but were beaten by Wexford.
There was immense disappointment for Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin as they lost out by a point in the All-Ireland Junior Championship Final in Croke Park.
Daniel McCauley’s men gave it their all but were beaten by a late point from An Cheathrú Rua on a scoreline of 0-9 to 0-8.
The Muff men reached the final with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Kilmurray.
Four Masters retained the St Paul’s Ulster Minor Tournament when they got the better of Magherafelt by 1-8 to 0-9 on New Year’s Day.
Abbey Vocational School reached their first ever Mac Rory Cup Final when they defeated Southwest Donegal by 0-12 to 0-10 in Fr Tierney Park.
Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair senior boys team lost to St Patrick’s Keady in the Markey Cup semi-final at Celtic Park
It was a disappointing month for ATU Donegal in the Sigerson Cup.
They lost to MTU Cork by seven points and were then hammered by Maynooth University and that saw the Letterkenny Institution relegated to the Trench Cup.
Donegal LGFA stalwart Hugh Devenney was honoured with the Hall of Fame award at the LGFA Volunteer awards.
In soccer, Finn Harps were busy making their preparations for the new season and it was confirmed that Ballybofey man Joel Bradley Walsh signed for his home town club while striker Dara McGuinness also joined.
Mikey Place returned to the club but Joe Gorman’s contract was cancelled by Harps after he was charged with being drunk in charge of a vehicle.
Donegal Town man Jack Keaney was on the move in January as he linked up with Cliftonville in the Irish League after leaving Drogheda United.
The Donegal Junior League claimed the derby bragging rights against local rivals Inishowen in the Oscar Traynor Cup.
The second leg ended in a 2-2 draw but Donegal won on penalties with Shane O’Gara saving two spot-kicks.
In the Donegal Junior League Premier Division, Bonagee United were five points clear at the end of January but second-place Letterkenny Rovers had two games in hand, while Kildrum Tigers were also in the mix.
Bonagee were knocked out of the Ulster Cup at the quarter-final stage when they lost 1-0 to Cockhill Celtic.
Fanad United strolled through to the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup when they got the better of Harding FC 3-0 at Traigh-a-Loch.
There was disappointment for Letterkenny Rovers as they were beaten 3-1 by Mervue United at Leckview at the same stage
In the Temple Domestic Appliances Division One, Donegal Town had a strong January and were three points ahead of Glenea United at the end of the month.
In the Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two, Convoy Arsenal were in fine form and were three points ahead of Kerrykeel ’71 in second.
Aoibhin Ní Chaiside was the hero for Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair as she scored the only goal of the game against Coole Post Primary School, Sligo to claim the FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup title in Clones.
Cathal Doherty netted a hat-trick as St Eunan’s College defeated Loreto Community School, Milford 4-0 in the Ulster Under 15 Schools League Final.
St Eunan’s also got their hands on the Under 17 league title when they defeated Carndonagh 2-1.
Seamus Coleman got a taste for management when he was put in charge of the Everton team, alongside Leighton Baines, for the FA Cup clash with Peterborough United.
Coleman was on the line as the Toffees won 2-0.
In athletics, Mark English came second in the 800 metres in a bronze World Athletics race in Nantes, France, while Sommer Lecky was third at the same meet in the High Jump.
Leah O’Gara, also of Finn Valley, won the Under 17 3k English Championship in Sheffield.
Her clubmate Amy Timoney won the Under 20 60 metres hurdles crown at the Scottish Indoor Championships.
Declan Ferry was the winner of the New Year’s Day 5k at Mullaghduff.
Four Donegal Darts players helped the Republic of Ireland team win the Islands International Team competition.
Gerard McGlynn, Cartha Boyle, and Adrian ‘Butch’ Devine were part of a dominant men’s team while Denise Cassidy represented the women’s side who eased to victory against Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
In basketball, it was a mixed month for Team North West but they finished with a good win over Dublin Lions.
Dungloe boxer Matthew McCole was defeated in the Ulster Elite Light-Middleweight Final.
Caoimhin Connolly of Twin Towns Boxing Club won the Under 18 48kg national title when he saw off Monkstown’s Kurt Kinsella.
McCole, who represents Illies Golden Gloves, was beaten 4-1 by Jon McConnell at Girdwood Community Hub.
Badminton star Rachael Darragh reached the quarter-finals of the Estonian Open.
Derryhassen Paddy, who was bred by Milford man Patrick Sweeney, had an impressive victory at Windsor.
