Minor Hurlers in First County Championship Final Since 2013...

There is an old saying  'Even Homer nods' which basically means even the best person sometimes makes a mistake due to a momentary lack of alertness or attention. Now this scribe wouldn't claim to be the 'best' at writing GAA Club notes -far from it. Sometimes however in trawling back through distant history the more recent past can be overlooked. So it was last week when previewing our forthcoming Minor County Hurling Championship Final against either Watergrasshill or Kilshannig (we now know it's Kilshannig) I forgot all about our most recent County win at Minor grade which of course was in 2013. We defeated Grenagh, Kinsale, Cobh, Tracton and Western Gaels en route to the Final. On the day of the Dublin v Mayo All Ireland Senior Football Final we took on Clyda Rovers in the Co Final at Killavullen. Led by Team Captain Jamie Buckley we had a mighty win on a scoreline of 1 22 to  1 8.

The team and scorers that brought us our first County Minor Title since 1932 was as follows;

Shane O Connor, Padraig Noonan, Tadhg O Sullivan, Jamie Buckley (Captain), Shane Walsh, Ryan Prendergast, Cian O Connor, William Finnegan, Dean Linehan, Sean Cotter, Colm Power, DJ Cahill. Subs James Barry , Cian Howard, Nathan Buckley,  Jack Connor, Jack O Mahony, Colm Howard,  Jake Tobin, Ciaran O Grady, Jesse O Keeffe, Darren Moore.

Scorers C O Connor 1 3, C. Power 0 4, D. Linehan, S. Walsh 0 4, W. Finnegan 0   3, S. Cotter 0  2, DJ Cahill 0  1,  J. Buckley 0  1.

I think 'twas Homer said 'There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep' so I must be more careful when compiling these notes late at night in the future!

Junior C Hurlers in Semi Final.

Our Junior C Hurling team are down to play the East Cork Championship semi final on tonight Thursday October 12th. We defeated Lisgoold in round 1 while our semi final opponents Sarsfields beat Midleton. At the time of writing the game is provisionally fixed for Riverstown -under lights but this has to be confirmed.

Junior Hurlers in Division 2 Final.

We are to play Sars in the JHL Division 2 Final but no date for this game is fixed yet

Brian Honoured in Croke Park.

At a function in Croke Park on last Saturday evening the inaugural Electric Ireland Minor All Star teams were honoured. Our own Brian Roche was named on the Hurling team and received his award from the GAA president.

Under 16Hurlers  in League and Championship Action

Rebel Og North Under 16 Hurling League Final.U-16 league Final.
Ballygiblin 3-7
Bride Rovers 0-11
We played North  league Final last Wednesday, the match having been postponed a week earlier due to the pitch being unplayable because of heavy rain. The game was played under lights in Fermoy. For some of  our boys it was their 13th game in 4 weeks and it was beginning to show. Early on the two teams traded points with each  before Ballygiblin scored a brace of goals before half time. We went in seven points behind but second half started well with points from Cian Hogan and Kieran Kearney  and with ten minutes left we had cut the lead to one point. Then we suffered a terrible blow with a very serious hand injury to Matthew Quinn who had to go straight to hospital. The North Cork side scored another goal straight away after the injury. We tried hard to get back into the game but our shooting wasn't on target with a total of 16 wides we suffered defeat by five points. Despite the defeat the lads can hold their heads high.  A postponement of this Final had been requested because of the proximity of the Championship and the massive number of games we had played lately but this was refused.
Matthew had operation on his hand the following day and thankfully is out of Hospital. Everyone in Bride Rovers  wish him a speedy recovery.

County Championship Quarter Final.
Bride Rovers 2-14 Ibane Gaels 0-18
It was back to championship Hurling on Sunday. With the North Region Championship trophy tucked away we were off on the County campaign. We travelled to Mayfield to take on Ibane Gaels- a West Cork combination of Barryroe and Argideen Rangers in the quarter final of the competition. The team takes it's name from the ancient Irish barony of 'Ibawne and Barryroe. We started this game very well. A Cian Hogan point opened our account and then Kieran Kearney came from far out to score as cracker of a goal. Cian doubled his tally before Ibane got two points -they also hit three early wides. We went four points ahead with Cian scoring his third, 1 3 to  0 2. Then, after great defensive work from Paddy O Flynn at centre-back, Adam Walsh and Edmond Cashman combined in a smashing one-two for Edmond to finish to the net and we were seven points up after fifteen minutes. The Ibane team were much bigger than our lads and having recently won the County Premier 2 Under 15 Hurling Championship weren't going to cave in. They  came storming into the game scoring seven points in a row. At half time the score was 2-3 to 9 points. The lads knew they would have to up the tempo and the teams swopped points throughout the second half. Ibane went ahead by a  point twice and the teams were level scores five times in the second half. Cian Hogan scored some mighty long distance frees and Kieran Kearney, Edmond Cashman and Seamus Ahern also raised white flags. The last five minutes were hectic as Ibane came in waves but the backs held out for a two point win. This team has shown so much fight, spirit and  skill  this season they are a credit to themselves and their families. They wear the jersey with pride. It was inspiring for the lads to have Matthew Quinn with them on the line on Sunday.
Panel.Shaun Knox Oisin Roche Ruairi O Sullivan Matthew Quinn Jacob Powell John Buckley Patrick O Flynn Michael Quinlan Seamus Aherne Keiran Kearney Craig O Callaghan Cian Hogan Tomas Macek Ronan O Connell Edmond Cashman Adam Walsh David Barry Darragh O Sullivan Eoin O Sullivan Connor Hazelwood.   This game was at 11.30 on Sunday morning in Mayfield. Seven of this team had played in the Rebel Og Under 14 Hurling League semi final v Whitechurch in Pynes Field - a game that ended at 5.30pm.
The Hurlers are now in the U-16 County Semi Final v Aghabullogue, this game is down for next Saturday Oct 14th at 12 noon- no venue yet fixed.
As well as a cross-over between the under 14 and under 16 team six of the under 16 team are on the Minor team. The programme of games these lads have played in recent weeks is crazy.

July 31st Minor C ship v Ballygarvan(H)

Aug 14 U 16 league v Charleville(H)

Aug 21 u16 FC  v Castlelyons

Aug 31 U-16 league Semi Final v Fermoy (H)

Sept 4 U-16 champ v Charleville (H)

Sept 6 Minor champ v St Catherine's (H)

Sept 11 U-16 champ Semi v. Ballyhea (H)

Sept 14 U-16 champ Final v Fermoy (H)

Sept 16 Minor champ Final v Cobh (H)

Sept 18 Minor champ v Sliabh Rua (F)

Sept 23 Minor county v Bandon (H)

Sept 25 U-16 Champ Semi v Kilara Og (F)

Oct 3rd U-16 league final v Ballygiblin (H)

Sept 30 Minor county semi v Cobh (H)

Oct 8th U 16 Co C.ship  v Ibane Gaels(H)

Oct 11th U 16 F Replay v Kilara

Oct 14th U 16 HC S/final v Aghabullogue.

There's a schedule for you! and of course that does not take Second Level School games into account.

Jerard Kenny U11 Hurling Memorial Blitz

Bride Rovers U11's welcomed Lisgoold, Watergrasshill and Carraig Na BhFear GAA clubs to a sunny Rathcormac last Saturday for the annual Jerard Kenny Memorial blitz. 

The day began with all the players being paraded around the pitch by the Fermoy pipe band before the four evenly matched and highly skilful  teams began a hectic morning of hurling. The first round of matches saw Bride Rovers overcome Lisgoold by 3 points whilst Carraig Na BhFear saw off Watergrasshill by a similar scoreline, a quick turnaround and Bride Rovers faced Watergrasshill whilst Carraig Na BhFear faced Lisgoold. After another exciting 30 minutes of hurling both the Rovers and Carraig Na BhFear had won through to face off in the final. 

The final itself proved to be another exciting match, with all the skills of hurling on show by both teams. When the final whistle sounded the Rovers lads got their reward for all the passion, skill and hard work shown throughout the morning, winning out by the barest of margins, a single point. Thanks to Mick and Mag Kenny, to our Referees Seanie and Ronan and to all those who helped with teas, coffees, sandwiches and baking.Thanks also to all the clubs mentors and supporters who partook in 'the silent sidelines' initiative which allowed the officials and all the players to fully enjoy their games.

Match squad - Luke Harrington (C) Conor O'Riordan, Oran Kielty, Jack Collins, Tomas O'Riordan, Adam Cronin, Ben Knox, Cormac Barry, Jack Hynes, Jack Keating, Ronan Barry, Gearoid O'Connell, Gearoid Gubbins, Cillian O'Sullivan, Bobby Dalton.

 Jerard Kenny was a popular young hurler with Bride Rovers. He played at wing forward on the Bride Rovers under 12 team that defeated Tracton in Mayfield in July 2000 in the County Final. The Rovers won by 5 7 to 2 1. One verse of a ballad written at the time is as follows;

In goal was young Butler and brave at the test

Forde, Cotter and Collins- full backs -the best.

Two Kearneys and Walsh  were classy halfbacks

Whose hurling created so many attacks.

Michael Collins our Captain shone out at midfield

With young Padraig O Keeffe refusing to yield

Murphy and Kenny were assisted by Quinn

O Brien, O Keeffe, Dooley -they kept the ball in.

Jer died in a tragic accident in September 2001.

Pictured above: Margaret and Michael Kenny with the Bride Rovers under 11 team which won the Jerard Kenny Memorial Tournament in Rathcormac last Saturday morning with mentors Nevan Butler and Paddy Hynes.

 Rebel Og Under 14 HL semi final.

In Pynes field on Saturday evening we took on Whitechurch in the under 14 Hurling  League Semi Final. It was a tough encounter with both teams giving their all for the full hour. We won by 4 9 to 2 5 to qualify for the Final against Blarney.

Team and scorers; F. O Flynn. D. O Sullivan, L. Collins, J. Powell, J. Ahern, C. Hazlewood, D.Barry, C.Tobin, R. O Connell, N. Kelleher, A. Walsh 0 6, D. Cashman, E. Buckley1 0, E. Cashman 2 3 , R. O Callaghan 1 0.

Weekly Club Lotto.

The Lotto Jackpot for Tuesday October the 3rd was €15,400 and the four numbers drawn were 5,21, 24 and 29 and there was no winner
€30 each to Sunday Soccer c/o J. Barry, Vanessa Fleming c/o Laya, Brian Shinnick, Fermoy, Susan Heffernan c/o Laya and Aidan O'Mahony, Fermoy.  Tickets for the Lotto are just €2 each and can be bought from Club members, in local business outlets and online at locallotto.ie Your ongoing support of the Lotto is really appreciated.

Cork GAA Clubs Draw 2017/18

Tickets for the  2017/2018 Cork GAA members Draw are now  on sale from Bride Rovers Club members. It is a fantastic Draw which goes on for 12 months. This is the 25th year of the Draw with bigger and better monthly prizes this year. The Draw is vital for our Club. For every €100 ticket we sell we can keep €45 so it brings in valuable revenue for the Bride Rovers Club. We have huge Development Plans being finalised at present which will need major funding over the next 10 years. The Draw costs just €10 a month which is €120 or you can save €20 by paying a single payment of €100. You can pay by cash, cheque or Direct Debit, whichever suits best.  This year the Draw Prize Fund is €450,000 including Pairc Ui Chaoimh 10 year tickets, Ed Sheeran Concert tickets plus huge cash prizes, Hotel Breaks and Vouchers. We would appeal to all our members, players and supporters to buy a ticket in this Draw. The tickets are now on sale from any Club Member, online at www.corkgaadraw.ie and more details are on our Club website and the Cork GAA website.

At present our Club is finalising a Major Development Plan which will need a huge fund raising effort so joining this Draw is just one way of helping the Club plan for the future.

ASTRO TURF BOOKING.

All bookings of the two Astro Turf playing areas are to be made by contacting the Club Runaí Daniel Lane at 087 2070100

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

BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are;    Rathcormac Tyres

                                                                      Fermoy Print & Design

                                                                      Veolia Environmental Services.