Thurles for the Hurling, home by the fire  for the Fans!.. 

Cork against Waterford in Thurles would normally have us all on the road to Tom Semple's famous Stadium early of a Sunday morning in May or June or for a Munster Final in July.  That has been the case with many a year now and over the last fifteen years we've had some brilliant games 'tween the Decies and the Rebels.  Back in the 1890's and early 90's Waterford were in the doldrums but not so in recent decades. When one thinks that in the last twenty-five years Cork, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Clare, Limerick, Galway, Wexford and Offaly have captured the Liam McCarthy Cup, yet Waterford have not, it's hard to imagine. The hurlers produced by the County in modern times would grace any era but still their Famine goes on.  Next Saturday on the last day of October in this year of pandemic the hurlers of Cork and Waterford square up to each other in Thurles but the grand old town won't be heaving. No, it will be a deserted Stadium for another 'behind closed doors' game. I suppose beggars shouldn't be choosers as we're lucky to have any Championship at all in this time of Level 5 Lockdown. Looking at the Limerick v Clare game last Sunday really brought home to me the importance of fans to our ancient game. I was often at a National League game in November or a Junior B Hurling league tie in March with more atmosphere than Sunday last. No blame to the players; the Limerick forwards and the Ballyea 'magician' Tony Kelly displayed a vast array of skills. I just wonder though has the art and skill of defensive play become a thing of the past? Dublin hurlers struck 31 points, Limerick got 36 -great scoring tallies but are backlines becoming redundant?. 

The roads from Waterford and Cork will be quiet next Saturday as fans cannot attend. It's an awful shame that the game cannot be seen on TV unless one pays to do so. The same applied last year but at least then if you hadn't got 'Cloud' TV, or whatever they call it, one could go to a club, Hotel, pub, neighbour, family member or friends house to see the match on the telly. Unfortunately no freedom of movement exists this year because of the scourge of covid.  We wish Cork all the very best -great to see Colm Spillane is fit and well again. Fitzgibbon, Cadogan and O Flynn will all be off the starting Cork XV. Waterford are without Padraig O Mahony, a super hurler, but as always will hurl with skill and conviction. Normally I'd be saying 'safe travelling' but on Saturday it's a case of there's no place like home and a seat near the wireless.. 

UNDER 11's IN ACTION.

We had a couple of fun sessions for the lads this weekend. On Saturday at 2:30 we had a Crazy Hurling session and we followed this up with a Crazy Football skills session Monday morning for an hour. The idea was to keep the lads smiling and having a bit of competitive craic. Saturdays session couldn’t have gone any better bar the 5 minute shower which interrupted us after 20 minutes!!  Each team consisted of 3 players with a  coach directing them around 9 “holes” around the field. Each hole was different using various distances, obstacles etc. Having plenty of shouting and cheering was a sure sign that this was a hit and led us to follow up with the football session on Monday. This again with went well with all teams having plenty of challenges. We’re unsure how much longer we’ll keep going at the moment as the weather will dictate but a text will go out before a session next Saturday.

Minor & Under 20 Hurling pulled. 

Just as the competitions got underway there was great sense of disappointment when the news came through last week that both under 17 and under 20 Hurling competitions were stopped. Cork had won their opening rounds in both and were preparing for Munster semi finals but now the scenario is completely changed. Will the competitions be run off in late November or early December -no one knows at this stage.  

UNDER 12's TRAINING.

The under 12s are still training in the small Astro on Mondays and Thursdays while adhering to the government guidelines on pods of less than 15 while socially distancing. Next session tonight Thursday October 29th.

MOPPERS PROCEEDING

The under 16 and  Minor players continue training each Wednesday at  7.30 in the  large Astro Pitch. We are still playing through the moppers Hurling competition and hope to get the Semi-finals by next weekend...

NEW CORK GAA MEMBERS DRAW. 

 In line with the suspension of all GAA games, the launch of the 2020/2021 Cork GAA Rebels' Bounty Draw  was postponed. 'Rebels Bounty' is the new name for the Cork GAA Annual Members Monthly Draw and was to have had a gala re-launch recently but unfortunately along with so many other events this function had to go. Rebels' Bounty will instead be launched in late 20120 / early 2021 and a meeting of Cork County Board, which will be devoted solely to this item, will be held when circumstances allow. The Draw is till a monthly draw costing €10 a month to enter or a once-off payment of €100. This year there will be 30 prizes each month. The minimum First Prize each month will be €20,000 with prizes of €25,000 in December and April and in August 2021 the first prize is €100,000. Bride Rovers Club is encouraging members, players and supporters to join the Draw. Tickets can be had from Club Officers or contact our Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100. 

UNDER 7' Going Well. 

The under U7 boys are still training away. The next session is on Saturday October 31st  at 10am in the small Astro. The young Lads are flying it and really enjoying their sessions. All social distancing is being adhered to by both parents and children. The training  routine is broken into non contact pods as per HSE guidelines.   

WEEKLY LOTTO. 

The Jackpot for last Tuesday week, October the 20th, was €20,000 and the four numbers drawn on the night were 8,9, 14 and 25..  There was no Jackpot winner. The prizes of €30 went to Deirdre Buckley, Jack Mohally, Esther O Keeffe, Siobhain c/o Big Vinnies and Margaret Drinan.  Please support our weekly Lotto by buying a ticket from Club Members, in local business outlets or online at http;//briderovers.ie . For the foreseeable future the weekly Lotto Draw will be held each Tuesday night at Arus de Barra in Pairc na Bríde

UNDER 15 TRAINING.. 

The under 15's had no official competition under the aegis of Rebel Og this year. Luckily6 the lads in charge of this team got a few challenge games which was not easy to do in this strange year. The under 15 panel are training on Thursday nights in the Astro at haf 7. Next session is tonight Thurs OCT 29th at 7.30pm. 

Under 21 County Championship.

News from the County Board is that the Premier 1 and 2 County under21 Hurling Championships are not  going to be run off this year. In the draws made earlier in the season  Bride Rovers had a bye in the first round and were to meet either Douglas or Na Piarsaigh in the Quarter Final.

UNDER 10 HURLING and  FOOTBALL.

Our under10 boys have football training on Wednesdays at 6:30 in the big astro and hurling training Saturdays at 10 on the pitch. It's great to see the enthusiasm of these young players as we go into winter. Their skill level is increasing all the time and they're really enjoying it.

Bride Rovers Club Gear.  

Our support for all our players on every team is important so wear the Green, White and Gold of the Club whenever possible. While games are now  all on  hold Christmas presents will soon be on peoples minds and GAA gear is always a great  gift . 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. 

25 Years Ago. 

In February 1973 the Bride Rovers Club suffered a huge loss with the death of Dave Ryan. 

Dave was a native of Kilworth and when he came working to the Bartlemy area initially he had no interest whatsoever in Gaelic games. Within a few years Dave got involved with Bride Rovers and for nearly a decade he drove juvenile players to games all over the County. Now Dave never had a 'good' car- bits of twine and ropes were often used to keep the doors closed, brakes were poor and  of course taking seven or eight or nine youngsters in his vehicle was no problem ! He often used choice language and several times 'intervened' in games if he thought an opposition player deserved  to be 'slowed down'! He was a great character and did a massive amount of work for our Juvenile Club. A few years after his death, the Club donated a Cup- the Dave Ryan Memorial Trophy to the East Cork Divisional Juvenile Board. It was put up for the Under 13 Hurling Championship. In 1995 our under 13 team defeated Aghada, Watergrasshill and Dungourney to win the Dave Ryan Cup. 

Back row l to r Kieran Hogan, David Brophy, Oisin Casey, Cormac Collins, Gavin O Flynn, Kieran Manley, Brendan O Driscoll, James Bermingham, Michael Carey, Brian Murphy. 

Front Row l to r John McSweeney, Ross McCarthy, Eamonn Harrington, Barry Johnson, Daniel Noonan, Denis Fitzgerald, Patrick O Driscoll(Captain), Padraig Hoskins, Pat Cotter, Barry Dorgan. 

YELLOW SLIOTAR SURVEY. 

After watching the Clare v Limerick game last Sunday I .had mixed feelings about the 'new' yellow sliotar. No one seems certain why it was introduced. On Sunday night I sent a quick email survey to 40 GAA contacts.  40%of those who replied preferred the white sliotar while 45% were in favour of the new sliotar. The remaining 15% didn't think it made a difference one way or another. Is it a gimic or is there some scientific backing for this new coloured sliotar? 

The dog 'Bride Rover'. 

Looking through copies of The Irish Independent and Evening Herald in 1963 I see mentioned in the Greyhound Racing notes, a dog called 'Bride Rover''. The dog ran several times that year in Shelbourne Park with some success. Maybe some reader out there might know who owned and/or trained this particular animal?. 

November 1st 1884.  

On November 1st most years this scribe would travel to Thurles to mark the foundation, on that day in 1884, of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Miss Hayes' Hotel. I'd normally visit the Cathedral where the mortal remains of Dr. Croke lie, have lunch in Hayes and then stroll out to Semple Stadium. Things are different this year. 'Twill be a very quiet weekend in Thurles' Likewise later in November major ceremonies had been planned for Grangemockler and Croke Park to remember Bloody Sunday 100 years after Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan and the others who were murdered in Croke Park. All these events are now postponed. 

Jerome Boylan. On Limerick Team. 

Jerome Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) made a brief appearance with the Limerick Senior Hurlers last Sunday. Jerome is son of Dr David Boylan (Dungourney0 and David's grandmother was one of the Woods' sisters from Bartlemy village. Another Woods sister married John Denis Murphy Main St, Rathcormac -their son Con won a senior All Ireland with Cork in 1946.  Cork were captained that September Sunday by Christy Ring. The greatest ever hurler was born on September 30th 1920 -one hundred years ago tomorrow. 

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