Great to be back..

Though we hadn't a winning start to the 2021 playing season it was just great to see teams back out on the playing fields last Monday. With teams training for the last few weeks the 'White Flag' was raised on Monday June 7th when GAA pitches all over the country saw the resumption of games for the very first time in 2021. It was with  feelings of relief and great expectation that the gradual lifting of the covid restrictions has allowed gaelic games to resume. We travelled to Carrignavar  for a noon throw in against the home side in our opening Junior Football League tie. Though we were defeated it was great to see  good panel of players togged out. With the aid of a strong breeze Carrig used the ball very well. Great running off the ball caused problems for our lads. Gradually though we got into the contest, especially in the third quarter. A start at least to the playing season and well done to all who travelled to Carrig. (see Match Report later on).We have games to come against Cloyne and Castlelyons in our JFL group. This weekend our focus shifts to hurling.

HURLING WEEKEND.

Hard to imagine really but from tonight Thursday June 10th until next Monday night June 14th I think we have a total of ten(10) hurling games! It's amazing really but just shows the way the numbers involved in the Club have grown massively in the last decade. On Sunday we play our first game in the RED FM Senior Hurling League Division 1. We are away to St. Finbarrs in Togher at 2 0 clock which will be a tough opener to the campaign. The Barrs always play a great brand of hurling and we've had some marvellous games with them over the last twenty years.

On Monday night then our second team have a home game against Carrigtwohill in the East Cork JHL in Pairc na Bride at 7.45.Our third XV will make their seasonal debut on Sunday week June 20th when Cloyne are visitors  at 12 noon in Pairc Na Bride.

GREAT DOUBLE FOR UNDER 12's.

On Monday evening we had one of our greatest challenges as a group since we started at U6 level. We fielded 2 teams in the U12 hurling league with the Green team travelling to Carrigtwohill and the Gold team travelling to St. Finbarrs...both games were thrown in at 7pm. 

This is a 13 a side league and we were under pressure all weekend to make sure both teams had 13 to travel. With the bank holiday weekend some players were unavailable which had us scrambling as the weekend wore on. Thankfully 3 of our U11 team stepped up so special thanks to Bobby, Sean and Cormac for coming into the breach.

Green team

We started extremely slowly and after ten minutes were 4 goals down to a very direct and strong Carrig team. At that stage we were hoping for a "performance" rather than a result. However our lads stuck to the task and scored 2-2 to bring us to the water break. A few positional changes saw us take a bit more control after the water break and we went in just a  point down at half time.

The 3rd quarter saw us totally dominate with goals and points galore. At the second water break we were 1-6 up and looking on top all over. Carrig made some positional changes at this break which unsettled our lads and more goals were conceded!! Carrig received a penalty with a few minutes to go which was brilliantly saved by Ciaran and we saw out the game with some safety points. 

Final score was Carrig 11-2 Bride Rovers 9-9.

We showed a determination and attitude which is un-coachable, these lads just have it, and a high level of skill which brought great excitement.

Team: John Noonan, Dylan Keating, Eoin Morey, Mark Hynes, Cathal Barry, Calum Somers, Finn O'Driscoll, Tadhg Cronin, Ciaran Donovan, Michael Walsh, Darren Kearney, Bobby Sweeney, Jeff O'Connell, Riain Somers.

Our "Gold" team travelled to Togher to play St. Finbarrs in the league. This team had some 'call ups' from the U11 team.  

The game started with our lads settling very quickly...getting some very quick scores that always kept us in front. Against a very strong and tall Barr's team the Rovers lads showed a high level of determination and skill which kept the Barrs players under pressure. Strong play and scoring from our midfield duo of Nathan & Bobby kept us on the front foot and some brilliant organisational play from our backs kept the game out of the Barrs reach. Cormac chipped in with a point at a vital time and we saw out the game.

Result: St. Finbarrs 3-4 Bride Rovers 3-8 Team: Darragh Costigan, Cian Cashman, Daniel Gubbins, Sean Finn, Danny Walsh, Euan O'Grady, Bobby Harrington, Nathan Cahill, Cormac Lyons, Sebastian Byrd, Conn Nagle, Luke Murphy.

This was a huge achievement by our U12 panel who fielded two teams in two locations and came away with two wins. While this will be very hard to replicate we'll drive on and keep these lads enjoying it so that the rewards will come in time. 

Thanks to the Under 11 team management who helped us to fulfil the fixtures.

Football training Wednesday night and Saturday morning. Next fixtures...Green team Football v Castlelyons in Rathcormac Monday June 14th at 6:45. Gold Team v Erins Own in Rathcormac at 7:45 on the same evening.

JFL v CARRIGNAVAR.

Bride Rovers Junior A Footballers opened their league campaign away to Carrignavar on Bank Holiday Monday last. This was the first match to be played by an adult team in 2021 and while the result was a defeat, this was a good run-out for the lads. 

With limited training due to a covid circuit breaker since the resumption of activities, there was a fine turnout with 22 players togged out and all getting game time on the day. The next league game is a home game against Castlelyons with the date and time to be confirmed.

The panel on Sunday was - Jordan Mannix, William Finnegan, Cian Hogan, Colm Howard, Seamus Ahern, Stephen Glasgow, Colm Howard, John O'Sullivan, Shane O'Connor, Paul Larkin, Liam Forde, Tom Murray, DJ Cahill, Jack Connor, Jason Manix, Daniel Dooley, Conor Barry, Damien Buckley, Oisin Roche, Edmund Cashman, James Barry, Tadhg O'Sullivan. It was our first game of the year and also a first game for Paul Larkin who joined the club this year. Welcome Paul and we hope you enjoy playing with Bride Rovers.

UNDER 13's START. The U13s play their first competitive match tonight Thursday against Killavullen at home on the main pitch at 7pm.  Training has continued over recent weeks on Mondays and Thursdays with the exception of the bank holiday Monday.  All the boys are eagerly awaiting what will be their first match in numerous months. 

Under 8 Boys,  We have our first match of the year away to Blackrock this Saturday morning at 11. The boys are looking forward to it and can’t wait for the challenge the famous City club will bring.

As always, new players are always welcome and anyone who would like to join the group, please contact David Burke on 0877999413

UPCOMING FIXTURES

Thurs June 10th, under13 hurling v Killavullen, main pitch at 7pm.

Sat June 12 - Under 9 hurling, Home to Blackrock  at 11am

Sat June 12th under 8 Hurling away to Blackrock at 11 am

Sat June 12 Under 16 Hurling away to Mallow at 2-00

Sat 12th June Under 11  hurling away to Blackrock.

Sat 12th June Under 15  Div 1Hurling L away to Fermoy  5pm . 

Sun June 13th, Red FM Division 1 Hurling League v St Finbarrs in Togher at 2pm.  

Mon June 14th, JBHL Group 4 v Carrigtwohill in Pairc Na Bride at 7.45pm. 

Monday June 14th Under 12 Green v Castlelyons & Gold v Erins Own, both at home 6.45 and 7.45. 

Wed June 16th u 14 Football L away v Castlelyons at 7pm.  

 BRIDE ROVERS WEEKLY LOTTO

 Results from our Draw on Tues June 8th, the Jackpot was €20,000 and the 4 numbers drawn were 20, 23,  25 and 26 there was no winner. The winners of the €30 were  Helen O Regan, Ger Gubbins, Henry Daly Castlelyons, John Murphy Bartlemy, Eleanor Carey Bartlemy. You can join the Bride Rovers weekly lotto online at http://briderovers.ie/  or purchase tickets from any of the retail outlets locally that are open. Tickets can also be got locally from Bride Rovers GAA Club Members throughout the parish. Your support of the weekly Lotto Draw is deeply appreciated. If you're not in you can't win and each €2 is a help for our ongoing promotion of Gaelic games. A yearly ticket at €90can also be purchased. 

 EAST CORK BOARD NEWS. 

The teams competing in the East Cork Junior A hurling and Football Championships were announced recently. In Junior A Football there are 15 teams and of these just one is a 'second' team, Aghada. In Junior A Hurling it's very different. There are now only 4 Junior only teams left in this championship Lisgoold, Cobh ,St Itas and Carrignavar and if Lisgoold win the 2020 County JAHC there will be only 3 teams left of Junior A 'only' status. In recent years Dungourney, Castlemartyr, St Catherines and Russell Rovers have all been promoted to Intermediate after winning a County Junior A title.  Fifty years ago it was a different story. In 1971 a total of 16 teams were entered in the East Cork JAHC draw.

A Shanagarry Rovers v Youghal

B Erins Own v St Catherines

C Fr O Neills v Bride Rovers

D Cloyne v Killeagh

E Carrigtwohill v Sars

F Watergrasshill v Castlelyons

G Ballinacurra v Aghada

I Dungourney v Castlemartyr

In the 1971 East Cork Final Killeagh defeated Dungourney by 4 11 to  1  6.

UNDER 9's back in action .The under 9s returned to contact training in the past week and are itching to show what they can do during a match. They will get their wish soon enough as the Go Games Fixture List was released recently  and has thrown up clashes against Blackrock and Carrigtwohill in hurling and St. Finbarrs and Bandon in football. With 33 players registered for the season, we hope to see plenty of game time for all in the coming weeks starting on Sat June 12 when we are at  Home to Blackrock in hurling at 11am. Other Fixtures planned are Sat June 19 - Home to St.Finbarrs in football at 11am, Sat June 26 - Home to Carrigtwohill in hurling at 11am and on Saturday  July 3 at home to Bandon in football at 11am

Under 16 Fixtures. After the under 16's have the opening game v Mallow on Saturday their other June games are as follows; 

Sat June 19 Football home to Buttevant at 2-00

Sat June 26. Hurling home to Aghada at 2-00

Cork Under 20 Hurlers Pre[pare for Final..

In a little over a month's time the 2020 All Ireland Hurling Final will take place. The game has been pencilled in by the GAA for the weekend of July 10th/11th. It looks likely that Dublin and Galway will play the Leinster Final a week earlier. Cork will then face the Leinster winners in the National decider. I suppose it will be a big plus for whoever comes out of Leinster to have had a good championship game as preparation but Pat Ryan and his fellow Cork selectors will have the Rebels well prepared. Cork defeated both Galway and Dublin to win the 2017 All Ireland 'special' under 17 Hurling competition. On that ay the Roche twins Brian and Eoin were the proud Cork joint Captains. Perhaps they made history that day in Croke Park as a recent GAA Rule change has 'outlawed' the concept of joint captains going forward. The logic behind that decision has never been adequately explained. No venue has yet been decided. It would be great if a Cork v Dublin or Cork v Galway Final was played in Thurles with maybe at least 5000 spectators present. 

Club Gear.

We still have a certain amount of Bride Rovers shorts and stockings available from our Club Shop. Please contact Betty on 086 1540902 or Kathleen on 086  3807784. Also several new Product Lines in our Colours with the Club Crest are now available from O Neills at very reasonable prices. To look at the items go to the O Neills website www.oneills.com 

 BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design,Veolia