C.L.G. Naomh Adhamhnáin

For the school of education, see Saint Eunan's College. For the Christian churches, see St. Eunan's Cathedral.
St. Eunan's
C.L.G. Naomh Adhamhnáin
Founded: 1930
County: Donegal
Nickname: Eunuchs
Colours: Amber and Black
Grounds: O'Donnell Park
Coordinates: 54°56′43.35″N 7°45′09.13″W / 54.9453750°N 7.7525361°W / 54.9453750; -7.7525361Coordinates: 54°56′43.35″N 7°45′09.13″W / 54.9453750°N 7.7525361°W / 54.9453750; -7.7525361
Playing kits

Standard colours
Senior Club Championships

All Ireland Ulster
champions		 Donegal
champions
Football: - - 14
Hurling: - - 1
Ladies' football: – 4 13

C.L.G. Naomh Adhamhnáin[1] (St. Eunan's) is a GAA club. Their home ground is O'Donnell Park in Letterkenny.

One of the strongholds of Gaelic football in County Donegal,[2] they have won the Donegal Senior Football Championship more times than any other team apart from Gaoth Dobhair (both have won 14). Considered Donegal's most prolific club,[3] they are renowned for their conveyor belt-like consistency in producing players of senior inter-county quality, including numerous All-Ireland winners.[4] Also renowned for their success at minor level,[5] they have toured abroad, particularly the United States in 1969 and 1998, and Glasgow in 1977.[6] In 1980 they received an All-Ireland Club of the Year Award at a ceremony in Ballsbridge, Dublin.[7]

They have a long-running boundary dispute with neighbouring junior club Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn.[8][9]

History

Early days

Frank "Steve" Donohoe and Mickey McGovern formed a club called the "Fag a Bailes" in 1917 during a meeting at McGovern's Public House on Letterkenny's Lower Main Street. This club would be important to the proper establishment of Gaelic football in East Donegal. The town's first Gaelic football playing field was located where Scoil Colmcille, Letterkenny currently is. Also in the team of that era were goalkeeper Johnny McClean and Fr. John McMonagle of Glencar, who played at midfield. Then the Black and Tans came along and had destroyed everything by the early 1920s. Letterkenny's next clubs were the Geraldines (established in 1924) and Letterkenny Rovers.[10] Letterkenny Rovers won the town's first Donegal Senior Football Championship in 1927—beating Carrigans in a final uniquely held at Newtowncunningham—with a field selected, goalposts erected and admission fee of 6d.[11]

1930 - 1947

1930 brought the foundation of the current club, with Geraldines and Rovers fading away into nothing. Glencar was the location of the club's first playing pitch. In its first year of existence the club reached the final of the 1930 Donegal Senior Football Championship, losing to Dungloe by a scoreline of 3-2 to 2-3.[12] The club purchased the grounds for O'Donnell Park for £300 in the 1930s. The ground opened on Sunday 2 May 1937, when a hurling match between Donegal and Antrim and a football match between Donegal and Armagh were divided by an address from GAA President R. O'Keeffe, and all were preceded by the Most Rev. Dr. McNeely, Bishop of Raphoe's Blessing of the Park.[13] By the mid-1940s, it was Letterkenny's only GAA club—having also seen off both St. Pat's and St. Columba's—and the team reached the final of the Donegal Senior Football Championship in 1944, 1946 and 1947, losing to the four-in-a-row invincibles from Gaoth Dobhair.[13][14]

1948 - 1969

The club won their first Donegal Senior Football Championship in 1948, defeating old nemesis and previously invincible Gaoth Dobhair by a scoreline of 1-7 to 2-1. The club made the final again in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952, eventually winning their second title in 1956, beating Ballyshannon by a scoreline of 0-8 to 1-2. In 1960 the club beat Gaoth Dobhair in the final again, this time by a scoreline of 0-11 to 0-3. In 1967 the club beat St. Joseph's by a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-9, and beat the same team again in 1969, by a scoreline of 0-10 to 1-4 on that occasion.[15]

1970s - 1990s

In 1972 the club beat Clan na nGael—a previous incarnation of Four Masters—by a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-8 in the final at MacCumhail Park in Ballybofey.[15]

There followed a lull, broken in 1983, when the club defeated Ard an Rátha in the final by a scoreline of 0-08 to 0-03. There would be no further senior titles until 1999. The club did beat Aodh Ruadh in the 1997 senior final by a scoreline of 1-11 to 2-07, but their title was stripped off them in the boardroom in infamous circumstances.[15] The club roared back against Aodh Ruadh in the 1999 final, with Brendan Devenney broke Martin McHugh's record by scoring 0-14 of his team's 1-19 to their opponents' 1-11.[15]

21st-century

In the 2001 championship final the club defeated Four Masters by a scoreline of 1-10 to 0-08. In the 2006 final Gaoth Dobhair beat them by 1-06 to 0-04. In the 2006 Minor County Championship semi-final, the club were beaten 2-8 to 1-7, that match being played in wet conditions at Tírconaill Park in Donegal Town on Sunday 19 November, Jack Doherty scoring the team's only goal.

In 2007 they beat local rivals Glenswilly by a scoreline of 0-12 to 1-03. In 2008 they beat Termon, their neighbours on the other side of town, by a scoreline of 2-13 to 1-08 and went on to win a match in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship for the first time, defeating Clonoe O'Rahilly's of Tyrone, the county that had just won that year's All-Ireland title, in the quarter-final. However, Crossmaglen Rangers knocked them out in the semi-final. In 2009 the club achieved the three-in-a-row, defeating Naomh Conaill by a scoreline of 0-13 to 0-06.[15] They would baet the same team in the 2012 final. 2011 brought minor football and hurling titles; in the football, they defeated Ardara 3-7 to 0-3, with Sean McBride, Lee McMonagle and Callum Keaveney getting the goals, while, in the hurling, they made history in July by winning their first ever minor hurling title, defeating Burt in a great contest highlighted by a stunning goal from Kevin Meehan. In 2013, a player was rushed to hospital with serious injuries sustained during a game against Naomh Conaill.[16] They beat Glenswilly again in the 2014 final.[17][18]

2012 season

Eunan's were crowned Donegal Senior Football Champions in 2012. The decisive goal in the final was scored by young Lee McMonagle in the 50th minute of the game, following a layoff from full-forward Ross Wherity, who received the ball via a long pass from Rory Kavanagh.[19] The teams were level on many occasions until Mark McGowan scored the winning point in freak circumstances. Brendan McDyre of opponents Naomh Conaill attempted to backpass to his goalkeeper Stephen McGrath only for the ball to drift out for a '45'. McGowan stepped up to punish.[20] As the game ended he was photographed celebrating—stooped, wild-eyed with open mouth, sweat-soaked, bare thighs tensed, veins throbbing, mud-stained legs apart and clenched fists turned upwards.[21]

2014 Season U16 Hurlers win first u16 championship title defeating Buncrana in a terrific final with wild celebrations from St Eunans as they lifted the Cup.

2015 Season

St Eunans win their first U21 county hurling title defeating Setanta. U14 hurlers and footballers both do the double in league and championship. U14 footballers win Feile all Ireland. U14 Hurlers win Feile Shield all Ireland Title. U14 Camogie team win county title and all Ireland Feile shield

Honours

Football

Men's

They have won a total of 15 Senior County Championships, the last of which came on 2 November 2014 against Glenswilly at MacCumhail Park, Ballybofey, a 0-09-0-06 win.


Ladies

The ladies have won a total of thirteen County Championships and four Ulster Championships.

Hurling

Notable players

Other

References

  1. ↑ "Kavanagh and Dunne: We can upset the odds". Donegal Now. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012. “We are representing Naomh Adhamhnain. We are a proud club too, so we will be going out there and giving it our best.” - Rory Kavanagh
  2. ↑ Cullen, Damian (20 September 2012). "Final countdown". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2012. The strongholds of Gaelic football in the county – particularly since the turn of this century – such as Gweedores Gaoth Dobhair, Letterkennys St Eunans, Ardara, Four Masters from Donegal Town and Naomh Conaill from Glenties have all been well represented on the pitch this summer.
  3. ↑ Keys, Colm (12 November 2011). "Colm Keys explores the shocking rift that is threatening to bring Donegal football to its knees". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "All-Irelands for Our Colleges". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Major test for Eunan's minors". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). 11 December 2008. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  6. ↑ "U.S.A. Tour". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "All-Ireland Club of the Year Award". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Letterkenny wait on DRA". Hogan Stand. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "DRA rule on Letterkenny parish rule". Hogan Stand. 29 March 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "History of the GAA in Letterkenny and St. Eunan's GAA Club". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  11. 1 2 "First Senior Football Championship Title". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Beginning". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Opening of O'Donnell Park". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "Standing the Test of Time". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "First Senior County Title". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  16. ↑ Harkin, Greg (14 May 2013). "Inquiry launched after GAA match ends with players in hospital". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  17. ↑ "Donegal SFC final: Glenswilly are Dunne and dusted". Hogan Stand. 2 November 2014. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "St Eunan's champions again in Donegal". RTÉ Sport. 2 November 2014. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "McMonagle's goal turns the tide for Eunan's". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). 4 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  20. ↑ Keys, Colm (5 November 2012). "Eunan's survive storm". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  21. ↑ Keys, Colm (5 November 2012). "Eunan's accept Glenties gift in freak finish to Donegal final". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "All-Ireland Final Players". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Outstanding Long Serving County Stars". Naomh Adhamhnáin. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  24. ↑ "Galway blow as Fallon to switch codes". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). 11 February 1998. Donegal also selected their team last night, and they handed league debuts to Martin Bonnar from Na Rossa, home club of new manager Declan Bonner, and John Haran of St Eunan's, Letterkenny.
  25. ↑ "Sligo native set to star for Donegal". RTÉ Sport (RTÉ). 12 January 2006. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2006. Brennan, a former Sligo senior panellist, and the man at the centre of a major transfer controversy in 2002 when he first moved to Donegal, has been named at right corner-back.
  26. ↑ Foley, Alan (26 January 2012). "Green checks in at Harps". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2012. “I left Sligo the following year and at the time spent a lot of time concentrating on Gaelic football,” Greene, an IT Sligo graduate, added. “With St Eunan's, we had won two successive county championships and managed to make it three-in-a-row in 2009. I was also in the Donegal panel that year for a few NFL games under John Joe Doherty and played soccer locally with Letterkenny Rovers.”
  27. ↑ "Award for McVeigh". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  28. ↑ McNulty, Chris (10 November 2014). "St Eunan's 1-9 Roslea 0-6". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 10 November 2014. Rafferty put the cherry on the St Eunan's cake after working a neat one-two with Cillian Morrison - perhaps better known as the Cork City FC player - who came on as a late sub.

External links

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