Ryan McLaughlin, from Ballyloskey Carndonagh and a former pupil of Carndonagh Community School, pictured with his parents Elaine and Michael McLaughlin and Carndonagh Comunity School Guidance Counsellor Liam Harkin. Ryan is currently a first year student of Engineering in UCD and was the only recipient from Co. Donegal of a UCD Sports Scholarship for 2011-12. He won the award for soccer and was presented with his scroll at the UCD High Achievers Awards Ceremony on 27th March by UCD President, Dr. Hugh Brady, a native of Moville. The Scholarship guarantees him access to top coaches and training facilities at UCD. He joins a list of some of Ireland's best known sports figures, who are former UCD Sports Scholars including the current international rugby players Brian O'Driscoll, Paddy Wallace, Sean O'Brien, Robert Kearney, Kevin McLaughlin and Fergus McFadden, athletes Derval O'Rourke & Joanne Cuddihy, gaelic footballers Alan Brogan, Paul Griffin and Rena Buckley and international golfers Peter Lawrie and Shane Lowry. This was a red letter day for Ryan, as later on that same evening Ryan captained the UCD under 19 school soccer team for the first time.

U14 Boys Soccer

CCS 0 – 1 Scoil Mhuire (League)
Carndongh were unlucky to lose 1-0 to Scoil Mhuire. Gavin McLaughlin was in exceptional form and unlucky to be beaten by a superb strike on a day that saw the lads off form. This result meant that to qualify from the group CCS had to go to Crana College and win.

Read more: U14 Boys Soccer (December 2011 Roundup)

SOCCER - The Senior Boys today progressed to the Quarter-finals of the Cup with a convincing win over St. Columba's, Stranorlar. CCS took an early lead following a long throw from Darren Coyle which caused confusion in the Stranorlar box and found its way over the line. Caoimhin Canny later claimed the decisive touch...however, without the luxury of slow motion replay, the golascorer's identity remains unconfirmed! CCS followed up with two wonderful strikes from Dillon Ruddy and Brendan Fildara. Caoimhin Canny's less controvertial tap-in shortly afterwards sealed it before the half-time whistle. 4-0.

The second half proved to be a dull exchange with the home side enjoying the bulk of possession. The best chance of the half fell to Jason Doherty, who passed when well placed to score. Final score: CCS 4-0 St. Columba's

Training continues on Wednesday after school

Senior Soccer Boys v St. Columba's, Stranorlar photo album

SOCCER - The senior girls socer team faced a tricky opener against Loreto LK on Monday, 10th October. The girls from Letterkenny ran away with the scoreline, though they can't really claim to have run away with the game overall. CCS lost the first half 3-0 and it was primarily fitness levels that set the teams apart. Although Loreto went 4-0 up, the CCS girls refused to count themselves out and pegged one back through a superb team goal, finished off with a looping chip from Jaimee Louise Gordon. Enya Gibbons wasn't to be left out of the party and scored a carbon copy minutes later. Although the final score (5-2) was comfortable for Loreto, the battle was less so. CCS persisted and never dropped their heads, in fact playing their best football at 4-0 down. Clearly fitness is an issue, but that's for the management to address...Loreto Milford and Rosses lie in wait, but it's the girls from CCS who are in the long grass! The best bits of this season are definitely still to come...

Football4Peace 2011 kicked-off in Derry on Friday, 16th September. Football4Peace International is an activity-based community relations and reconciliation initiative. It is a joint venture involving the Irish Football Association, the Football Association of Northern Ireland, and Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP), in the cross border regions of Limavady and Derry and Inishowen. Keep an eye on the school soccer page over the coming months for news and photos of F4P events involving CCS...

Read Football4Peace 2011 press release

Football4Peace 2011 group photos