2018 Playing Season Starts...

Every year the playing season seems to go on longer into the Winter and start earlier the following Spring. It's not a problem though, rather a sign of progress and increased activity on so many fronts. Indeed I never complain of the long season as I can well remember different years back in the 1970's and 80's when we were done and dusted in the middle of August- out of every Championship and League and under-age competition. So it's mighty to be 'back on the road' again for 2018 as we launch into a new season, ninety years on from when the Club was founded in 1928. This is going to be a strange year due to the changes made by the GAA authorities in regards the Inter County championship scene. Everything is changed this year with the decision to abandon the traditional First Sunday of September date for the All Ireland Hurling Final. This date has been 'carved in stone' in the Irish Sporting Calendar with many decades. Now the hurling Final is in August, the Munster and Leinster Hurling Championships are in effect, Leagues, a team can lose 3 games and still become All Ireland Champions. It sounds bizarre, crazy even laughable but that's what's now in place. The knock on effect for Clubs like Bride Rovers and every other Club in the Country is that there will be no Club Championship games during May, June and probably July. The summer is now reserved for the Inter County players - around 2% of hurlers and footballers, while the other 98% of players have to content themselves with League games until maybe August. It's really a case of the tail (Inter-County) wagging the dog (Club) and in my opinion it's the worst move ever made by the GAA. That's the way it is now despite protests from Hurling Counties, Clubs and  Club players.

Junior Football League.

Our opening game for 2018 is a Junior Football League tie against Cobh on this coming Saturday night. The game is under lights in Cobh's Upper pitch at 7pm. We didn't enter the JFL last year so this is like a new start for us in the promotion of Football. We will also be participating in the Co JBFC and East Cork JBFC.

Senior Hurling League.

Our opening game in the 2018 SHL will be a home game v St Finbarrs on Sunday Feb. 25th at 11 am.

Minor Football L. We play Cobh at home in the MFL on Sat Feb 24th.

Club 100

Club Members promoting the recently launched Club 100 initiative will be contacting and calling to households in the Parish over the next few weeks. We are hoping for a good response. The whole idea is to create an income stream for the Club over the next few years to ensure we can have sufficient funds to undertake the major Development work we plan to undertake. The three options on offer provide a mixture of weekly and monthly Draw membership -Lotto and GAA Members Draw, Club Membership and a donation towards our Development Fund. We have named the three options as Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The Gold option costs €9.24 per week,  €40 per month or €480 per year. For this you get;

Full Club Membership for you and your family Cork GAA Club Draw Ticket 2 Bride Rovers GAA Club Yearly Lotto Tickets Entry to Club 100 Bonus Draw

The Silver option costs  €6.93 per week,  €30 per month or  €360 per year. For this you get;

Full Club Membership for 1 Individual Cork GAA Club Draw Ticket 1 Bride Rovers GAA Club Yearly Lotto Ticket Entry to Club 100 Bonus Draw

The Bronze option costs  €4.62 per week, €20 per month or €240 per year   Non-Playing Club Membership for 1 Individual 1 Bride Rovers GAA Club Yearly Lotto Ticket.

Scor na bPaisti.

Our Leiriu cast acquitted themselves superbly in the East Cork Final in Watergrasshill Hall on Sunday last. They have performed their sketch four times in the last month and each performance was better than the previous one. They were disappointed last Sunday not to have won out in East Cork but they can be so proud of their stage ability and acting skills. Thanks to all the cast, their parents and teachers who encouraged them. Well done to Aisling Finn who was second in the Solo Singing competition. The Final of the Senior (over 18) Scor for East Cork takes place in Lisgoold Hall on Saturday week Feb. 17th. Anyone who would like to represent the Bride Rovers Club in any of the competitions please contact Mossy O Sullivan or any Club Officer.

Lotto reaches €19,000

The Jackpot for the Club Weekly Lotto on the last Tuesday of January was €18,800 and the four numbers drawn were 2, 11, 25 and 29 - there was no winner The prizes of €30 each went to Chris Sheedy, Castlelyons, Brian Arnold, Bartlemy, Ber Keane, Kildinan, Dan Quill Mondaniel and Sharon Healy, Manor Mills. The Lotto Jackpot for last Tuesday February 6th was €19,000

Tickets for the Lotto are just €2 each and can be bought from Club members, in local business outlets and online at locallotto.ie Your ongoing support of the Lotto is really appreciated. The Income from the weekly Lotto is vital in helping with the day-to-day running of the Club.

Cork's 9Fm and C103 GAA Sports Awards.

The Annual Sports Award sponsored by 96 FM and C103 took place in the Rochestown Park Hotel on last  Friday night February 2nd. Our own Cork Hurlers Brian and Eoin Roche who got a monthly award in July 2017 were amongst the guests when the cream of Cork sportsmen and women were honoured. It was a brilliant night with GAA heroes of past and present mingling with a crowd of over 300. Finbarr McCarthy was the genial MC for the night. Brian Turnbull of Douglas got the Young Sportsperson of the year award. Brilliant Cork and Blackrock hurler Tom Cashman got the 'Hall of Fame' Award while long serving Cork Camogie player Aoife Murray who made her Cork debut in 2002 got the overall Sports Star of 2017 award.

ASTRO TURF BOOKING.

All bookings of the two Astro Turf playing areas are to be made by contacting the Club Runaí Daniel Lane at 087 2070100

Twitter and Website. 

So many people at home and abroad are now very hi-tech when it comes to keeping in touch with the activities of the Bride Rovers Club. The online editions of newspapers are growing in popularity. Meanwhile you can follow the Club on twitter at twitter@ BrideRoversGAA or on our own website at www.briderovers.ie

 BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are;   Rathcormac Tyres

                                                                      Fermoy Print & Design

                                                                      Veolia Environmental Services.