2009 was an uneventful year for CLG Bundobhrain, Realt na Mara. The Senior side got off to a moderate start to their Division 3 league campaign winning all their early home games but dropping points on the road, They hit a purple patch in mid-May, however, commencing a run that seen them win five consecutive games including inflicting Fanad Gaels only defeat of the campaign, to advance to second in the league table. The wheels came off again in mid-July when Bundoran lost three games in a row and never recovered their momentum thereafter playing their last few games of the season in limbo with no danger of relegation and little realistic chance of promotion.

Bundoran’s Daly Brother’s Intermediate championship campaign seen them progress all the way to the final, a game they could have won but a missed goal opportunity for Bundoran mid-way through the second half was quickly followed by a goal for Fanad Gaels and Bundoran never managed to close the gap over the remaining fifteen minutes going down on a final score of 2-9 to 1-7. In the first round Bundoran beat Candonagh comfortably both home and away, before drawing their semi-final against Naomh Columba. While Bundoran had five points to spare in the replay this was not a true reflection of a game which was in the balance until the closing minutes when a second goal from Bundoran put them in the driving seat in a 2-13 to 1-11 victory. The u21s championship campaign also foundered at the hands of Fanad Gaels. Having comfortably accounted for Red Hughs in the first round, Bundoran edged out Downings in a closely fought encounter in MacCumhaill Park but were well beaten by Fanad in the semi-final at the same venue.

A generally good year for Reserve team was spoiled by their championship semi-final defeat to eventual champions Naomh Columba in Fintra in August. Bundoran paid the price for their profligacy in front of the posts – they could have led comfortably going into the last quarter but instead the teams were level and Glen got the final four scores of the game. In the league, Bundoran only dropped four points and ended the campaign second behind Cloughaneely.

Bundoran junior Ladies team had a very exciting year. Exiting the championship in early July the team recovered well to win all of their remaining league games to top the table and get to the league final. Unfortunately, goals proved crucial in the final when two within a minute close to the end of the game seen Convoy pull away in what had been a close game that they went on to win by seven points. Bundoran had no underage ladies teams in 2009 although close to half of under-10 and under-8 players are girls.

Despite the retirement of long-time referee John Croghan, Bundoran still had four referees operating during the year – Barry Keaney, Paul McGee and father and son duo Pat and Ryan Walsh. As in other years, the promotion of Gaelic games at both St Macartan’s National School and Magh Ene College helped to underpin the club’s promotion of the game at underage level. St Macartans done particularly well, reaching the final of the county sevens competition and winning the Division 2 County title.
 
At underage level it was a good year for the under-10s and under-8s with big turnouts at training and the club had the numbers to field an A and B u10 squad and two u-8 squads. These games were generally nine-a-side with squads having 11-13 players. In the Michael Shannon tournament, Bundoran got to both the A and B finals. The club hosted two u-10 and one u-8 blitz. At under-12 level, Bundoran competed in Division 2 with a very young squad winning just two games, at home to Four Masters and Killybegs. Much the same team competed at u13 level, also in Division 1, where they were overwhelmed in each of their three games against Aodh Ruadh, Four Masters and Killybegs. The u14s competed well in the Brian McEniff Division 1 league and were in with a chance of reaching the league final until close to the end of the campaign. A four point defeat to Kilcar in Towney in their penultimate league match closed this opportunity, however. In the championship, Bundoran won their home leg against Four Masters but lost the away fixture. The play-off in Fr Tierney Park saw the Donegal team edge home with three points to spare 3-4 to 3-7 in a very competitive and hard fought game.

It was a disappointing year for the u16s their only points coming from a draw with Killybegs and a win against Four Masters. In the Donegal Adventure Centre championship, Bundoran lost heavily to Kilcar in Bundoran but nearly turned the tables in a high scoring game in Towney losing by just two points. While the minor season is still not over and Bundoran still have a Division 1 County final to play it was a dis-appointing year for a team with high hopes. Leading by seven points with just four minutes left they lost their regional semi-final to Naomh Conaill, eventual County champions, in controversial circumstances. In the league Bundoran beat Four Masters, Aodh Ruadh and Naomh Naille in May to reach the regional final which was not played until late October where they again lost to Naomh Conaill. Bundoran went on to defeat St Michaels in the County semi-final and now Naomh Conaill again await them in the final.

No annual club function was held this year nor were any awards made. Shane McGowan was Bundoran’s only representative on the county senior panel and the club had three representatives in the County Minor Squad – Peter McGonigle, Michael McEniff and Ashley Mulhern. Gaelic Park hosted a CLG Dun na nGall summer camp in the last week of July with both all-star Karl Lacey and young player of the year Michael Murphy attending, while the camp was run by county mid-fielder Brendan Boyle. Finally, the Officer Board for the year consisted of Chairman Phillip McGlynn, Secretary Geraldine Walsh, Treasurer Declan McCaughey, PRO Paddy Hamill and County Board Delegate Gerry Breslin. Michael McMahon was vice-chairman of the SRB and Brian McEniff is Donegal’s delegate to Central Council in Croke Park.

John McEniff

PRO