Major doubt for GAA says GAA President..

The GAA president Dublin's John Horan does not expect football or hurling to resume while social distancing measures are in place and he predicted the GAA could lose up to €50million this year because of the impact of Covid-19.

On RTE Television last Sunday night he addressed many issues on the first episode of the new series of The Sunday Game.  Horan outlined the careful approach the GAA will take and cast further doubt on playing behind closed doors or with half-filled stadia.

Discussing social distancing remaining in society as Gaelic games potentially return, Horan said: "I can't see it happening to be quite honest. If social distancing is a priority to deal with this pandemic, I don't know how we can play a contact sport. That is what Gaelic games are. They are contact sports. It's a basic fact that the games of hurling and football can't be played whilst players stay two metres apart!

The GAA Uachtarán continued -"When you look at the level of contact in sports, scrums in rugby are probably at a different level. But I don't think to say our games are non-contact is correct, no."

The President was adamant that the 2020 Championship must start this year in order for it to be played, while also admitting it is unlikely that the rest of the National Leagues will be completed. The last year in the History of the GAA when the Inter County Championships were unfinished was in 1888. That year a huge party of hurlers and footballers went on a 'Tour' to America in what became known in GAA lore as 'The American Invasion'. Some players stayed Stateside and te Tour really upset the championships at home.

Horan also said an unwillingness to put the task of maintaining Covid-19 prevention guidelines on volunteers was at the heart of  the Government's 'Roadmap to Recovery' which will see no activity at GAA grounds before 20 July.

"There was an idea in it that people could gather together in groups of four. The GAA felt that just couldn't be marshalled within clubs and that is why we continue to keep our premises closed". In fairness to John Horan he spoke frankly and honestly. He didn't attempt to prioritise the Inter County scene before Club activity. So that's it for the moment. Next Sunday is May 17th and for at least another eight weeks after that the 'Closed' sign will stay on Pairc na Bride, Pynes Field and all other GAA facilities in the country.

Bride Rovers Club Gear.

While we might not be playing games at present  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.

1998 County Junior Hurling Championship.

By the time we won the East Cork Championship in Cobh on Sunday September the 27th the County Championship had already started. The day before our game in Cobh Ballinascarthy and Dromina played a draw. The West Cork men looked likely winners after Dromina had a man sent off but two late point gave the Avondhu side a total of 2 7 to Bal's 0 13. While our celebrations were getting underway Freemount defeated Aghabullogue in Glantane on the Sunday evening by 1 12 to 1 6. The winners had two players sent off and one Aghabullogue hurler also got a Red card. We had a three week build up to the East Cork final and with Dromina and Ballinascarthy drawing it meant we had a fortnight before our County game. We had got the bye into the County semi final. The week after the East Cork Final Ballinascarthy beat Dromina in the replay. At the County Board meeting on Tuesday October 6th the Bride Rovers v Ballinascarthy game was confirmed for three o clock in Pairc UI Rinn the following Saturday. For the next two days there was flurry of 'behind the scenes' attempts to change the starting time. The West Cork Club said their goalkeeper was sitting an Exam in Dublin at 12 noon and couldn't make it to Cork on time. They wanted the game put back a few hours or put off until the following day but we stood firm. Their goalie and captain was there in plenty time for the toss. What a game it was. Though playing against the wind we had three early points from Jerome, Terry and Padraig. Amazingly we raised only one further white flag in the first half, from Sean Ryan, and that came after the West Cork side had got six points in a row. They added two more to lead by double scores 0 8 to 0 4. When they added a goal things looked bad for us. Behind by seven points by half time it looked bleak. In fairness Tom, Pat and Denis refocused the lads, stressing that we would have the strong breeze in the second half. Fr Seanie told the lads not to panic and keep hurling and take any score we could. Two minutes into the second period  Colman Murphy put Ballinascarthy nine points ahead and dreams of a County Final appearance looked forlorn. The second half then, well 'West Cork Gael' in The Southern Star wrote 'The miracle at Pairc Ui Rinn! Former Cork Hurling Star Fr Seanie Barry is the esteemed coach of the Rathcormac based Bride Rovers and maybe it was his divine intervention that saved the East Cork champions from a watery grave in this Cork Junior A Hurling Championship semi-final that can be described simply as a classic. No superlatives can do credit to this match that left the fine crowd and all thirty three participants both emotionally and physically drained at it's conclusion. Truly the comeback was stunning. Points from Batt McHugh, Jerome, Mike Hogan and James Murphy left four between the sides. Jerome struck a goal to make it 1 9 to 1 8. Murphy pointed two frees to go three ahead. Jerome (2) and Padraig brought the sides level 1 11 each. As the tension mounted Bal went ahead but Jerome restored parity. Murphy again put the West Cork side by a point 1 3 to 1 12 before Padraig Murphy levelled. Barry Murphy cleared a ball up-field and Batt McHughs sent over a winner. It was a brilliant win with a display of guts and spirit and superb hurling. We were in the County Junior Hurling Final for the first time ever. While we were celebrating in the Pairc UI Rinn dressingroom County Secretary Frank Murphy approached Barry Murphy and Niall Fitzgerald. On the next day, Sunday, a Cork Senior Hurling team were due to play for the opening of the St Theresa's Club Grounds in Belfast. Frank wanted the two lads to travel and play with Cork, they agreed and were whisked away en route to the North. Many of us went to the Pound Bar in Kildinan that night for a birthday party for Dermot 'Georgie' Johnson and what a party we had! A week later Nemo Rangers shocked Ballinhassig in the Co JHC and then the following week Freemount caused an even bigger upset when the team from Duhallow beat Nemo to set up a Freemount v Bride Rovers County Final.

GAMES PLAYED IN 1933.

1Bride Rovers 4 1 St Michaels 1 2, friendly at Watergrasshill, Feb 5th

2 Bride Rovers 3 2 Aghada 5 0, friendly at Rathcormac Feb 19th

3 Bride Rovers 1 1 Tallow 3 3, friendly at Rathcormac Feb 23rd

4 Bride Rovers 6 5 Buttevant 2 0 Intermediate HC at Fermoy

5 Bride Rovers 5 2 Inniscarra 1 1 challenge, at Rathcormac April 23rd

6 Bride Rovers 4 1 Aghada 4 1 friendly at Rathcormac May 23rd

7 Bride Rovers 3 2 UCC  2 3 at Fermoy, Feis Medal Tournament June 4th

8 Bride Rovers 3 2 Blackrock 1 5 IHC at Riverstown June 10th

9Bride Rovers 4 5 St Columbas 1 4 IHC semi final at Riverstown July 2nd

10 Bride Rovers 3 3 Sars 0 2 friendly at Riverstown August 10th

11 Bride Rovers 2 1 Lough Rovers 4 3 Co IHC Final at Athletic Grounds August 13th

12 Bride Rovers 3 3 Oldcastletown  4 1 Tournament Semi Final at Fermoy Oct 1st

13 Bride Rovers 2 1 Midleton 6  4, friendly at Midleton December 3rd.

No Sliotar- Game Over.

Hard to imagine nowadays that a championship game had to be abandoned as no sliotars were available but it happened!. In 1960 the Club in the Parish was affiliated as St Bartholomew's. They entered the East Cork JBHC. The Draw saw St Bartholomew's  pitted against St Coitins from the Ballycotton area. This game was fixed for Midleton on Sunday May the 8th. The Club looked for a postponement of the fixture due to a Parish Mission. This was agreed to and the refixture on June 16th saw St Bartholomew's win easily by 12  4 to 1 7. Shanagarry Rovers beat Cobh in another first round game with the winners meeting in Round Two. It was Sunday September 18th, three months after the first round, when St Bartholomew's faced Shanagarry Rovers in Castlemartyr at 7pm. The Shanagarry side were well on top and led by 4 6 to 2 1 with six minutes to go. With no wire behind the lower goals-and a field of corn growing behind the pitch, both teams had lost several sliotars. The last St Bartholomew's sliotar was driven into the field by John O Brien, I'm not sure if this was purely by chance or not!. The ref Mr Coughlan asked both sides for a sliotar but none was to be had. A search of the cornfield commenced but no sliotar was found. It was now after 8 o clock with darkness coming down. The ref had no option but to abandon the game! The replay was played on Sunday October 9th at 3.30 and with plenty sliotars available! St Bartholomew's had trained hard during the three weeks since the first game and won easily by 3 6 to 0  4 thus qualifying for the East Cork Final. 

TALENTED PLAYERS.

At an East Cork Juvenile Board meeting in Midleton Bride Rovers were fixed to play a hurling game on the following Sunday at 12 noon. The Rovers delegate David John Barry knew we wouldn't have a team as several players were going to be away for the weekend. 'Mr Chairman' David John started ' I wish to state that on Sunday next my Club Bride Rovers will not be in a position to field a representative team for the fixture which you have just made and we are requesting a postponement forthwith' .The Chairman Willie Ryan of Aghada enquired why Bride Rovers could not field? 'Well Mr Chairman' said David John ' we will not be in a position to fulfil the said fixture on Sunday next because due to religious zeal six of our most prominent and promising players will be otherwise engaged at the time of the game as they will be serving as Altar Boys in the Church at Mass' 'But David John what are you on about, Sunday's game is an under 16 match and I never heard of boys of 15 and 16 serving as Altar Boys?' says Willie Ryan. Not to be outdone David John replied 'Pardon my mistake Mr Chairman what I meant to say was that the players in question will be singing in the Choir'!

I can't remember if we got the match postponed or not!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS.

These are tough times for all business firms, big and small, and in Bride Rovers we are especially grateful to Rathcormac Tyres and Fermoy Print and Design for their ongoing assistance. If you or family members or friends can support these two firms we would really appreciate it.

PLAYED WITH THREE COUNTIES.

Richard (Dick ) Ryan was born at Ballinterry on March 23rd 1914, his parents were James Ryan and Eugenie nee Arnold. From an early age his ability as a brilliant hurler was obvious. He was on the Bride Rovers Junior Hurling team when 16. By the time he was 18 he had won two East Cork Junior A Grade HC medals and an East Cork and County Minor medal as well. He actually captained the Bride Rovers Minor County winning team in 1932. He also played in the 1933 County Intermediate Final when Lough Rovers beat Bride Rovers. In that year he got a job in the Civil Service and was posted to Waterford. He joined the Erins Own Club in Waterford city. By 1934 he was on the Waterford Senior Hurling team and played with the Decies in the Munster Championship in 1934 and 1935. He was transferred to Cork, played with Blackrock and was picked on the Cork Senior Hurling team in 1937. Cork lost to Tipp by  4 3 to 3 5- Tipperary went on to win the All Ireland that year. In 1949 Dick Ryan was transferred to Donegal. He told me that he arrived in Donegal of a Wednesday and was on the Donegal Hurling team the following Sunday! Donegal participated in the Ulster Junior HC at that time. Dick was on the team that reached the 1950 Ulster Junior Hurling Final. The game was played in the Athletic Grounds, Armagh on Sunday July 30th but Antrim won well on a scoreline of  8  8 to 2 3.

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 CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres

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