Bride Rovers crowned camogie champions!

On last Sunday evening, we travelled in great numbers to Castleroad for the County Camogie Final against Charleville. With everyone available and fit to play, we felt confident that our team would go one better than the heartache of losing last year's final.

Of the two teams, Charleville started off the stronger, immediately putting our girls under real pressure. However, Rovers still managed to open the scoring with a fine point from play by Grace Kearney. Charleville regained control of the next 10-15 minutes of the 1st half scoring 1 point from play, and 2 points from frees during this period of domination. Then disaster struck for Rovers as Charleville scored 2 goals in quick succession, both of which came from close-in frees. After a few positional changes made to the Rovers team, we slowly but surely steadied the ship and worked our way back into the match. This came in the form of scores from Kearney (0.2), Jennifer Cahill (0.2) and Jennifer Barry (0.1), to leave the half time score 2.3 - 0.6 to Charleville.

Rovers started the 2nd half in a determined fashion and scored two quick points again from Kearney and Cahill. However, Charleville countered with two quick points of their own. For the next few minutes, both teams were on a par with each other; neither scoring during this period. This dry spell of scoring was ended by Charleville scoring a goal. Soon after Charleville were back on the score board again, converting a penalty and a free into two points. At this stage, Rovers were losing by 8 points, and things were looking a bit desperate. However, points from Sinead Walsh, Cahill and Catherine Power reduced the margin to 5 points and gave us some hope. With 4 minutes to go, Catherine Power made a great solo run from the right touchline and riffled the ball into the back of the Charleville net. We now mounted huge pressure on their goal mouth. Deep in injury time, Rovers were awarded a free around 50 metres. This was our final throw of the dice. The ball was beautifully floated into the edge of the square and in an ‘amazing Grace' moment, the ball billowed the back of the net!! As the ball was pucked out, and the final whistle was blown, great scenes of both elation and relief erupted among Rovers players and supporters alike! The cup was presented by Marion McCarthy Chairperson of the Cork Camogie board to captain Sinead Walsh. In her speech, Sinead thanked Marion, the referee and the Charleville team. She also praised the supporters for turning out in their numbers to witness this great victory for the camogie club.

Thanks to Tom Mulcahy and John Walsh who coached the team this year. Thanks also to May Barry and Caroline O' Connor who looked after the team so well all year and also to Betty Cahill, Kathleen Kearney and Jane O' Driscoll for the refreshments after training.

Team: Irene Hogan, Lisa Finnegan, Eleanor Ahern, Carol Noonan, Mary Hazelwood, Jennifer Barry, Brianne Bartley, Catherine Power, Sinead Walsh (Capt.),Trish o' Sullivan, Grace Kearney, Jennifer Cahill, Katie O' Connor, Sinead O' Driscoll, Laura Murphy, Avelina Crowley, Catriona Vaughan, Avril Finnegan, Lilly Nugent, Annmarie Carey, Yris Bloemhoff , Lauren Friel, Chloe O' Flynn Imelda Dorgan, Andrea O' Flynn

Subs used: Caitriona Vaughan and Chloe O' Flynn.

 U16 Football

 Saturday, September 8th

Bride Rovers 5-8 Glanworth 2-4

 Our U16s resumed competition last Saturday when they had a well-deserved win over Glanworth in the quarter-final of the U16 County Championship. We started slowly though, conceded 2-2 in the first 15 minutes and had to wait 20 minutes for our first score, a well-struck goal from Grace Culloty. Our goalie, Madison, and backs (Aine, Margaret, Aoife, Sarah, Trish and Lauren) kept us in the game during that crucial early period when the game could definitely have got away from us if we had conceded any more. We improved noticeably as half time approached and actually drew level with a goal from Elaine Culloty and points from Meg Kelliher and Katie Connor. Glanworth attacked again after half-time and went a point up straight away. However, our backs really tightened up at that stage and they only scored one more point in the game. At the other end, we scored 3-6 in that second period to earn a comfortable win in the end. Best of luck to the girls in their upcoming county semi-final against Valley Rovers on Sunday evening, September 16th.

Panel : Madison Parle, Sarah O Flynn, Aine Cashman, Margaret Kearney, Lauren Friel, Trish O'Sullivan, Aoife O'Riordan, Karen Sheehan (0-1), Claire Murphy (1-2), Meg Kelliher (0-1), Katie Connor (0-1), Emma Roche, Elaine Culloty (2-1), Aoife Deasy, Grace Culloty (2-2), Maeve Ahern, Niamh Murphy, Laura Pratt, Grainne Noonan, Maria O'Sullivan, Jessica Howard.

 Minor Football

Thursday, September 6th, Aghada

Aghada confirmed their earlier group win over our minor footballers when they had the upper hand over us in the East Cork semi-final at Aghada. We closed to within three points at one stage in the second half but they eased to victory to a couple of late goals. Nevertheless, we are now qualified for the East Cork Minor B Championship final against Midleton and the quarter final of the County B Championship.

Scorers : Jen Cahill 0-1, Meg Kelliher 0-1, Trish O'Sullivan 1-2, Karen Sheehan 0-1, Elaine Culloty 0-2.

 Panel : Lauren Friel, Aine Cashman, Erin O'Keeffe, Karen Sheehan, Jen Barry, Claire Murphy, Trish O'Sullivan, Elaine Culloty, Jen Cahill, Meg Kelliher, Katie Connor, Laura Pratt, Grace Culloty.

 U10 Football

We contested 2 games over the last week playing Fermoy where we were beaten by a better team. We also played Midleton and while the girls played some great football we just couldn't score and Midleton won out on this occasion.

The Fermoy team were a lot stronger than our girls and we only managed to score 3 points, one each for Shauna, Caoimhe H and Aoife Cowman
We played Midleton the following night and this was a tight game which we lost on a score line of Midleton 0-5 Bride Rovers 0-3, scores coming from Chloe 0-2 and Ciara 0-1
We have qualified for the East Cork B Semi Final against Erins Own which will probably be played this weekend so best of luck girls.
Panel: Ella Quinlan, Caoimhe O'Sullivan, Caoimhe Hazelwood, Caoimhe Kielty, Alice Murray, Sophie Dorgan, Fleur O'Donovan, Aoife Cowman, Ciara O'Flynn, Alanna Broderick, Chloe Murphy, Abbie Keating, Rebecca Hill, Rebecca Walsh, Shauna Hayes, Kate O'Riordan, Aoife Lomasney, Meghan Buckley, Chloe Donovan, Abbie Hoare, Rebecca Howe, Naoise McCarthy

 Bride Rovers Ladies Clothes collection Friday night 21st September in Rathcormac Community Hall from 7-8 pm

All unwanted clothes, shoes, bed linen, curtains, books(not school ones) and cuddly toys accepted

Pictured
Sinead Walsh, captain of the Bride Rovers camogie team, receiving the County Championship trophy from Marion McCarthy, Chairperson of the Cork Camogie Board.

For more pictures click on photo link and go to Ladies Football/Camogie Gallery