Club Notes... - 12/04/2024
“Mol an Oige..”
There’s a great old Irish sean-fhocail ‘mol an oige agus tiocfaidh sí’ which literally means ‘Praise the Youth and they will Flourish’ – how true it is. If ever a Club saw the importance of both praising, encouraging and training the youth it was this past week. On Thursday in Thurles, Friday in Dungarvan and Sunday in Pairc Ui Chaoimh the Bride Rovers Club was ably and proudly represented by young people from our Club. Thursday night in Tom Semple’s famous Old Field in Thurles saw the Cork and Tipperary Minors play their opening game in the Munster Round Robin series. On the night the Premier County came out on top. On the extended Cork Minor panel is our own Cormac Barry. This team are back in action on tonight with a home game v Limerick in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. On a wet and windy Friday night at Dan Fraher’s Field by the sea in Dungarvan the Rebels under 20 hurlers crossed camans with their Waterford counterparts. Denis Cashman and Cillian Tobin were on the starting Cork xv while Ronan O Connell was on the bench. Cork had a good win and on tomorrow Friday night face Clare in Pairc Ui Chaoimh- Clare beat Limerick last week. Last Sunday saw the Cork and Limerick Senior footballers play their Munster Quarter Final game in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. At half time the Primary game contest was between sides drawn from the Primary Schools on Leeside and Shannonside.
Henry from Scoil Bhride in Rathcormac was selected on this team. Scoil Bhride was doubly represented as Hannah was on official Refereeing Duty. Well done to all these great Ambassadors for the Bride Rovers Club
UNDER 14’s NO GO.
Our under 14s had a League game v Sars down for decision but it had to be cancelled on Friday evening. We have our next football league match on this coming Friday evening April 12th at 6:30 away to Glenville. Championship starts in a few weeks so we are getting ready for that with plenty training sessions in both codes.
FOOTBALL FEILE THIS WEEKEND - HOPEFULLY.
Well everything is dependant on the weather as regards fixtures at present so every game is pencilled in as ‘provisional’ This weekend we were to host Youghal and Kiltha Og and possibly Inniscarra in the Feile (under 15) competition. At Monday night’s Executive Meeting it was agreed that Pitch Inspections will decide what games can go ahead. It’s the same across all GAA Boards at present -it cant keep raining forever!
CAR BOOT SALE ON SUNDAY WEEK
Sunday April 21st is the date of the next car Boot Sale. Help is always required both on the day and on the Saturday morning before. Even if you can only give an hour or two it would be greatly appreciated. Lotto Ticket Sellers are also wanted. Contact any Club officer if you want to help or Tom, Richie or Mossy of the parish Development Committee -many hands make light work.
WELL DONE CORK.
Cork under 20 hurlers opened their Munster Championship campaign with a good away win in Dungarvan on Friday night. It was an awful night for hurling but in fairness the Dungarvan pitch held up well. Next up is a home tie against the Banner men in Padraig O Caoimh’s Stadium on this coming Friday night. Well done to Denis, Cillian and Ronan
RED FM Co. SHL Round 3.
On Thursday night of week we played our third SHL game with a home fixture against St Finbarrs. Despite the incessant rain and wind the pitch was playable. Our lads played well and tried hard but the Togher side were too strong winning on a 1 16 to 0 10 score line. Panel; Adam Hayes, Adam Walsh,, Conleith Ryan, Conor Barry, Conor Hazlewood, Daniel Dooley, David Barry, DJ Cahill, Edmond Cashman, Eldon O Connor, Fergus Collins, Jack Connor, Jamie Peters, Jason Mannix, John O Sullivan, Josh Ahern, Kieran Cotter, Louie Roche, Liam Collins, Paddy O Flynn, Shane O'Connor, Tadhg O Sullivan, William Finnegan. Fixture; Saturday April v Courcey Rovers 7pm in Ballinspittle, Sunday May 5th v Eire Og in Ovens at 11.30.
FOOTBALL.
We were to play Grange in a challenge football game on Monday night last but the fixture fell by the wayside.
JUNIOR HURLING FIXTURES.
We have two East Cork JHL games coming up on the next two Tuesday evenings as follows; Tuesday the 16th vs Cobh in Div 4 in Rathcormac
Tuesday the 23rd vs Castlelyons in Div 2 in Castlelyons
WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO.
The Weekly Club Lotto Results for Tuesday 2nd of April 2024 were as follows; the Numbers drawn were 1, 6, 14 & 31 and there was No Winner of the €16,800 Jackpot Congrats to our lucky dip €30 cash winners:Eileen Lane, Leamlara, J&P Murphy, Raheen, Betty Cahill, Rathcormac, Connie Barry, Rathcormac and Brenda Ryan, Mondaniel. The Jackpot for this week’s Draw on Tuesday April 9th was a massive €17,000 -if you’re not in you can’t win! If your ticket has expired we would appreciate if you would enter again via https://bit.ly/
EXECUTIVE MEETING
We had a Club Executive Meeting on Monday night with a good attendance. Chairman Pa O Driscoll welcomed all present. Reports from the Secretary and Treasurer were read, proposed, seconded and adopted. Reports from the Children’s Officer Joanne Scollard, Juvenile Chair Jerome O Driscoll, Ladies Club rep Nevin Butler were all considered with weather causing severe disruption right across the codes and grades. Reports from East and County Boards were also received. A report was also given on the Healthy Clubs CPR Training which was held recently with 49 participants. An update was given on the Pynes Field Development. The planned commencement of work on Pitch No2 has had to be postponed until the weather improves. A demonstration of the proposed new Pitch cutting option is to be arranged shortly. A meeting of the Pynes Field Development Committee was fixed for next Monday night April 15th. Fixtures were dealt with and Votes of sympathy were passed.
CORK MINORS. A win is essential for the Cork Minor hurlers tonight. They play Limerick in Pairc ui Chaoimh and having lost to Tipp last week a second defeat would put the young Rebels in a tough position facing into the Clare and Waterford games.
PITCH CLOSED.
The ‘Pitch Closed’ directive still is in place until we see a marked improvement in conditions. Monday was a woeful day and with more Low Pressure on the way they’ll be no dust flying in any square this weekend!
EAST CORK BOARD CENTENARY.
It’s exactly 100 hundred years ago this week that the East Cork Divisional GAA board was formed. Up until the early 1920’s all competitions in County Cork were organised by the County Board on a County-wide basis. The Junior Board organised competitions for weaker clubs and was more or less independent from the main County Board. North and East Cork Leagues were organised for Junior Clubs and Rathcormac took part but not on a consistent basis. By early 1924 the decision was made by the County Board to set up Divisional Boards. Travelling huge distances of over 100 miles to lay matches within Cork was a huge burden on Clubs. The Divisional Boards all had a geographically defined area but were given old ‘traditional’ names dating back to ‘Gaelic’ times. The Boards thus formed were Avondhu (North), Beara (West), Carbery (South West),Carrigdhoun (South East), Duhallow (North West) Imokilly (East), Muskerry (Mid Cork) and Seandun (Cork City). On Saturday April 12th the following add appeared on the ‘Meetings, Fairs, Fixtures’ column on page 2 of the Cork Examiner “GAA-East Cork Committee- A convention of the Gaels of East Cork will be held at Cove on tomorrow (Sunday) at 3pm. Representatives from the County Board will attend to assist in the formation of Divisional Committee. All Clubs invited- P.O Keeffe, Sec.” A similar add for the Gaels of West Cork was published the same day inviting them to a meeting in Clonakilty on Sunday 13th. The Cobh meeting went ahead and so the East Cork Board was formed. On this coming Saturday night- the exact Centenary date, April 13th special celebrations will be held in Cobh. The 6pm Mass in the cathedral will be celebrated by Bishop William Crean and an open invitation is extended to all GAA Club members to attend. Later in the evening a plaque to commemorate Ben Purcell, the first Board Chairman, will be unveiled at the Cobh GAA Club Pavilion and refreshments will be served to all.
UNDER 14’s NO GO.
Our under 14s had a League game v Sars down for decision but it had to be cancelled on Friday evening. We have our next football league match on this coming Friday evening April
CORK UNDER 13 HURLERS.
Just recently Rebel Og Cork have announced the initial panel of 60 players who will be on the Cork under 13 hurling Development panel. Three Bride Rovers players have been included on the panel which is a huge honour for the players, their families and of course the Bride Rovers Club. The three players selected are Cody Scanlon, Sean Finn and Ciaran O Donovan, well done and best of luck lads.
THE GAA FAMILY.
The real truth of the phrase ‘GAA family’ was really brought home to me last Saturday night. Ye remember a few years ago Pat ‘Heffo’ Heffernan the former Limerick Senior Hurler from the Blackrock Club in Kilfinane trained our hurling team. He has remained a great friend to many of us in the Club over the years and always keeps in touch with the Club. Pat won an All Ireland Junior Club medal with his club as goalie. Even in his early 50’s he still togs out. Well last summer two of his sons Daithi and Fionn went working to London for the summer. They joined the Brothers Pearse GAA Club and ended up playing Senior Club Huling over there. Pat used go over for the odd training weekend to help out the team and eventually transferred himself and became the Pearses sub-goalie! They got to the County Final in October. The other semi tween St Gabriels and Robert Emmetts ended in a long drawn out saga. Objections, appeals, enquiries, DRA intervention saw the County Final fixed for October, then November and being called of twice. T'was finally decided in December when Brothers Pearse won a great Final with Pat and his two sons on the winning side. I was invited over to their victory Function in Kilburn last Saturday night to present the County Medals. What a night and morning we had! With players from Limerick, Galway, Cork, Fermanagh, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Laois and Donegal it was just a brilliant occasion. Lads from all over Ireland bound together with love of hurling and love for their adopted Club. I spoke to several Club stalwarts who keep the Club going. They have no under age or Minor teams so they rely on lads coming over from Ireland. Some players are settled over but many, like the Heffernans, are just there maybe for a summer or two. The way the gel together for a common purpose is fantastic. The Club was formed in 1920 and a Club History is being finalised at present.
Holding the London SHC Cup with Gerry and Matt Rea
Gerry Rea played full back on the London hurling team for years and is Chairman. From Effin Jerry is a father-figure for the Brothers Pearse Club. I had a wonderful twenty-two hours in London. Going over I thought of our own Con Murphy who won an All Ireland with Cork in 1946 and a County SHC with Cuchullians in London. Sean O Sullivan from Canonn St in Rathcormac played with the Cork Minors in 1947 and was corner forward on the London Junior team that won the 1959 All Ireland beating Antrim in Croke Park. John Byrnes from Cappataggle in Galway who won a Junior B medal with us in 1975 hurled for nigh on twenty years in London. Great Gaels in GAA Clubs far away from home
Sympathy.
The Bride Rovers Club extends sympathy to the Healy family Mountain Lodge, Bartlemy on the death of Kathleen O Callaghan (nee Healy), also to Nelius de Roiste, Coolnakilla on the death of his mother Betty nee Hartnett of Tournafulla, Co. Limerick.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design, Gerard Gubbins Construction and Veolia.
