Club Notes 24th April - 2020-04-24 12:23:00
Special congress on Friday..
A Special Congress of the GAA will be held remotely on tomorrow Friday April 17th, which could pave the way for expected major changes in this year's Gaelic football and hurling inter-county championships.The Special Congress, will have one delegate per county on a conference call, -more like a Central Council meeting in reality, will decide whether to delegate decision-making powers usually reserved for Congress to an emergency committee, probably the GAA's management committee in consultation with Central Council. It is my understanding that individual Club Runais will be contacted to mandate the Cork delegate to the Congress on how to vote on the motion which will be debated. In reality we have no choice but to allow the powers that be act in the best interest of the Country and the GAA. More than likely there will be a 'sunset clause' governing these new powers -they will perhaps remain in use for a set period of maybe three or four months.Changes in Championship structures can only be made at GAA annual Congress, traditionally held in early Spring, or a Special Congress if urgent change is required and that's what's happening tomorrow.The impact of the Coronavirus means that this year’s Championships will have to be radically rejigged, if indeed they go ahead at all.
Provincial football championship games were due to start on the 9th of May, just four days after the latest extension of social restrictions are due to expire, which appears impossible given the lack of recent group training.
It is widely expected that, at a minimum, the round-robin hurling provincial Championships and football quarter-finals (Super 8s) would be played as knock-out. An 'old fashioned' Inter County Championship with no Back or Trap Doors is also a distinct possibility. Another very possible scenario is that No Inter County Activity will take place at all. At present meetings and gatherings of all descriptions are not allowed. In my humble opinion it's hard to visualise sports fixtures with huge attendances all in close proximity being allowed to take place in the next few months. Perhaps when the present Restrictions are reviewed in early May a date for the resumption of Club activity might be pencilled in for July. Let's hope in the meantime that the Corona Virus can be combated. There has been brilliant leadership displayed to date by those in charge. They can tell society what to do but it's up to all of us to stay at home, keep our distance and stay safe. The Bride Rovers Club is ready and willing to be of assistance to any of our parishioners especially those over 70 who are cocooning at home at present. If we can help you in any way please contact 087 2070100 or 086 7710766.
Bride Rovers Club Gear.
We might not be playing games at present but it's still important to wear the Green, White and Gold of the Club whenever possible. We have negotiated to have a full range of our Club Gear available to purchase from O Neills Sportswear. At present all sizes of jersies, t-shirts, shorts, jackets, polo shirts and tracksuits are in stock at reasonable prices. Go to Oneills.ie and then search in the list of club names for 'Bride Rovers' and you'll see the full range.
Huge Clash Avoided.
I know it's hard to see too many silver linings in these days with a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the country but there's one at least! If things were normal and the GAA season motoring along as planned we would be in the last week of really 'heavy' training in preparation for our SHC tie against Ballymartle on Saturday week April 25th in Pairc UI Chaoimh at 7.45- with Ballincollig v Watergrasshill in the PIHC as curtain-raiser at 6 o clock. If the game had gone ahead the clash would have been with the All Ireland Senior Scor Final in the INEC in Killarney. Presuming we had won the Munster Final in the Novelty Act Section in Cappamore a few weeks back we would have been on stage about 6 o clock in Killarney, lads we'd never have made it back to Cork for the match! Since all these 'fixtures' were made back in January we've seen huge disruption in all facets of life and the GAA is no exception.
Bride Rovers Cork Winning Captains.
It will be a great question in Scór in years to come
'What three Bride Rovers players Captained Cork teams to victory in two All Ireland Finals?', a good one allright- three players- two All Irelands? The players in question of course are Brendan Walsh and the Roche brothers Brian and Eoin.
In 2004 Brendan captained the Cork Intermediate Hurling team to All Ireland victory in a replay over Kilkenny. Another Bride Rovers player Barry Johnson was also on the Cork selection. Then in 2017 the GAA brought in a new All Ireland championship competition for under 17 hurling. It was a one -off competition as such. A motion had been passed at GAA congress to reduce the age of players for Inter County Minor Hurling from 18 to 17 from the 2018 season onwards. This meant that players who reached the age of 17 in 2017 would not be able to play wit, for example, Cork Minors the following year. The Under 17 championship was brought in to give this age group a chance of winning an All Ireland. During Cork's under 17 campaign the team manager John Considine rotated the team captaincy for each game. For the All Ireland Final in Croke Park the Roche twins Brian and Eoin had the honour of leading Cork.
2004.
In 2003 Brian Murphy won an All Ireland Intermediate medal with Cork, the first to come to the Club since Seanie Barry was on the Cork winning team in 1965. Bride Rovers won the County Intermediate Championship in 2003 with a great win over Inniscarra. This win gave us the right to captain the Cork IH team the following year. With Brendan as Captain and Barry also on the panel and Liam Barry a selector the club was well represented on the Cork side.
Cork opened their Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship campaign on the 30th of May 2004 with a semi-final win over Limerick by 1-21 to 1 10 in the Gaelic Grounds. The Munster Final was in Pairc Ui Rinn on the 14th of July and Cork won by 0-18 to 1-9 for Tipperary. Brendan was presented with the Munster Championship trophy the 'Sweet Afton ' Cup.
In the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship semi final Cork travelled to Parnell Park in Dublin and defeated Antrim by 5 9 to 2 11.Barry Johnson came on a sub that Saturday evening in Dublin That was on August 14th and the next day Sunday saw a fantastic weekend completed for Bride Rovers and Cork as Brian Murphy was in action with the Seniors in Croke Park in their 1 27 to 0 12 win over Wexford in the SHC semi final.
The All Ireland Intermediate Final v Kilkenny was played in Semple Stadium Thurles on Sunday August 22nd. When Cork raced into a 12 point lead early in the second half victory seemed certain. The Cats fought back and a last minute goal levelled the scores at 2 11 each. It was back to Thurles on Saturday September the 4th and Cork made no mistake winning by 1 16 to 1 10. In receiving the TWA Cup Brendan Walsh became the first Bride Rovers player to Captain a Cork Hurling team to All Ireland glory. Amongst the large Rovers following that afternoon was Fr Seanie Barry.
2017.
The new Under 17 competition began in Munster with mid-week fixtures. With Eoin Roche in defence and his brother Brian in attack Cork defeated Limerick by 0 1`6 to 0 6 in the first round. Tipperary were defeated by 2 22 to 2 9 in the semi final to set up a Provincial Final v Waterford in Fraher Field Dungarvan on Tuesday April 25th. Cork were a point behind 1 9 to 1 8 at half time but playing against the breeze. Two second half goals from Owen McCarthy helped Cork to a great 3 13 to 1 12 win. I travelled to Dungarvan for that game with the late Dan Quill and on the way home we agreed to head to Thurles for the semi final against Galway. It took a storming finish for the Cork lads to overcome Galway and thus earn a n All Ireland Final Spot against Dublin on August the 6th. It was an early, early game in Headquarters, the first of a triple-header. I left Rathcormac with Dan at seven o clock.When the game started someone quipped 'there are as many here from Bride Rovers as from Dublin' and there was a great local crowd in Dublin that day. Though Dublin had got a semi final walk over from Antrim this in no way hindered them. It was a brilliant game of hurling with the Rebels winning by 2 points 1 19 to 1 17. It was one of the proudest moments ever in the history of our Club to see brothers Brian and Eoin Roche walk up the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive the Cup from the GAA President-elect John Horan. With Ger Lane Chairman of the County Board it was a very special occasion for all of us lucky to be present.
Top 15 Hurlers if the last 50 years.
The Dungarvan Leader newspaper in conjunction with Brian Gleeson properties are promoting a new competition for the next month. Hurling fans are asked to pick their 'Best !5 Hurlers Since 1970' Noel Cummins, Liam Gleeson and Brian Gavin have drawn up 'panels' of Backs, Midfielders and Forwards from which to pick your Top 15. Full details of this exciting competition can be found elsewhere in The Avondhu.
100 Years Ago.
With the War of Independence raging in Ireland 1920 was a year of little GAA activity in Cork The Lord Mayor Tomas McCurtain was murdered by British forces in hs Blackpool home in March. Indeed in August of that year the Cork County Board called off all games and Board meetings. The only game I have found fixed for the Rathcormac team (The Rovers were not founded until 1928) was in May. On Saturday May 8th under 'Meetings Fairs Markets' Column in The Cork Examiner the following game was fixed for Ballyhooley at 3.30 on the following day Sunday May 8th 'Rathcormac v Doneraile' in the Junior Hurling Championship. Unfortunately I have to date found no result of the game. That same day at the Mardyke St Colmans defeated Christians by 11 2 to 0 1 in the Harty Cup Semi Final.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres
