What an unforgettable day for the Bride Rovers Under-12 Hurling Team as they made the trip to Croke Park for the Munster Hurling Blitz, an experience these young players will treasure forever. It was a special honour for Bride Rovers to be one of the few Cork teams selected to represent the county on the famous pitch. The adventure kicked off at 10:30am at Parc na Bhríde, where 24 excited players, mentors, and supporters boarded the bus bound for Dublin. The energy was electric, music pumping, plenty of craic, and a quick pit stop in Portlaoise to stretch the legs before the final push to the capital.
When the bus pulled up behind the Cusack Stand, the excitement hit fever pitch as Croke Park stood right there in front of them, the same pitch that hosted the All-Ireland Football Final just the day before. The weather could not have been better. The sun was shining down on Dublin, a warm summer’s day that made the whole experience even more special. It felt like the perfect holiday trip for these young hurlers, a memory for the summer they will never forget. Lunch came first, sandwiches, drinks, and plenty of treats to fuel the players, before the group set off on the Croke Park tour. They explored the GAA Museum, visited the dressing rooms, walked through the tunnel onto the pitch, and stood in the iconic stands imagining the roar of 80,000 fans while collecting the Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire.
Then came the highlight, three matches on the hallowed turf. The 24 players were split into two teams and each team played a full game, showing off skill, teamwork, and determination. Goals, points, hooks, blocks, and tackles lit up the pitch, the standard of hurling was fantastic. In the third game, we rotated players from both teams, giving every single player an extra 10 minutes on the pitch, ensuring all the players had extended time to savour their Croke Park moment.
A special thank you goes to our young whistler Michaela Allen, who refereed one of Bride Rovers’ games and two other matches in our group. She did a brilliant job, keeping the play fair and flowing for all the kids involved in the Blitz.
The day wrapped up with a picnic back at the bus, more music and laughter, and then a final stop at Junction 17 for well-earned burgers and chips (and maybe even a salad or two). There, the team had one last surprise, a birthday celebration for coach Brendan, who marked his “40th” (with a wink!) as everyone sang Happy Birthday and shared cake.
A huge thanks to the mentors and parents who helped make the day such a memorable experience for the boys and special thanks to the Juvenile club exec for supporting the team to make this happen. Days like this will live long in the memory – and who knows, maybe some of these young stars will return to Croke Park again in the years to come winning All Irelands wearing the Cork jersey.
When the bus pulled up behind the Cusack Stand, the excitement hit fever pitch as Croke Park stood right there in front of them, the same pitch that hosted the All-Ireland Football Final just the day before. The weather could not have been better. The sun was shining down on Dublin, a warm summer’s day that made the whole experience even more special. It felt like the perfect holiday trip for these young hurlers, a memory for the summer they will never forget. Lunch came first, sandwiches, drinks, and plenty of treats to fuel the players, before the group set off on the Croke Park tour. They explored the GAA Museum, visited the dressing rooms, walked through the tunnel onto the pitch, and stood in the iconic stands imagining the roar of 80,000 fans while collecting the Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire.
Then came the highlight, three matches on the hallowed turf. The 24 players were split into two teams and each team played a full game, showing off skill, teamwork, and determination. Goals, points, hooks, blocks, and tackles lit up the pitch, the standard of hurling was fantastic. In the third game, we rotated players from both teams, giving every single player an extra 10 minutes on the pitch, ensuring all the players had extended time to savour their Croke Park moment.
A special thank you goes to our young whistler Michaela Allen, who refereed one of Bride Rovers’ games and two other matches in our group. She did a brilliant job, keeping the play fair and flowing for all the kids involved in the Blitz.
The day wrapped up with a picnic back at the bus, more music and laughter, and then a final stop at Junction 17 for well-earned burgers and chips (and maybe even a salad or two). There, the team had one last surprise, a birthday celebration for coach Brendan, who marked his “40th” (with a wink!) as everyone sang Happy Birthday and shared cake.
A huge thanks to the mentors and parents who helped make the day such a memorable experience for the boys and special thanks to the Juvenile club exec for supporting the team to make this happen. Days like this will live long in the memory – and who knows, maybe some of these young stars will return to Croke Park again in the years to come winning All Irelands wearing the Cork jersey.
