Club Notes for this week.. - 27/11/2021
AGM on Monday..
After a hectic and successful playing season -which isn’t over yet, the Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held on Monday night next November 29th. on Line
Last year our AGM and many of the Club meetings in early 2021 were ‘Zoom’ meetings. Whilst they are not ideal we have to be guided by public health considerations and the rules, regulations and Guidelines laid down by both the GAA and the Department of Health. This AGM will be held just 93 years since the foundation of the Club in 1928. It was a strange year with a shortened playing season once more due to covid. At the end of last year we all thought the pandemic was behind us and life and the GAA world would return to normality. Unfortunately this was not the case but despite all the negativity due to covid the year 2021 will be remembered as a truly great year for the Bride Rovers Club. Some of the Highlights were;
*The completion and opening of our Juvenile Pitch
*Contesting our first County Premier 1 Minor H. Final since 1933
*The winning of our Third East Cork Junior A Football title
*Club players winning Minor and Under All Ireland medals with Cork
*Reaching the Senior A Hurling semi Final
*Acquiring 13 acres of land for further playing fields
*Fielding record no of Juvenile Teams
*Further Development of Pairc na Bride.
Overall it was a year of steady progress. From playing no championship Junior Football in 2020 we played 7 championship games this season. Having lost our opening Round Robin game to 2020 champions Midleton we won our next 5 games to capture the Jim Ryan Cup. In the County JAFC we lost by a single point to Urhan -last week they lost the Co Semi Final by a similar margin against Boherbue. In Senior, Junior B and Junior C hurling we reached the semi finals but lost out to Fr O Neills, Aghada and Carrignavar. All our teams performed well and gave us some fantastic displays this year. Our on field performances went side by side with a massive amount of physical work being completed to enhance and improve our facilities. Over the last twelve months Pairc na Bride has seen major changes and fantastic improvements. A few years back if someone said we might invest around €500,000 in facilities for players and members and supporters no one would think it realistic. Well it’s a case of ‘been there, done that’ and now we have exciting plans for the future. Finance and raising it is always a major challenge. Our three main income streams are our Club 100 Scheme, the weekly Club Lotto and the Cork GAA members draw. We are grateful to so many for the support we get for all these ventures which can guarantee further improvements. The development of new playing fields will be a massive undertaking but we must keep going forward and planning for the future. When this scribe was Bride Rovers Juvenile Secretary back in the early 1970’s we had just a handful of underage teams and just three or four people to train them and organize games. How things have changed for the better over the years. Now the Club is seeing after players from under 6 upwards and this year we had success at several juvenile grades. Close on 100 Club members are now trained Coaches. Great Credit is due to all the Juvenile Club Officers and mentors. In 2021 the Red Jersey worn by Cork teams was well filled by Bride Rovers players. Brian and Eoin Roche, Cillain Tobin and Adam Walsh all won All Ireland Hurling medals -a marvellous achievement for the players and their families and a massive honour for the Club. The Club Annual General meeting is both a review of 2021 and a night to begin planning for 2022. All are welcome to attend in Pairc na Bride on Monday night next at 8pm.
UNDER 18 HURLERS IN FINAL.
Our under 18 hurling team were in action last Friday night in the East Championship semi final. We had beaten Aghada two weeks previously and our opponents Carrigtwohill had an easy win over Cobh. Unfortunately injury, illness and work commitments meant we were short four players when we travelled to play Carrig under lights in Pairc Seamus de Barra on Friday night. The recent fantastic spell of weather meant the pitch was in perfect condition, absolutely brilliant for mid-November. There was nice gathering of spectators present on what could nearly be described as a mild evening! We had the first scoring opportunity but a wide resulted. Well Carrigtwohill the got going and lads it looked as if they were going to run a drag with us. Points in the second, fourth, sixth, seventh and eight minutes saw them lead 5 points to nil. Our lads settled into the game with Davy Barry winning a lot of ball and with Edmond Cashman and Adam Hayes getting on top we began to score. After 13 minutes Carrig were just two ahead, 5 to 3. By the first water-break (personally I think they should be done away with) Carrig were in the lead by 8 points to 5, our fifth point was a brilliant individual effort from Adam Walsh. On the resumption Carrig went ahead by double scores with two white flags, 10 points to 5. “When hot grew that fight those hearts grew more eager” is a line in our Club Song written in he 1930’s and if ever I saw a team respond when the need was greatest it was on Friday night. We struck 5 points in a row to level before Carrig went one up at the half time break. The second half saw our lads hurling with confidence. We drew level and then hit three point per the two Adams. By the second water break we were 0 15 to 0 12ahead. The last quarter was hectic. We clung to the lead and kept adding points while Carrig kept clawing it back. Great work by the two Ronans and Liam in defence prevented a certain goal. We stretched our lead to four 17 to 14 after an Adam Hayes free. It was heroic defending in the last few minutes as the boys in Blue and Gold sought a goal. They managed two points but we held on for a super win by 17 points to 16. We really dug deep to get the victory and a place in the Final. I’ve watched this bunch of lads play with the last six years and this was a brave and gutsy display. Panel vs Carrigtwohill
Ronan O Riordan Jacob Powell Liam Collins Eldon O Connor Adam Hynes Conor Hazelwood Denis Cashman Davy Barry Ronan O Connell Nicky Kelleher Adam Walsh Josh Ahern Adam Hayes Edmond Cashman Camso Cillian Barry Ben Knox Frank O Flynn Ciaran O Dowd Darragh Kielty . The Final will be v Kiltha Og and may be played on Saturday week December 4th
UNDER 20 FOOTBALL.
We are down to play Erins Own next Sunday, November 28th, in the semi final of the 2020 East Cork Under 21 Football championship in Carrignabhfear
LOTTO.
The four numbers drawn in our weekly Lotto on Tuesday November 16th were 3,6,20 and 26 and there was no Jackpot winner. €30 went to James O Donovan, Brendan O Driscoll, Evelyn Collins, Olan & Caroline O Driscoll and Tom Mannix. The Jackpot for last Tuesday November 23rd was €15,400.
WELL DONE BALLYGIBLIN
Back in 1993 we were plying our trade as a B Grade Hurling team in Imokilly. One Sunday morning we played Ballygiblin in a practice game in Rathcormac. In the County B Grade (East Cork section) we defeated Carrignavar but lost in the Final to Lisgoold. We did however have a great year in 93 when we won the East Cork B Grade hurling and football double. Ballygiblin went on to win the County B Grade title that year beating Belgooley in the County Final. That was 28 years ago and now once more Ballygiblin are back as County Champions, at Junior A Grade this time. Last Saturday they had a brilliant win over a fancied Dromtarriffe side in the County Final. In all their games this season ballygiblin have come from behind to win and ‘twas the same last Saturday. Well done and congratulations to a great Club. Over the weekend I spoke to three delighted ‘over the moon’ men, Liam O Doherty, Paddy Ryan and John O Brien. They were just thrilled with the win. Ballybiblin now face Caherline( Caherconlish) of Limerick in the Munster JHC semi final and we wish them all the best. If the go on to meet Skeheenarinky in the Munster Final it will be neighbour against neighbour!
LISGOOLD & CASTLEMARTYR DOUBLE COUNTY WINNERS.
What a season it’s been for Lisgoold and Castlemartyr hurlers. Back in August Lisgoold beat Harbour Rovers in the 2020 County JHC final . Now just twelve weeks later they have won the Lower Intermediate HC with a mighty win over Kilbrittain last Saturday. Similarly with Castlemartyr who beat Russell Rovers in the Intermediate final and completed a brilliant double by defeating Sars in the Intermediate A Championship. Congrats to two great Clubs on superb victories.
MIDLETON MAKE IT 8.
The Magpies of Midleton with Conor Lehane in tremendous form captured their 8th County Senior HC with a 3 point win over Glen Rovers on Sunday in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. They go on to meet Kilmallock in the Munster Semi Final.
GOOD LUCK PA.
Best wishes to Pa O Driscoll and his team of officials who will be on duty next Sunday in Pairc UI Chaoimh. Pa is refereeing the Cork Senior A Football Championship Final between Mallow and St Michaels. A local connection with the Mallow team is corner back Barry Myers- his great grandmother was Mary Meade from Desert, Bartlemy!
FR O NEILLS BEATEN
Fr O Neills who defeated us in the semi final went down to a strong Kanturk side in the SAHC Final on Sunday. We extend our sympathy to Michael Hegarty Chairman of the Fr O Neills Club on the death of his brother John who passed away last Sunday.
SCOR FINAL.
The 2020 All Ireland Final of Scor was held in the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Ballyhaunis Co mayo last Saturday. Newport from Tipperary won the Novelty Act section, having beaten us in the Munster Final in Cashel three weeks ago. Well done Newport. Noel Joyce from JK Brackens won his third All Ireland title in Recittion.
GOOD LUCK Castlelyons
Best wishes to our near neighbours Castlelyons this weekend coming. The Ciarain McGann trained side meet Courcey Rovers in the Premier Intermediate HC Final. Having lost last years decider to Charleville Castlelyons will be all out to make amends on Saturday. Best wishes to all concerned
CONFERRINGS.
It’s the time for University Conferrings and three of our young players were Conferred recently. We send congrats and best wishes to DJ Cahill, Shane O Connor and Wiliam Finnegan and wish them all the best for the future.
PAUDIE GALVIN ST CATHERINES.
Sincere sympathy to the wife and family of the Paudie Galvin of Lacken, Glengoura who died last week at the age of 93. Paudie was a life-long member of St Catherines Club from it’s foundation in the 1940’s and served in many positions in the Club including Juvenile Chairman. A forward thinking farmer and life-long Pioneer Paudie loved Gaelic games and supported Catherines and Cork all over the country. Ni bheidh a leithid ann aris.
Club Gear.
We still have a certain amount of Bride Rovers shorts and stockings available from our Club Shop. Please contact Betty on 086 1540902 or Kathleen on 086 3807784.
Also several new Product Lines in our Colours with the Club Crest are now available from O Neills at very reasonable prices. To look at the items go to the O Neills website www.oneills.com
CAR BOOT SALE.
Thanks to Club Members who helped out at the very successful Car Boot Sale in Rathcormac last Sunday.The next Sale is on Sunday week December 5th
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres
