Bride Rovers

Minors are County Champions...

Our Minor Hurlers were crowned County Champions last Saturday with a ten point win over Shandrum in the replayed Final. Magnificent and skillful are just two words to describe this victory. It was an outstanding display from a team that has brought the Club and parish so much joy over the last five or six years and this win was well deserved. Back in April just four days after Erins Own defeated us in the SHC in Pairc Ui Rinn we returned to the city venue to take on St Finbarrs in the first round of the County Premier 2 MHC. We defeated the Barrs that night and over the last six months this team has worked hard and diligently to try and capture a first ever Premier Minor Title for the Club. Victories over Fermoy and Blackrock gained us a place in the County Final. In Pairc Ui Rinn on October the 8th it could all have ended in tears of defeat. Having had a six point lead early in the second half we found ourselves two points down, having gone eighteen minutes without a score. Back from the jaws of defeat came the lads to hit three points and put us 1 ahead in the 62nd minute. Shandrum had the last say with a levelling point. So that was the backdrop to last Saturday's game. On this occasion the venue was the spacious Clyda Rovers complex in Mourneabbey - where Shandrum had defeated St. Finbarrs in their semi final. The twelve days between the drawn game and replay were traumatic to say the least following the death of super supporter Jim O Donovan. As well, half of the panel were involved with St Colmans in the Harty Cup last Wednesday.

For a stand-alone Minor game there was huge crowd present when Diarmuid Kirwan threw in the sliotar. The first ten minutes was just hectic with a score a minute as each team raised five white flags. Conor Barry had three from frees allied to scores from Kieran Kearney and Edmond Cashman. Shandrum had scores from frees and play also - they scored only 1 2 in total from play. The North Cork side's Luke Morrissey and Conor Griffin made strong attacking runs early in the half but marvellous covering from our backs prevented certain scores. With the scores level at 5 points apiece at the end of the first quarter the game took a decisive turn in our favour. In the space of eight minutes we added 1 5 to go eight points ahead. Firstly Conor Barry struck over two points, one from a free. Then came a crucial score. Great defensive work from Ruairi O Sullivan and John Buckley kept Shandrum at bay. The sliothar was sent up to our forward line. Brian Roche got possession and hit a smashing goal. Griffen hit over a brilliant point followed by a long range point from a placed ball by Paddy O Flynn. When Conor pointed another free we were ahead by 1 10 to 0 5 and well in control. An interesting statistic was that there was no wide for either team in the first twenty minutes. Though we were dominant Shandrum fought back. Cormac O Brien pointed three frees to narrow our lead to five. Then when Conor Griffin, Shandrum's No 14, struck for goal we had only a two point lead. Cian Hogan had a point to stretch it to three but Shandrum finished the half with a white flag to make it Bride Rovers 1 11 Shandrum 1 9 at half time. We weren't in trouble but a bit rattled after really dominating the most of the first half. Whatever bit of a breeze that blew we probably had it in the opening half. However despite losing a six point lead we looked the more polished side especially as our defence allowed no easy scores. 'When hot grew that fight those hearts grew more eager' is a line from Bride Rovers Abu written in 1932 and we saw the spirit of hat era really come to the fore in the second half. Shandrum started the second half as they'd finished the first with a point to reduce our lead to the minimum 1 11 to 1 10. Well our lads opened their shoulders collectively and started hurling brilliantly. From Jordan Mannix at full back right through the team the effort was outstanding. Conor from a free put us two ahead. Then Shaunie Knox and Conleith Ryan displayed their ingrained Kilkenny and Antrim hurling DNA with two superb points. Matthew Quinn and Eoin Roche put up the shutters up in the backline. Kieran Kearney, whose great grand father John was on the first Rovers team to win the East Cork JHC in 1930, and Griffen O Keeney worked really hard linking defence and attack. With a plentiful a supply of the sliotar up front our forwards were on song. Brian, Conor and Paddy(free) stretched our lead to five points 1 17 to 1 12 by the eighteenth minute. Then came a game changing moment. Shandrum were awarded a penalty shot but Ben Hogan saved superbly and we were truly on our way to a historic win. In the last eleven minutes we outscored Shandrum by 6 points to 1. Captain Conor Barry hit three scores (2 frees) while Brian Roche, Griffen and Edmond brought our final tally to 1 23, ten points ahead of the Newtownshandrum/ Dromina combination. When Diarmuid Kirwan sounded the final whistle it was just brilliant for players, families and supporters. Four years ago we lost in the U 14 Final to Blarney, two years ago we lost to Midleton in the u 16 semi final so this great win was well deserved. What a bunch of players these are -not just the 17 who played on Saturday but everyone on the panel 'they also serve who only stand and wait'. Thanks lads for such a fantastic effort which ye have put in to win this county title.The backroom team of Alan Fitzgerald, Denis Ahern, Barry Johnson, Jerome O Driscoll, Martin O Sullivan and Anthony Cody deserve great credit as do the various mentors who have looked after these lads since they started playing at under 12 level.Thanks also to the Juvenile Club Officers and Board Delegated who do so much unseen work. Rebel Og Central Board Chairman Ml O Mahony presented a delighted Team Captain Conor Barry with the Gerald McCarthy Sponsored Cup and also his man of The Match Award. Conor replied and thanked everyone involved with the team and led the three cheers for Shandrum. It was a very proud day for Bride Rovers and indeed the whole community. Since last April in Pairc Ui Rinn and in Ballyhooley, Ballygarvan and last Saturday in Mourneabbey we have had tremendous vocal support -thanks to each and everyone of you. Team and scorers ; Ben Hogan, Ruairi O Sullivan, Jordan Mannix, Matthew Quinn, John Buckley, Patrick O Flynn 0 2 frees, Eoin Roche, Kieran Kearney 0 1, Griffen O Sullivan 0 2, Conor Barry 0 11, 0 8 frees, Cian Hogan 0 1, Conleith Ryan 0 1, Edmond Cashman 0 2 Brian Roche 1 2, Shaun Knox 0 1, Oisin Roche, Seamus Ahern, John O Sullivan, Tom Murray, Craig O Callaghan, Michael Quinlan, Fergus Sheehan, Tomas Macek, Peter O Leary, Michael Friel.

2018 Premier 2 Co. MHC

Bride Rovers 2 21 St Finbarrs 2 10 Bride Rovers 2 8 Fermoy 1 12 Bride Rovers 0 19 Blackrock 1 15.

The Minor Hurling season is not ended yet as we are still involved in the PMH League.

'Talent wins games but teamwork and intelligence win championships'(Michael Johnson)

100 Plus Togged Out.

Saturday last was a unique day in the History of the Club as I reckon we had well over 100 players in action on the day! As well as the County Minor Final we were involved in the Under 14 Challenge Cup Final in Ballygarvan, an internal Club under 9 and under 10 blitz in Rathcormac and in Ballynoe around 60 under 6 Boys and girls took part in a fantastic morning of games.

Rebel Og U14 Premier 2 Football Challenge Cup Final

We travelled to Ballygarvan last Saturday morning to take on Glanmire in the Challenge Cup football final. It was an early throw in at 12 noon. After a great game of football we lost out narrowly. With Glanmire finishing in second place in the Premier league they were always going to be a hard team to beat and so it proved. We lost on a scoreline of 1-6 0-6. Glanmire were well on top in the first half where we managed to score just a single point. The second half saw our lads thunder back into the contest with just a goal in it at the end, hard luck lads Panel Louis Roche Eldon O Connor Liam Collins Cormac O Sullivan Adam Hayes Conor Hazelwood Nicky Kelleher Ronan O Connell Cillian Tobin Denis Cashman Adam Walsh David Barry Cillian Barry Ryan O Callaghan Josh Ahern Frank O Flynn Ben Knox Jack Keating In the Rebel Og U14 Premier 1 hurling league semi-final we meet Midleton in Rathcormac next Saturday 27th at 2pm

UNDER 9/Under 10 Blitz.

With the Rebel óg season culminating recently Bride Rovers U9s and 10s came together last Saturday for an internal blitz. In total 35 boys took part with 4 teams, each team playing 3 matches. The games were highly competitive with the skills learned throughout the last year in evidence. The event marked the final weekend training session for the U10s with training moving to Mondays from here on. The U9s play again next Saturday, this time against their younger club mates, the U8s.

UNDER 21 SEMI FINAL.

Our County Under 21 Hurling semi final has been fixed for next Saturday October the 27th in Riverstown at 3.30pm. Passage are trained by former Cork hurler Cian McCarthy and had an impressive win over Blackrock in the Seandun Final. Best of luck lads.

CLUB LOTTO.

There was no jackpot winner last Tuesday when the numbers drawn were 5, 7, 26, 28 This week's jackpot on Tuesday October 23rd was €20,000
€30 each to Pat Murphy, Aidan Dorgan, Ian Doherty, Aidan Hayes and B Murphy, Fermoy. Tickets at just 2 EU each are available from Club Members and in local businesses and online atlocallotto.ie

CLUB AGM.

The Annual General Meeting of the Bride Rovers Club will be held on Monday November the 19^th.

WELL DONE FERMOY.

On Sunday last Fermoy defeated St Michaels in the County PIFC Co Final in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Having lost the 2016 Final Fermoy it was a super win against the Blackrock based side who have also contested a few deciders in recent years. Congrats to all the Fermoy players mentors and supporters. Fermoy will be back in the Cork SFC in 2019 for the first time sine 1964, well done to all concerned.

SENIOR HURLING LEAGUE.

Our REDFM Senior Hurling League Quarter-Final v Glen Rovers is down for decision on the first weekend of November 33r/4th-depending on other fixtures.

JUNIOR C HURLING.

Our much fixed and much postponed game v Sars in the East Cork Junior C Hurling Championship went off again last weekend. No fixture has been made at the time of writing but it will go ahead on Sunday next. at 12 Noon Venue tbc

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