On this Saturday coming the last day of May we face into the first round of the 2014 Cork County Senior Hurling championship. It's very much a case of 'play it again lads' as for the second year in a row we face  East Cork Divisional neighbours Carrigtwohill in the opening championship game. Last year in Ballynoe on June the 2nd Carrig beat us by 0  19 to 1  13. In that contest we trailed by 12 points to 4 at half timer and looked way off the pace. Inspired by a Michael Kearney goal in the second half we tore into the game with some great scores but we had left ourselves too much to do  and the 2011 County Champions went on to win by a margin of three points. This year we have had a poor enough League campaign with inconsistency being a huge factor. We had a few good wins but never got a string of victories together. If one looked at League form we go in to Saturdays game as rank outsiders. In our first League tie Douglas hammered us and just last week Carrig beat Douglas by 10 points.  They have clocked up big scores in all their games to date averaging 17 points in each game while our points average is just 10 per game. All those statistics of course apply to the League and all Bride Rovers teams perform well in championship hurling. This was well demonstrated in 2010 in Ballynoe when we defeated Carrig by 2  13 to  0  14. Our biggest problem however going in the game on Saturday night is the fact that we could well be missing up to four players because of injuries. This is very disappointing in the run up to a huge game like this tie because we have not had a good record in first round games over the last six years. The game on Saturday night is in Riverstown s part of a double-header with the St. Catherines v Eire Og game in the County Intermediate Hurling championship as curtain-raiser. The IHC game is at 6 o clock and our game is at 7.45pm.

Given all the difficulties we have we face into we certainly face a huge task on Saturday night  but we know that the lads will  give of their very best on the night. Go for it boys. Supporters are reminded to go to Riverstown early as parking spaces will be at a premium with a huge crowd expected at the Sarsfields venue.

 Pic Michael Collins and Carrigtwohill Captain Rob White at the Championship Launch.

On Sunday afternoon next June 1st Pairc na Bride hosts a first round game in the Premier Intermediate Championship when Watergrasshill face Castlelyons at 3 o clock. With a Car Boot Sale also scheduled for Rathcormac on Sunday it will be a busy day by the Bride. Any Club member who can help out with the game is asked to be at the pitch at 1.45.

 

Last weeks draw took place on Tuesday night May the 20th for a Jackpot of €4000. The four numbers drawn were 12,14, 18 & 24 and there was no winner. The winners of €30 each were  Pat Noel O Connor, Scartbarry, Aobhin O Driscoll, Monanig, Tom Mulcahy, Clykeel, Thomas McCarthy LAYA, Tom Hegarty, Bartlemy.

The Jackpot for Tuesday May the 27th was €4200.  Tickets for the weekly Lotto Draw are priced at just  € 2 each and can be purchased from Club members. They are also available in local business outlets  and online at locallotto.ie Support for the weekly Lotto is vital and greatly appreciated as the costs involved in running a GAA Club are increasing all the time. As well as the day to day costs we are planning more major Development work in Pairc na Bride in 2014 so finance is always needed. We are always looking for new Lotto Ticket sellers so if you could sell even a few tickets each week it would be of great benefit to the Club.

 

 700 followers on Twitter

The Bride Rovers Twitter page, @BrideRoversGAA, is fast approaching 700 followers!!!  Twitter is the ideal way to keep up-to-date on the go, whether at home or abroad, follow @BrideRoversGAA for news, views and match updates direct to your mobile phone. You'll also find our Ladies' club on Twitter at @RoversGAA, so give them a follow too! For those not already on Twitter, you can sign up at www.twitter.com.​ Please tell all your friends about Twitter and keep in touch with Bride Rovers.

 

Our website, www.briderovers.ie, the online home of the club, continues to grow in popularity and this is where you'll find all our fixtures, results, news, Lotto winners and much more. Photographs and other items of interest can be emailed to Gerard Lane at gerardlanegaa@gmail.com. 

 Under 14's Defeated.

At Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday last our u 14 team lost the Premier 2 County Hurling championship Final to Blarney. It was a disappointing result but the lads can be very proud of their displays this year. A word of praise to all the management team who have put in a lot of tremendous work with the team.

It was a great start to the 2014 Munster SHC at  Semple Stadium last Sunday. WaterfordLooked certain winners in the second half when they raced into a 9 point lead. Back came Cork however to earn a draw in the end of a fine game.  So it will be back to Thurles on Sunday week with the winners facing Clare just a week later.
Bride Rovers Club Sponsors
Thanks to our Main Club Sponsors Rathcormac Tyres, Veoila Environmental Services and O Coileains Bar for their ongoing support.