Senior hurlers battle Courcey Rovers for final place
Well the wait is over for our brilliant senior hurlers as we head to Páirc Ui Chaoimh for the penultimate round of this year’s senior A hurling championship when we face up to the serious challenge facing us against Courcey Rovers.
Going back to the beginning of the championship our first ambition was to navigate a very tricky group consisting of Newcestown, Mallow and Cloyne. Nobody and I mean nobody outside the Fermoy camp gave us a ghost of a chance to succeed in finishing in the top two as Mallow and Newcestown were red hot favourites with Cloyne more fancied than us as well. We had a largely successful league campaign beating Midleton and Na Piarsaigh in the process so we were quietly confident going in to the championship.
We encountered Cloyne in Dungourney in round 1 on Saturday, 30th July on what was a wet, muggy afternoon. After a sluggish start we got going in the match and were full value for an excellent win on a scoreline of 3-17 to 0-19 to give us the ideal start to our campaign. The following week we headed to Ballincollig to face up to the group favourites Newcestown who had defeated Mallow the previous weekend. It was a hot sweltering day and it was a game that was played with ferocious intensity but our boys came of age as they staged a stunning recovery from being eight points down in the first half to defeat our opponents on a scoreline of 3-12 to 1-16. This was a magnificent victory as we completely outplayed Newcestown in the second half. We knew that if we beat Mallow in Round 3 that there was a semi-final place for us but on the other side we could get knocked out if Mallow beat us and the result in the Cloyne/ Newcestown game came in to play.
It was another beautiful summer’s evening in Castletownroche when both teams faced up to each other and it was a great game to witness. This was the evening when our boys demonstrated their class, especially between the 31st and 51st minutes when we hit a superb purple patch and put the game to bed. It must be remembered we were four points down at half-time but had raced in to a 7 point lead with 10 minutes to go. The final score read Fermoy 0-22 Mallow 1-16.
We arrive now to the present and we are very hopeful and excited for this match. The lads have shown their strength and skills in abundance in their matches so far and we feel that if they play to their true form they will prevail. I can recall us playing Courcey Rovers a few years ago in a championship quarter final and they gave us a good tough game that we eventually succeeded in winning. We are in no way underestimating the size of the challenge before us but we believe that we can be victorious.
The very best of luck to the players, management and backroom teams in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and we ask all our supporters to don yourselves out in the black and amber and roar the lads home. Fermoy Abu!
FIXTURES
Co-Op Superstores Senior A Hurling Championship semi-final - Fermoy v Courcey Rovers in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Friday, 23rd September at 19.30.
Rebel Óg Coiste Fé 15 Premier 2 Football Championship semi-final - Fermoy v St Finbarrs at venue to be confirmed on Saturday, September 24th at 14.30.
LOTTO RESULTS
Results from 20/09 - jackpot €20,000. Numbers drawn: 08, 15, 23, 24. Result: one winner- Neilus De Roiste. Lucky dips - €40: Moss Maunsell c/o Shinnicks Spar, €40: Teresa Roche c/o Pat O’Brien, €40: John Linehan c/o John Linehan, €40: Jean O’Flynn c/o Website, €40: Oliver Lillis c/o Shinnick’s Spar: Charlie Macs Bar. Next jackpot (Tuesday 27/09): €20,000. Next venue: The Long Bar. Tickets are €2 each and 3 tickets for €5 available from: outside Shinnicks Spar: Fridays, 10.0013.30, Barnes Jewellers, Carry-out Off License, Website (Clubforce), via direct debit or from any club lotto member. Thank you for your support - take care and stay healthy.
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