Club Notes.. - 2020-06-13 12:06:00
Well after all the uncertainty and On/Off announcements over the last month at last we have really positive news. We are going to have a 2020 GAA playing season and Club Activity will be the first to restart in July. The 'Off' date is Friday July 31st which is eight weeks from this Friday night. From that date onwards games can be played. Over the next few weeks The County Board, East Cork Board and Rebel Og will be announcing their programmes for the season. Will every competition be straight knock-out? Will there be one 'second chance' game? Will we have any Leagues this year? Will it be hurling and football on consecutive weeks? -these are just some of the questions to which we have no answers yet but all will be revealed as the days roll on. Last weekend the GAA issued a do0cument on Return to Play to each Club. It's too lengthy to reproduce here but the following are a few important points;
Phase 2 June 8th.
Dedicated GAA walking tracks may be used for recreational use in groups of no more than 4 people. Persons using the facilities must be located within the recommended 20km radius
Phase 3 June 29th.
All GAA pitches open. Training to recommence for Adult and Juvenile teams in small groups only (details below)Access to GAA buildings and indoor facilities including meeting rooms not permitted (exception: sanitized toilet facility)
All forms of competition remain postponed; entry to grounds restricted to playing& management personnel only
Phase 4 July 20th
All forms of team and group training permitted. Resumption of club competitions for all cohorts from Friday July 31st.Access to GAA buildings and indoor facilities including meeting rooms not permitted. Water Bottles must not be shared. Other equipment can be shared but must be washed/sanitised at beginning and end of training and games.
Phase 5 August 10th
Club Competitions continue. Access to GAA buildings and indoor facilities including meeting rooms, gyms, exercise studios permitted where regular and effective cleaning can be carried out and where required indoor social distancing measures can be maintained. Access to club facilities to be monitored. Contact tracing measures to remain in place. Adequate sanitizers to be available throughout the facility. Club facility to display signage and information for managing Covid-19.Spectator numbers to be managed in line with agreed protocols and government guidance
The GAA 'Return To Play' includes the above Safe Return Roadmap. The document runs to 15 pages in total and is available to all who want it or need it for different teams. The bottom line is that Hurling and Football games will be played for Clubs this year which is brilliant news. There will be a big workload for all our Club Officers, Team Coaches, Team Secretaries, Selectors and Club Members but the health of all our players, members and supporters is vital going forward. The GAA's Press Release and the Covid-19 Guidelines on Safe Return to Gaelic Games are available to be read on the Bride Rovers website at present.
CUL Camp 2020 Off.
It's with a sense of disappointment that we announce this week the Annual Bride Rovers Cul Camp for young boys and girls has been cancelled. With possible numbers of around 300 expected to take part this year and Government Regulations setting a limit of 15 participants per event it would be impossible and unfeasible to go ahead this year. We know that hundreds of youngsters in our parish were so looking forward to the Cul Camp. At least juvenile training will commence and a limited games programme will go ahead as per the Return to Play Roadmap. Rebel Og which caters for Juvenile games in Cork were meeting on last Monday night to make decisions on the competition format for 2020.
2003 Memories Recalled.
Over the last few weeks, indeed months, in the absence of hurling and football games to write about this scribe like so many others has been going down the 'lanes of memory', boithrìn na smaointe in an effort to recall the games and players defeats and victories of other days and times. There is a saying that 'what goes round comes round' and that surely applies to the GAA and it's clubs. In Bride Rovers we have known lean years- even decades when success was scarce but the games were still played. Many wore the Green, White and Gold and played for years and won no League or Championship medal. I think of those who kept the flag flying from 1946 to 1966. We won under an16 title in the 1950's but for many a Tournament or a Carnival medal was all they got for their efforts. There were years too in the 1970's and 80's when we had great Junior teams but Championship successes were few and far between. We won B grade titles in both Hurling and Football, two Junior Hurling Leagues and an O Flynn Cup win in 1988. Then in 1992 we captured the County Minor B Hurling league title and after that things really took off. Incidentally on that frosty December day in Ballygiblin the Cup was presented to Terry Broderick by Minor Board Chairman Clyda Rovers man Tom Dorgan. Tom's wife Lucy died last weekend and on behalf of all in Bride Rovers we extend deepest sympathy to the Dorgan family.
With a few Sundays past County Sound Radio, 103FM, have been replying highlights of great game in recent decades. Last Sunday the game in question was our Intermediate Hurling Final victory over Inniscarra in the famed year of 2003. Imagine it's seventeen years ago? Truly how time flies when you're having fun. That Intermediate Hurling Championship of 2003 was special, not just because we won it but it was the last year before the Intermediate grades split in two -Premier Intermediate and Intermediate. A total of twenty five teams went into the Cork IHC 'hat' at County Convention in December 2002. In June of that year we had been beaten in the Intermediate championship by Ballymartle by1 16 to 0 13. The Draw for the 2003 IHC was as follows;
Preliminary Round Aghabullogue v Ballymartle
Round 1, Inniscarra v Mallow
Ballinhassig v Carrigtwohill
On Sunday February the 9th 2003 the first training session for the hurlers for the season was held at 12 noon. That day was the first occasion that Jack Russell was introduced to the Bride Rovers players. It's easy to write now, all these years later, that ' the rest is history' but truly that's what happened. Before that historic year Bride Rovers had captured the County Intermediate Hurling Championship and the County Intermediate League Titles in a never to be forgotten year. It took six games to win that 2003 Title, so different from nowadays where all the Championships have a limited number of teams. We played Blarney, Mallow, Milford, Youghal draw and replay, and Inniscarra.
On April 27th we made the short journey to Watergrasshill to Meet Blarney -our first Championship meeting with the Mid Cork side since 1937 when we lost by 6 2 to 1 4. After a great game we were 0 13 to 2 5 ahead with the 60 minutes up. In a dramatic finish Blarney were awarded a free just to the left of the goals about 25 yards out. Their goalie Ronan Byrne came up to take it - if he scored we were gone! We saved it and won the game. We had nearly two months before our next game. It was on the longest day of the year Jun 21st, in Ballyhooley against Mallow. They had been beaten by Killeagh in the 2001 Final and had thirteen of that side still on duty. Michael Ellard's headline on the paper the Monday after the game was;
"Murphy's goal seals victory over mallow as Bride Rovers fire warning shot" A Sean Ryan goal just before the break saw us level at 1 3 apiece at half time. Donal repeated the green flag act on the resumption before Mallow tore into the game. It took a super goal from Brian Murphy to ensure our 3 9 to 2 9 win. Ellard ended his report with the sentence "when the Rathcormac side iron out their shooting difficulties they will be a force to be reckoned with" - we hit twelve wides in the first half against Mallow. Another two months passed before we met Milford on the last Sunday in September in the next round in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. We beat Milford by a single point in our first Intermediate championship game in 1999 but four years later we won easily by 4 15 to 0 9. Having waited two months for the Milford game we had to face Youghal in the semi final just a week later. Ballynoe was the venue on Saturday 4th. "Geary rescues Youghal with injury-time point" was Tim O Brien's banner headline on the Monday morning. We had been leading by 1 8 to 0 9 with the hour game though we should have been much further ahead. Eoin Coleman pointed a free and then in the 63rd minute wing back Alan Geary levelled. Pat Cotter got our goal. W left Ballynoe at 9 o clock that evening and at 12 noon the following day, Sunday, twenty six players were on the pitch in Rathcormac. The replay was the following Saturday. The lessons of the drawn game were learned well and the lads put in a super display to win by 2 14 to 0 7 -"Red-hot Bride through to first final" was the Examiner headline -slightly in error as we had been to the 1933 Final! "On the day Youghal had no answer to a well-balanced and committed Rovers side who, on this display, will take considerable beating in the decider" prophetic words indeed ! Next week we will look back in detail on the Final against Inniscarra.
Sympathy.
The Club extends deepest sympathy to the relatives of the late Paddy Ring of Cloyne who died recently. Paddy was a son of Willie John, nephew of the great Christy and of course brother of Willie, former Secretary of the East Cork Board.
Lotto Coming Back.
On Tuesday June the 30th our Weekly Club Lotto will resume. The venue for that draw will be announced shortly. Tickets can be got in Dooleys and SPAR and in local Public Houses when they will reopen. Club Members will have tickets for sale also. Tickets can be purchased online at www.briderovers.ie. If anyone has difficulty getting tickets just contact any Club Officer.
'Guest Players' in 1935
On Sunday April 28th 1935 Bride Rovers took on Sarsfields in the first round of the East Cork Minor Hurling Championship in Watergrasshill We scored 4 1 and Sars 3 4 - a draw. Before any replay could be arranged Sars objected saying the Rovers had illegal players. It went to the East Cork Board and then in June to the County Board. It seems the game v Sars was 'arranged rather quickly and Bride Rovers had difficulty getting a team' . Well someone knew someone in Shanballymore and it appears that five players from that district were brought to the game in Watergrasshill. Two of the North Cork boys played and three were subs on the day. In the end the Bride Rovers Secretary was suspended for twelve months, the two players indefinitely and the Bride Rovers Minor Committee for two months. A few weeks later at the North Cork Board meeting in Doneraile a letter was sent in from the five players and their club stating they had 'innocently played with Bride Rovers'!
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.
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.
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. The two Churches in the Parish are now opened on alternate days from 12 noon until 3.
LATEST NEWS FROM CORK CO. BOARD 9/June/ 2020
At tonight's meeting of the County Executive, consideration was given to County Championship formats for 2020.
The preference remains for a group stage championship in line with the format approved by clubs last year, subject to the window available.
With inter-county games games resuming on the weekend of October 17th / 18th, we await the programme of inter-county activity from the GAA's CCCC later this month to allow us to maximise the period of club activity from July onwards.
Therefore, there will be no final decision on formats until that point.
Meanwhile, a subgroup is examining the opportunities for the streaming of games to allow the greatest possible audience for the club programme and to facilitate those who are unable to attend.
In the meantime, we thank all teams and club members for continuing to comply with government and GAA regulations.
Latest news from the EAST CORK BOARD 12/June/2020.
At a zoom meeting of the Executive of the East Cork Board held on Wed 10th June
The following was agreed
The East Cork Junior Hurling Championship would retain the formula agreed by the clubs with the following games fixed
Fri 31st July Lisgoold v Cobh
Sat 1st Aug Erin’s Own v Killeagh
Sun 2nd Aug Watergrasshill v Fr O’Neill’s.
These fixtures could be subject to change as we don’t have the County fixture programme as of yet.
The Junior A Football will be looked at when the County fixture programme is published.
It is hoped to commence the Junior B Hurling Championship as soon as all 1st teams play
All other championships will be looked at in due course.
The next meeting of the Executive of the East Cork Board held on Wed 17th June.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres
