Club Notes for last week.. - 21/06/2020
Countdown Is On.
Well the light at the end of the covid tunnel is getting brighter. We're not there yet but things are looking very promising for a GAA Playing season. It will be a season like no other but nevertheless it seems as though all Clubs will see both League and Championship action. While no definitive Games Schedule has been announced by the County Board yet it seems likely that a League-style championship as was envisaged for 2020 may still be an option. In the Group stages we were in A Group with Ballymartle, Fr O Neills and Kilworth. Maybe a few rounds of the Senior League might go ahead before Championship and a possibility is that the League could be finalised then in November and December. The East Cork Board Executive had a meeting last night, Wednesday June 17th, so we can expect further decisions on a Hurling and Football games plan for East Cork shortly.
Monday week then is T-Day, Training day when training can officially recommence. Now a lot of restrictions will still apply as regards the health status of players, group training, sanitisation of facilities etc. I suppose these regulations will place a heave extra workload on Club Officers but with the Cooperation of everyone we will get through. It's great to have a prospect of Gaelic games resuming - just a month ago things looked very bleak.
Sports Prediction Quiz.
With the cancellation of so many National and International Sports events for 2020 our Sports Prediction Quiz has ground to a halt. We have decided to have a Special Draw amongst all those who entered the Competition and from the remainder of the finance we took in we will make donations to local Charities Further details next week.
2003 -A Glorious Year.
The memory of winning the Cork County Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2003 still remains etched in most people's minds. The digitised version of the Video of the match has been prepared for the Club by Brendan Barry and is now available on the Club Website. Recently the commentary on that famous day was featured on County Sound's Sunday Sport programme. It was mighty to listen back to the match commentary of what was an outstanding day in the Club's History.
In 1928 the Club was formed and just five years later the Intermediate Final was reached. In modern times we won the County Junior title in 1998 and just five years later we got to the Intermediate Final. Back in the 1970's and 1980's I was lucky enough to have known and spoken with 11 of the 1933 team. They defeated Buttevant, Blackrock and St. Columbas (Douglas) to reach the final. The semi final v St Columbas was played on July 2nd in Riverstown but it was six weeks later before the final went ahead. Many of the veterans I spoke with felt the team had been on a roll early in the summer but the long gap until the final didn't help. It is wroth noting that we hadn't won the County Junior Title but with two East Cork Junior titles plus an East Cork and County in Minor hurling the Club applied to the County Board to go up Intermediate. The 1933 final ended in a 4 3 to 2 1 defeat. It was a long time to wait but after 70 years there was no denying Bride Rovers in the 2003 Intermediate Final.
Bride Rovers 1 15 Inniscarra 1 5 was the scoreline in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday October the 26th 2003. In the weeks running up to the Final we had been installed as favourites but favourites don’t always win in horse racing or in hurling either! We had just two weeks from the semi final replay win over Youghal to the decider. It was just ideal. The first week we had four training sessions and just two the last week. The atmosphere around the parish was like a combination of Mardi gras and giddy excitement. Yes, we'd been there just five years before with the Freemount game in the County Junior Hurling final. This was just the same sense of pride and anticipation multiplied by ten.!
The first ten minutes of the game were close and tense. The Inniscarra danger man Diarmaid O Riordan had the Blue and White clad supporters in good voice when he struck a point in the first minute. Dinnys puckout went to Barry Murphy, he passed to Jerome and we were level. We hit three wides before Terry put us ahead. It was ding dong stuff as the Mid Cork side levelled before Barry Hazlewood's 68 yard free put us 3 to 2 ahead. In the twelfth minute Barry dropped another long range free 'in around the house' Sean Ryan rose high and got a touch -goal but Willie Horgan consulted with his umpires and the 'flags were crossed' We were going well now as the game entered the second quarter. From seventy yards out Padraig Murphy scored a beauty. Brian Murphy collected the puckout and kicked the sliotar to Pat Walsh. Walshie tore off down the field and gave a super hand-pass to Barry Hazlewood but Kevin Murphy saved the shot. Ryano got the ball and batted it cricket-like to Terry- Murphy saved again but Walshie got the cleArence and the net was bulging -Rovers goal and we were 1 4 to 0 2 ahead and flying with the huge Rovers crowd roaring the team on. Pat O Riordan got one back for 'Scarra but Jerome got a point for us to leave us 1 5 to 0 3 ahead. Our defence was superb. After a five minute period of stalemate Inniscarra, out of nothing, struck for a goal and our comfortable lead was down to two points with half time approaching. We had the last score, a point, from Barry Hazlewood's free after Sean Ryan was grounded. So we went in 1 6 to 1 3 in the lead when perhaps we could have been six or seven points up. The tone in the dressingroom was calm. Niall Fitzgerald told the players 'I have done my bit to win this game now it's up to ye so go out and do it'. Players told me later that the emotion and passion in Niall's words were spine tingling and in fairness the lads responded in style. Jack Russell reminded the players that they were half an hour from history. We had two quick points from Barry Hazlewood ,after a peach of a pass from Brian, and Padraig to put us five ahead. Inniscarra got one back to leave it 1 8 to 1 4. Our lads were hurling with passion, discipline and a never say die will to win. Just after the midway point of the second half we led by 1 9 to 1 4 -our ninth white flag coming from Donal Ryan. From there til the end the team just drove on superbly. We got six super points from Terry, Sean, Pat Walsh, Pat Cotter, Sean again and Jerome- from a free to see us winners by 1 15 to 1 5. Oh lads what a day, what group of players and selectors and what a man that Jack Russell! Sean Ryan proudly accepted the trophy from Jim Forbes the Co Board Chairman who sadly passed away a few years ago. Barry Murphy deservedly go the Man of The Match award from Cork Hurler Tomas Mulcahy. The scenes of jubilation were brilliant and went on for weeks. We capped a superb season by capturing the Intermediate League and Munster Intermediate 'Championship' Titles as well.The players who brought glory to the Banks of The Bride 17 years ago were Dinny Fitzgerald, Aidan Collins, Niall Fitzgerald, Pat Barry, Brendan Walsh, Barry Murphy, James Murphy, Padraig Murphy, Brian Murphy, Donal Ryan, Terry Broderick, Pat Walsh, Jerome O Driscoll, Sean Ryan(Captain), Barry Hazlewood, Mike Hogan, Pat Cotter, Barry Johnson, Colm O Keeffe, Pa O Driscoll, Declan Quinlan, Cormac Collins, Brenny O Driscoll, Shane Murphy, Tomas Kearney, Batt O Connell, Nevin O Regan, Mark O Connell, John O Dowd, Alan Fitzgerald, James Bermingham, Michael Carey, Hugh Kelleher, Trevor Moloney, Richie Cahill,. It's days like this make it all worthwhile
Sympathy.
The Bride Rovers Club extends it's deepest sympathy to the family of Paddy Connor of Co. Down. The late Paddy is father of Dominic Connor who played with Bride Rovers and served as a selector and Paddy is grandfather of current player Jack Connor. Sympathy is also extended to the wife and family of Oliver O Brien of Crough, Fermoy. Oliver was deeply involved with Castlelyons GAA Club for many years. May Paddy and Oliver rest in peace.
Lotto Coming Back Next Tuesday .
On next Tuesday June the 30th our Weekly Club Lotto will resume. The venue for that draw will be announced shortly. Tickets can be got in Dooleys and SPAR and in local Public Houses when they will reopen. Club Members will have tickets for sale also. Tickets can be purchased online at www.briderovers.ie. If anyone has difficulty getting tickets just contact any Club Officer.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS.
These are tough times for all business firms, big and small, and in Bride Rovers we are especially grateful to Rathcormac Tyres and Fermoy Print and Design for their ongoing assistance. If you or family members or friends can support these two firms we would really appreciate it.
Bride Rovers Club Gear.
While we might not be playing games at present it's still important to wear the Green, White and Gold of the Club whenever possible. We have negotiated to have a full range of our Club Gear available to purchase from O Neills Sportswear. At present all sizes of jersies, t-shirts, shorts, jackets, polo shirts and tracksuits are in stock at reasonable prices. Go to Oneills.ie and then search in the list of club names for 'Bride Rovers' and you'll see the full range.
Parish Newsletter.
The Parish Newsletter can be emailed to anyone in the Parish who would like to get a copy. Each Saturday the latest edition will be sent out. If you wish to get a copy just forward your email address to rathcormacpp@gmail.com Until further notice Fr Joe O Keeffe will celebrate mass each Sunday at 10.30. The Mass will be live-streamed on the Parish Facebook page and U Tube channel. The two Churches in the Parish are now opened on alternate days from 12 noon until 3.
Down Memory Lane.
During research work on our Club History in the 1980's I was trying to get information on a Connie O Brien who played with the Club in the 1930's. After a lot of searching I found out he was in England with years. Eventually I got an address for him and wrote. He replied as follows.
Gainsborough,
Lincs
Dear Mr Arnold, Just a few lines to you in connection with the history of Bride Rovers Club. I retired from work last year, I was a fitter and Coach Driver for a Firm for a total of 31 years both full time and part time and when I retired last year I was the 2nd oldest coach driver in Lincolnshire aged 7-not bad for a young one who once drove through at least 3 counties a day when I worked in Rathcormac. The first game I played with the Rovers was at Lisgoold. I was not long at Rathcormac then (at Mulvey's shop & Bakery)I had not even got my togs up from home in Lismore and I caused a sensation by playing in my socks (and jersey- nothing else!), we won Eddie Barry and Mick Barry could not believe their eyesight when they saw me and David John Barry -he did laugh! I played at Cloyne, Killeagh, Castlemartyr, Ballinacurra, Cobh Junction and Riverstown… he went on to mention some tough hurlers he came up against. Connie was born in 1910 and died in the 1990's
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres
