Donegal board say club didn't have guidance to suspend match
Naomh Colmcille, based in Newtowncunningham, opted to suspend all club activities in Donegal on Friday night ‘to prevent the potential spread of Covid 19.’ The club made the decision having played a challenge match the weekend before last against Glack — one of 10 Derry clubs who have taken measures to call a halt following outbreaks of CoVid-19 in the area.
A Naomh Colmcille statement read: “The club has carried out a risk assessment and following guidance from the County board and HSE we took the difficult decision to suspend club activities over the weekend in the interest of everyone's safety and notified the CCC accordingly.”
However, the Donegal County Board later tweeted: “Donegal GAA didn't give @Naomh_Colmcille guidance to suspend club activities contrary to their recent tweet. Rather, the club was directed to @officialgaa GAA protocols agreed with the HSE @Naomh_Colmcille have not advised the County Board that they have actual or suspected cases.”
Naomh Colmcille therefore didn’t fulfil their Regional League fixture against Gaeil Fhánada on Saturday and the home side in Portsalon did appear and are expected to be awarded the points.
In the rejigged football leagues, which have been regionalised, big-hitters Gaoth Dobhair, St Eunan’s and Kilcar had opening day wins two weeks out from the start of the SFC.
Eamon Collum, Kevin Cassidy, Naoise Ó Baoill and Ethan Harkin scored goals for Gaoth Dobhair in their 4-15 to 0-7 win over Cloughaneely on Friday, whilst St Eunan’s were easy winners, 4-14 to 0-4, against St Mary’s from Convoy with Conor Morrison, Conor O’Donnell and Eoin McGeehin, twice, finding the net. Kilcar’s goals in the 3-9 to 0-9 victory over Killybegs came from McBrearty brothers Stephen and Patrick, and Mark McHugh.
Dungloe made it a day to remember when their team made a winning start to the Donegal JHC — in their first ever outing as an adult team.
The team from the Rosses — whose players come from neighbouring clubs Naomh Muire, Gaoth Dobhair and Na Rossa in west Donegal — overcame St Eunan’s B of Letterkenny on a 1-9 to 0-9 margin at O’Donnell Park with Shaun Kelly scoring the only goal.
Another newbie, Four Masters, had plenty to shout about too when they won 5-7 to 1-6 against Letterkenny Gaels in Donegal town.
In the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Donegal SHC, St Eunan’s had a 1-12 to 1-8 win at home against Sean MacCumhaill’s from Ballybofey, with Cian Randles scoring the only goal for the hosts.
Buncrana have been making considerable progress at underage level and they took that into the senior bracket with an impressive 0-15 to 1-8 away victory at Burt’s Hibernian Park.
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