Bride Rovers

July Here We Come- Let the Games Begin..!

Maybe there's a chance that the Summer of 2020 wont pass without the clash of the ash or the thud of the football. From 20 July, the government says GAA teams will be allowed resume activities, but only where limitations are placed on the numbers of spectators and where social distancing can be maintained. Now that could be very difficult to implement. Having been starved of action it's quite likely that if games were to resume you'd get very large attendances -even at underage matches The Government statement at the weekend went on to say that "Mass sports gatherings will only be allowed in accordance with both indoor and outdoor numbers restrictions". We'll have to get clarification bur we have plenty time because nothing is going to change this month or next. This coming weekend was pencilled in as a bumper few sporting days. With a Senior League game against Erins Own on Saturday evening and Cork and Limerick in the Park on Sunday and Bartlemy Races as well we'd have been spoiled for choice. Alas we can only now dream of these events and hope that before too long those dreams will become a reality.

So Different From 2017.

Imagine just three years ago during 2017 we in Bride Rovers had a glut of games. At one stage between County Minor Board and Rebel Og we had games coming thick and fast. It was a busy, busy year which ended with the Club winning both the under 16 and Minor County Championships and leagues.

Our games bonanza was just amazing 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 C ship v Charleville (H)

Sept 6 Minor C ship v St Catherine's (H)

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

Sept 14 U-16 C ship North, Final v Fermoy (H)

Sept 16 Minor C ship East Final v Cobh (H)

Sept 18 Minor C ship v Sliabh Rua (F)

Sept 23 Minor County C ship Q Final v Bandon (H)

Sept 25 U-16 C ship North Semi/final v Kilara Og (F)

Sept 30 Minor County C ship semi final v Cobh (H)

Oct 3rd U-16 League, North final v Ballygiblin (H)

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

Oct 11th U 16 F C ship Replay v Kilara

Oct 14th U 16 H C ship S/final v Aghabullogue.

Oct 28th Co Under 16 H C ship Final v Fermoy.

Oct 30th Co Minor Hurling C ship Final V Kilshannig.

During this time we also had several under 14 games. We had under 14 players on the under 16 team and under 16 players on the Minor team so it was just game after game. Of course we complained from time to time about all the games but I can recall many a year in the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's when we were done and dusted in every single grade -adult and juvenile, by the end of August!. Truly these are the best of times and well done to all the players, parents, mentors and supporters.

Since 1998 when we won the East Cork and County Junior Hurling titles we have enjoyed really unprecedented success. Between the Founding of the Club in 1928 and 1998 -a period of seventy years we had captured just a single County Championship in any Grade, the 1933 County Minor title. In the last twenty two years we have captured over a dozen Championship wins in County Cork, a Munster and an All Ireland too. Mighty going and there's plenty more to come.

Don’t Believe All You Read in the Papers!

On olden times before the telephone came into common usage the daily newspaper was used hugely to promote Gaelic games in East Cork. The weekend Fixtures were usually published on the Thursday, Friday or Saturday prior to the games. As well as that the Report of the County Board meeting usually had the forthcoming fixtures. On Thursday may 30th 1929 page 9 of The Cork Examiner had details of that week's County Board meeting. Under the heading 'Sunday's Fixtures' were details of the East Cork League games including;

'At Bantry, Lisgoold v Bride Rovers, 3.30' ! It's a long, long way to Bantry but luckily the mistake was spotted in time. Bartlemy not Bantry was the venue for the match which the Rovers won by 4 3 to 3 1.

1998 - A Glorious Year.

When Bride Rovers won the 1969 East Cork Junior A Grade Hurling championship after beating Carrigtwohill in a replay it meant we had done the two in a row. Back in the 1930's we had won 'two out of three' -we contested the 1930, 1931 and 1932 Finals losing to Aghada in 1931 and beating Leeside in the other two deciders. After a few years up in Intermediate we were back down Junior in 1938 and reached the East Cork A Grade Final again losing to Cloyne with a youthful Christy Ring playing. Thirty years went by until we won the Title in 1968. Few would have imagined at the end of 1969 that 29 years would elapse before we again captured the Jamesey Kelleher trophy. We lost the East Cork A grade Finals in 1972 and in a replay v Erins Own in 1973. We won a second B grade title in 1975 and took the JH League titles in 1980 and 1981. All through the 1970's and 80's we had strong teams and great hurlers but Cloyne, Erins Own and St Catherines had the rub of the green when it came to championship time. They say when you're down there's only one way to go and that's up. That scenario seemed doubtful around 9 o clock on the evening of Tuesday July 28th 1992 as we left the Castlemartyr pitch. Regraded down to B Grade the previous year we had beaten the Hill's second string in the first round in '92. We travelled confidently to Castlemartyr to meet the Second XV of Fr O Neills. Tom Mulcahy scored 11 points of our tally of 2 13 but O Neills hit us for 2 16 and we were out of the championship. That was long, long, silent spin home that evening. The darkest hour comes before the dawn and in 1993 we won the East Cork Junior B Grade Championship double with the hurlers adding a League Title as well. Tom Mulcahy captained the Hurlers to a great 1 10 to 1 9 win over Midleton in Lisgoold in early December. After a three year absence we were back in A Grade in 1994. It took us a few years to make any impression in A grade hurling. Heavy defeats in successive years of '94 and '95 by the Hill were shattering. In 1996 we had a first round win over St Catherines second string before losing to a late sucker-punch of a gaol v Erins Oen, 2 11 ti 2 9. Slowly we were improving. We reached our first final in 24 years in 1997. Wins over Sars, St Catherines and Fr O Neills qualified us for a glamour local derby decider against Castlelyons. Three months elapsed between the semi final and final- a bit like 1972! Midleton was packed for the Final and hopes were high that we could win for the first time since 1969. It was not to be and Castlelyons won by 1 16 to 0 9 and went on to beat Courcey Rovers in the County Final.

East Cork Championship.

Who fear to speak of '98, who blushes at the name
When cowards mock the patriot's fate, who hangs his head for shame
He's all in name half a slave who slights his country thus
But true men like you men will fill your glass with us

That poem was written in praise of the men who fought in the 1798 Rising. They displayed courage and bravery and ambition and that's what our Junior team displayed in the glorious season of 1998. Having been runners up I997 we entered the JAHC in 98 as one of the favourites but favourites don't always win! Pat Hoskins, Tom Mulcahy and Denis Ahern were the men in charge of the team. Fr Seanie was in Kiltegan that year and came down most weekends to help coach the side. We played Cloyne's second team in the first round on Saturday July 25th. Cloyne led by 5 points to 2 after twenty minutes but we reeled off 7 in a row for a half time lead of 0 7 to 0 5. We tacked on 14 points in the second half without conceding a score to win by 0 21 to 0 5. Riverstown was the venue on Sunday August 16th for the next game v Carrignavar. The match started at 2 as the Waterford/Kilkenny All Ireland semi Final was on that day. Carrig led 1 3 to 0 2 after thirteen minutes and by 1 4 to 0 4 at the break. With the breeze we took control in the second half and late goals from Richie Cahill and Terry were the icing on the cake in a 2 16 to 1 5 victory. The semi final beckoned . In a battle of 'the Reds' Castlemartyr and the Hill drew twice before the Hill won on the third occasion to qualify for a real local derby semi final. Caherlag on the first Sunday of September was the venue for Bride Rovers and Watergrasshill. Memories of '94 ad '95 were still there but this was now a much more experienced Rovers team. An early Sean Ryan goal helped us to a 1 3 to 0 2 lead in a tense encounter. A Paudie Cahill goal in the 18th minute of the second half made it a drawn game at 1 5 each. Points from Batt McHugh, Jerome and Mike Hogan edged us three ahead. Andrew O Flynn and his defence withstood several late attacks and we held on to qualify for the Final once more. The three weeks in the run up to the final against Dungourney were brilliant. The tension of '97 was absent. Tom Mulcahy put the team through a tough training schedule. I remember the Tuesday night after the Hill game, a savage, brutal wet night. The lads trained that night from half seven for two hours in a downpour. There was a massive spirit in the panel , the Club and the parish before we headed to Cobh on Sunday September the 27th. What a day and what a game! Dungourney had the wind and were ahead by 1 2 to 0 3 early on. We then scored 1 4 without reply, the goal and a point from Jerome, two points from Padraig Murphy and one from Terry put us 1 7 to 1 3 up at half time. Though Liam Ahern pointed two frees early in the second half we gradually took over. Batt McHugh, Terry(2) and from a sideline Donal Ryan , all added points before Terry had our second goal. WE won by 2 13 to 2 6 on a very emotional day for the Club. Our own Ger Lane was Chairman of the East Cork Board and with Fr Seanie Barry the '68 and '69 winning captain nearby Ger presented the Cup to a delighted, proud and outstanding Captain Donal Ryan. We'll never forget that day in Cobh and the celebrations afterwards. Next week we'll look at he 1998 County Campaign.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.

Parish Newsletter.

The Parish Newsletter can be emailed to anyone in the Parish who would like to get a copy. Each Saturday the latest edition will be sent out. If you wish to get a copy just forward your email address to rathcormacpp@gmail.com Until further notice Fr Joe O Keeffe will celebrate mass each Sunday at 10.30. The Mass will be live-streamed on the Parish Facebook page and U Tube channel.

Bride Rovers Players in the Early Years.

Some readers have asked me to give details of those who lined out with Bride Rovers hurling teams in their first season back in 1929.. This is the team that played Dungourney in the East Cork League at Rathcormac

Jack Leahy Captain, John Healy(Goal), John Bannon, Joe Healy, Johnny Fitzgerald, Matt Walshe, Ned Daly, Dan Pyne, Willie Barry, Ned Hoskins, Billy Hanan, Tom Barry, John Kearney, Billy Hutch, Denny O Leary.

Jack Leahy, born 1902, parents Daniel Leahy(died 1910) and Nora Flynn.

John Healy, born 1912, parents Patrick Healy and Mary Anne Hegarty.

John Bannon -member of Garda Siochana, possibly from Co. Tipperary.

Joseph Healy, born 1911, parents Patrick Healy and Mary Anne Hegarty

Johnny Fitzgerald, born 1905, parents John Fitzgerald and Ellen Lombard.

Matt Walsh, born 1910, parents Maurice Walsh and Margaret Healy.

Ned Daly, born 1905, parents Michael Daly and Elizabeth Milton.

Dan Pyne, born 1897, parents Michael Pyne and Mary Hickey.

Willie Barry, born 1907, parents Patsy Barry NT and Ellen Arnold.

Ned Hoskins, born 1908, parents Edmond Hoskins and Nora Barry.

Tom Barry, born 1907, parents Thomas Barry and Kate Reynolds.

Billy Hanan, born 1903, parents John Hanan and Eliza Mary Light.