'Follow Me Up to Carlow'

 There's a grand old Irish song entitled 'Follow Me Up To Carlow', well on Sunday next it will be the other way round when for the first time ever a team from County Carlow will play a game in Pairc na Bride Rathcormac. We welcome St. Mullins from Carlow to play our senior team in the Final of the Tony Walsh Hurling tournament. In February of last year we had the inaugural staging of this Tournament with four teams participating with Tallow the winners. Earlier this year we had a similar four team event planned but bad weather caused a postponement of the games. With so many teams tied up with championship fixtures it has proved very difficult to find four teams available on the one day so on Sunday next we have just a two team Tournament final. Our visitors St. Mullins are going for a three in a row of Senior Hurling titles in Carlow this year and have won the County SHC on no less than 25 times. In last years final they defeated Mount Leinster Rangers who reached the 2013 All Ireland Club Final. The Final is time for 1 o clock to facilitate the viewing of the Waterford v Kilkenny All Ireland Semi-Final.

Tony Walsh.

It is indeed fitting that on next Sunday two Club Senior Hurling teams should take to the pitch in  Rathcormac to compete for the Tony Walsh perpetual Cup. In the early days of the GAA back in the 1880's Tournaments were hugely important. In many cases there was more prestige in winning a Cup in a local Tournament than in winning an 'official' competition. The popularity of tournaments  ebbed and flowed over the years. In the 1960's  and 70's when carnivals and Festivals were very popular so too were hurling tournaments. It was in the 1960's that Tony Walsh first got involved with the Bride Rovers Club- an involvement that lasted for a lifetime.  The Club was inactive in the1962/3 period but in December 1964 the Bride Rovers Club was reorganised once more. At the first meeting in Bartlemy Hall an interim five man Club Committee was formed to assist the new Officers. The Committee members were Dave Ryan, Tony Walsh, Tom Heskin, Willie Cotter and Tony O Brien. Donal Lehane NT was elected Secretary for 1965. During the School holidays in early summer Donal went home to West Cork and Tony took over as Club Secretary. The club started off with a Junior B hurling team and Tony soon slotted in as corner back -  a position where he won three East Cork medals, B grade in 1966, A grade in 1968 and 1969. In 1966 when the Rovers made the East Cork breakthrough Tony was secretary and player and Club Chairman Michael Murphy was also on the team. Just fifty years ago, in August 1966 Tony and all his team mates were training hard for the East Cork Junior B Hurling semi-final against St. Catherines.  Tony played for the Club until the early 1980's -lining out at corner back but wearing the number 13 jersey for a few seasons in the 1970's. He was the traditional corner back, safe, reliable and ever present. He knew his role and his place on the field of play. He played that game as sportsmen did play it, he was manly straightforward and clean on the field. In a long playing career he was never sent off. He was never a man to retaliate or strike a foul blow  - that wasn't his style. His dual role as player and officer rested lightly on his shoulders - out of the first one hundred games the Rovers played in the 1965 -1967 period Tony lined out in 98 of them ! As a club officer he served as Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Registrar and Juvenile Secretary  - for a total of twenty seven years. When his own playing career finished he became a selector and was involved with the JHL winning teams of 1981 /82, the Minor Co League winning team of 1992 and the East cork JBHC winning team of 1993. When the Club pitch was purchased Tony was very involved in fund raising and in 1983 was on the sub-committee in charge of enclosing the pitch and erecting the wire, stakes and gates. In Centenary year of 1984 the Club decided to borrow £21,000 to build dressingrooms, Tony was one of the first to go Guarantor for the Club. When club funds were very low in 1974 Tony was one of the Club Members who went and cut ash roots and got hurleys made by McCarthys of Killeagh.

Tony was immensely proud to see his sons Matt and Michael wear the green, white and gold of his beloved Bride Rovers. He took a deep interest and pride in all club teams from under age upwards and was always a source of great encouragement even in times of defeat. There was no prouder man than Tony when various Bride Rovers players donned the Red and White of Cork over the last decade. It was beyond Tony's wildest dreams to see Bride Rovers Contest County Junior, Intermediate and Senior Finals. He was one of our most passionate and dedicated supporters. He never forgot the time when we started off, before Christmas in 1964 and he was so proud and happy to see the growth of the Club. Any Development undertaken in recent years was seen by Tony as further progress and he was always the first to help when financial help was needed. He always encouraged Club Officers to keep improving our playing facilities for the playing of hurling and football. His death in 2012 came as a tragedy for our club but more particularly for Tony's devoted family.
Tony Walsh epitomised all that is good in the GAA. He loved the games, the Cork teams - but above all he loved the Bride Rovers Club. We can never repay the debt which Tony and people like him have paid to make our Club one of the best in Cork. Tony was proud to wear the green, white and gold  jersey with distinction. In playing this Tournament we hope to ensure that wherever and whenever Bride Rovers are mentioned the name of Tony Walsh will never be forgotten.  

RED FM Cork Senior Hurling League.

On Tuesday July 26th we had a home game against Newtownshandrum in the REDFM Co SHL This was a great game of hurling with good scores from both sides. We dominated most of the first half and probably should have had more than just a four point lead at the break - we struck several wides from good positions that if scored could have seen us up by seven or eight points. The Half time score stood at  Newtownshandrum 1-08. Bride Rovers 1-12. Newtown stated the second half just like Kilkenny do and they had a flurry of scores to put them two points up after ten minutes gone. We upped our game considerably in the last quarter, coming from behind to win by a margin of five points.
Full Time: Newtownshandrum 2-15. Bride Rovers 2-20

Panel v Newtownshandrum: D Dooley, S Glasgow, R Whitty, W Finnegan, M Collins, B Johnson, F Collins, J Pratt, S Walsh, B Murphy, M Kearney, S Kearney, D Carr, F Collins, D Fitzgerald, M Liddane, S O Connor, J Mannix, B O Driscoll.

This win puts us on 18 points in the League Table with four games to play. The next of these is on this coming Friday night August the 5th when we play Na Piarsaigh at home at 7.30pm. Na Piarsaigh had a good win over Blackrock last week and they meet Ballymartle in the Co SHC on Sunday week August 14th. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Sean Ryan who received a hand injury in the Newtown game.

JUNIOR C CHALLENGE GAME.

On Thursday evening we travelled to John F Kennedy Memorial Park in Knockanore Co. Waterford to take on Shamrocks second team in a challenge game. The hosts were a strong team and defeated us on a scoreline of 3 18 to 3 9. We were short six of the players we had against Modeligo but had several debutants. Team. C. Ryan, P Noonan, B. Collins,  MJ. Kelly, D. Healy, P. Walsh, B. Lahive, J. Murphy, S. Cotter, C. Howard, T. Broderick, J. O Mahony, D. Pyne, D. Ryan, J.O Neill. Our first round game in the East Cork Junior C Hurling championship will be played in or around the weekend of August 20th/21st so all players are asked to attend training as arranged.

MINORS LOSE TO THE HILL.

After an easy win over Mayfield a few weeks back we faced Watergrasshill in the Championship in Pairc na Bride , Rathcormac on Friday last. There was fine crowd present on a grand evening for this 'Local Derby' game. This was really the proverbial game of two halves. We got on top early on and notched great scores and were it not for some wayward shooting our half time lead of 2 4 to 0 8 could have been bigger. A feature of the first half was some excellent defending as time after time we prevented certain scores. With nine under 16 players on duty we started the second half with confidence  but the Hill came more into the game with some fine scores. We were under tremendous pressure but again defended well. With ten minutes to go the teams were level but Watergrasshill who were a physically stronger outfit took over to win by four points, 2 12 to 2 8. Great credit to the lads who tried gallantly but were just pipped at the end. There will be other good days for these lads in the future. We are well positioned in the County League so keep hurling. Team. D. Browne, P. O Leary, J. O Sullivan, P. O Flynn, E. Roche, S. O Connor, J. Connor, J. O Keeffe, G. O Keeney, C. Barry, C. Ryan, J. Mannix, B. Roche, J. Service, S. O Flynn.

 REBEL OG MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Bride Rovers 2-4 - Killeagh/Ita's 0-6

Bride Rover's Minor footballers collected the brace of points on offer when they travelled to Pairc Risteard Ui Chinneide, Killeagh on Monday night last in the Rebel Og Eastern League.  This was a close hard fought game all through with scores hard to come by. The Rovers led by 0-3 to 0-0 at the interval, with a brace of points from Conleith Ryan and a pointed Dylan Browne free.  On the resumption Killeagh/Ita's played the better football and edged their way into 0-4 to 0-3 lead.  Dylan Browne kicked a free to tie up the scores. In the 45th minute Eoin Roche was at the end of a great Rover's move and crashed the ball to the Killeagh net. Now the Rovers were on top and when Jordan Mannix was fouled in the square up popped Dylan to convert the penalty.  Killeagh added two points but the Rovers held on for a great win.  

Team and Scorers;

Ben Hogan, Patrick O'Flynn, John O'Sullivan, Ian O'Donoghue, Griffin O'Keeney, Eoin Roche 1-0, Kieran Kearney, Shane O'Connor, Jordan Mannix, Conleith Ryan 0-2, DJ Cahill, Conor Barry, Dylan Bowne (1-2), Shane O'Flynn, Seamus Ahern, Shaun Knox.

WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO.

The four Numbers drawn Last Tuesday August the 26th for a Jackpot of €3000 were 1-5-24-26 and there was
This week's Lotto draw took  place on Tuesday August 2nd for a jackpot of € 3,200
The winners of the five €30 lucky dips were  Elaine Coughlan @Laya,Bill Kelleher Grange,Pat O Connor Corrin,Cathy Kearney Ballybrowney,Peter Killeen Rathcormac.

Twitter and Website.  

So many people at home and abroad are now very hi-tech when it comes to keeping in touch with the activities of the Bride Rovers Club. The online editions of newspapers are growing in popularity. Meanwhile you can follow the Club on twitter at twitter@ BrideRoversGAA or on our own website at www.briderovers.ie

Any news items or general items of interest are very welcome for inclusion and can be sent to Gerard Lane email gerardlanegaa@gmail.com

WELL DONE GIRLS.

Congrats to Grace Cullotty  and Laura Quirke who won All Ireland medals last Monday in Longford when the Cork Ladies Football team won the Minor All Ireland title with a great win over Dublin.

CLUB FIXTURES

Friday August 5th RED FM SHL V Na Piarsaigh in Pairc na Bride at 7.30pm

Sunday August 7th Tony Walsh Tournament Final V St Mullins(Carlow) Pairc na Bride at 1 o clock.

SEISIUIN IN FERMOY.

Anyone looking for a night of song, dance and story should go along to the Seisiuin in the Adair Hall, Fermoy. It starts at 8.30pm each Monday night with just two weeks to run , August 8th and 15th.

PHOTOGRAPH SOUGHT.

Recently members of the Mulvey family were back in Rathcormac. They are descendants of Frank Mulvey who was a publican at main St. Rathcormac. Originally Arnolds Public House the Mulvey family from Araglen took over the premises before 1920. Since then the Public house changed hands many times - the most recent owners were Benskins. The Mulveys would dearly love to get an old picture of the Public House when the name 'Mulvey' was over the door. If anyone has such a photograph or knows where there might be one please contact 087 9538077.

 BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS

Rathcormac Tyres

Veolia Environmental Services.

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