Club Notes... - 2024-02-23 14:17:00
Well done Mike..
Congratulations to our Club Runai on winning the first prize in the East Cork Board Draw last Wednesday night. A few years back the Imokilly Divisional Board purchased two of the Pairc Ui Chaoimh Premium tickets. A limited number of €20 tickets are sold each year with the winning ticket owner getting the use of the 2 Tickets for the year. At last Wednesday’s Board meeting in Midleton the draw was made and Mike now has the pair of tickets for all games in Pairc Ui Chaoimh for 2024. Well done Mike. The Bride Rovers Club also purchased two of the Premium Tickets which are given as first prize in our Club 100 Confined Draw so we’ll have a fine Rovers crew upstairs on Sunday next for the League game against Waterford.
WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO.
The Lotto Results for Tuesday the 13th of February 2024were as follows- Numbers drawn were 1, 6, 7 & 28 and there was No Jackpot Winner. Congrats to our lucky dip €30 cash winners:Oisín Roche, Ballynanelaigh, Sarah Barry, Deer Park, Bronagh Cleary, Paírc an Oír, Dave Burke, Ballybrowney, Sinead Dorgan, Glenagoul. The Jackpot on Tuesday February 20th was €15,600. Tickets are just €2 each and can be bought from Club Members, in local businesses and online. If your ticket has expired we would appreciate if you would enter again via https://bit.ly/
NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE.
They say pressure is only for tyres but Pat Ryan and his Cork hurlers will be anxious to notch up their first win in the NHL campaign next Sunday when the Decies stickmen come to town. Waterford lost to Clare the last day but defeated the Faithful County the firs day out whereas Cork are pointless after narrow defeats to both Clare and Kilkenny. People say the League doesn’t matter but this year it’s more important than ever as for next year a new League Format will apply. Only the top three from Kilkenny, Wexford, Offaly, Cork, Clare and Waterford will be in Division 1 next year. The Rebels v Waterford game is fixed for 3.45 next Sunday. The pointless footballers under John Cleary make to tricky trip to Fermanagh on Sunday for a ‘must-win’ game.
CORK UNDER 20 HURLERS.
IT was great to see that three of our young hurlers are on the Cork under 20 hurling selection. Cillian Tobin, Denis Cashman and Ronan O Connell are training with the Rebels under 20 team who are hoping to hold onto the All Ireland Crown in 2024. Cork’s Munster u20 games are v Waterford on April 5th, v Clare on April 12th, v Limerick on April 26th and v Tipperary on May 3rd
GET WELL SOON KATIE.
Everyone was upset to hear that our Cork star Katie Quirke suffered a serious leg injury recently. WE wish her all the best and a speedy recovery to full fitness.
NEW GAA PRESIDENT.
GAA Annual Congress takes place in Newry this Friday and Saturday. It will be a historic and emotional gathering in the Province of Ulster. On Saturday Jarlath Burns of the Silverbridge Club in South Armagh will assume the office of GAA President, the 41st incumbent of the post. Beaten in the 2020 election Jarlath came back with a resounding victory last year when Congress was held in Croke Park.
He defeated Pat Teehan of Offaly and Neil Erskine of Dublin getting 158 of the 277 votes cast. Long term Runai of his own Club Jarlath is a School Principal, a great Gaeilgeoir, a proud Pioneer and former Armagh Senior Footballer. In May of last year he was one of our Oskars judges in the most successful ever fundraiser. We congratulate Jarlath and wish him well and hope it won’t be long before he visits the Banks of the Bride here in East Cork. Cork’s Tracey Kennedy is seeking to become one of the two Trustees of the GAA in an election that will be decided at Congress.
MEDAL PRESENTATION.
On Friday night last the Clubhouse was the setting for a fantastic event. Our under 13 team won their hurling and football Leagues last year and the players came together for their medal presentation. They had a training session for their under 14 campaign at 8pm followed by the presentation. The Team’s 12023 mentors all spoke and gave great praise to the players and their parents for their great achievements last year. They are a great group of lads, very closely bonded together and also simply great friends. Club PRO John Arnold spoke on the traditions of the Club and of his own inglorious ‘playing career’!
He stressed the importance of the fun and craic which is such an essentially important ingredient of team-building. After a rendition of ‘Bride Rovers Abu’ the medals were presented to the players. All present were treated to plenty food and it was mighty to see so many parents there on the night. Thanks to all who made the night such a wonderful occasion. Training for the under 14’s continues each Wednesday night. This under 14 team is a great example of how so many families from all over the country and beyond these shores have come to live in our community and have found such a welcome in the Bride Rovers Club.
IRELAND LIGHTS UP.
The Monday night walking initiative under the Ireland Lights Up Banner has been a huge success and popular with young and old. It’s perfect and safe way to get some outdoor exercise at one’s own pace. The current series of walks will end on next Monday night February 26th.
If you have participated already do come along again and if you haven’t you are more than welcome to join in. It’s a great hour of fun and chat and meeting people. Our sincere thanks to the Organising Committee and to those who help with refreshments each night.
BRENDAN KEANE RIP.
We were al saddened last week to learn of the death of Fermoy GAA Stalwart Brendan Keane. Though Brendan had a serious illness his passing came as a shock to many. Before Christmas he was one happy man when he saw the Fermoy Junior team win the County. An outstanding administrator Brendan was one of the main driving forces behind the huge Development now underway at the Fermoy grounds, Fitzgerald Memorial Park. A real leader and superb volunteer Brendan will be sadly missed by his loving family and his ‘second’ family, the Fermoy GAA Club. May he rest in peace.
CHRISTY RING.
Saturday week March 2nd is the 45th anniversary of the death of Cork’s greatest hurler Christy Ring. Winner of eight All Ireland medals Roing was a legend, a sporting hero, a superstar and one of the strongest ever hurlers. His ‘drawing power’ could be seen in the Inter Provincial Competition. The Final was always played in Croke Park on March 17th and crowds of 30,000 regularly attended- many went simply to see the Maestro playing. As part of the East Cork GAA Board’s Centenary Celebrations a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at Christy’s grave in Cloyne on March 2nd followed by mass in the Coyne Church. Refreshments will be served in the Cloyne GAA Pavilion afterwards.
CAR BOOT SALE NEXT SUNDAY.
Next Sunday February 25th is Car Boot Sale Sunday. Help is always welcome on Sunday morning and also on Saturday morning to help with the preparations. Items for the Parish Stall will be accepted on Saturday morning. Last Thursday night the Car Boot Sale Committee hosted a lovely function in the Bride Rovers Clubhouse. As a kind of ‘Thank You’ the Committee arranged a great spread of beautiful hot and cold food. He Car Bot Sale began over 25 years ago initially to help refurbish the two churches in the parish. It was a great success from the start. Then in 2007 with the church work completed a Parish Development Fund Committee was set up to run the Car Boot Sales. Since then almost €500,000 has been allocated to groups and organisations in the parish from the profits of the Car Boot Sales and we in Bride Rovers have benefitted enormously from the Fund. On Thursday night as we sat and ate and drank and reminisced on the success of the Car Boot Sales may a good story was told. Committee Chairman Mossy o Sullivan spoke and thanked all who had helped out over the years and asked for new people to get involved and lend a hand. Fr O Donnell recalled the early years of the car Boot Sales and said initially some were sceptical about the whole concept of a Car Bo sale but it had gone from strength to strength.
REBELS BOUNTY.
The 2024 Cok GAA Members Draw, Rebels Bounty, will commence once more in a few weeks. If you already are joined we would ask that you consider rejoining. If you are not in you cant win and for €100 there are great prizes on offer. You can get full details from any cub member or Officer.
VISITOR. Brendan Ryan, son of our 1932 Minor County winning Captain, Dick, was a visitor to the parish on Monday. A supporter of the Club 100 Scheme Brendan was delighted to witness the Development work done in the last twelve months.
UNDER-AGE COACHING.
If you are interested in coaching withing the club it is planned to Hold a foundation level Coaching course before the end of the month. With our Underage Hurling and Football academy and teams from under 6 upwards more and more coaches are needed.. The Foundation Level Course is a great starter course covering the basics skills of Gaelic games and showing how to demonstrate and pass on these skills. Contract Donncha 086/3105055 OR Damien 086/0317942
EARLY START IN 1934.
Ninety years ago, in the year 1934, Bride Rovers played their first game of the season in January. Having gone up to Intermediate ranks in 1933 the Rovers went all the way to the County final but were well beaten by Lough Rovers. On Saturday January 28th the Rovers played Blackrock in a challenge game in Watergrashill. A great contest ensued which the Rockies won by 5 3 to 5 1. The following day the Cork GAA Convention was held at the Courthouse in Washington St. In the 1934 IHC draws Bride Rovers were pitted against Ballincollig who were a Senior side in 1930,31 and 32. Their star player was Billy ‘Long Puck’ Murphy. The Rovers v Ballincollig game was played in Riverstown in May and Ballincollig won easily buy 7 4 to 1 1. Years later Michel Cranitch who was on the team recalled ‘Ballincollig were grand clean strikers and as fast as greyhounds’ Michael was in Teacher Training College in De La Salle, Waterford and lined out with the Waterford Minor team- no questions asked! Micheal was of course a granduncle of present day Midleton and Cork player Conor Lehane. Later when studying for his MA in UCC Michael won Fitzgibbon Cup medals. He also has the’ distinction’ of being the first player sent off in a Fitzgibbon Cup Final!
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design, Gerard Gubbins Construction and Veolia
