Killavullen
AWBEG MACRA
Last Friday night members of Awbeg Macra na Feirme competed in the Avondhu Round of the ‘Question Time’ Quiz which was held in Shanballymore and hosted by Ballyhoura Macra. They were narrowly pipped to first place by Fermoy Macra following two tiebreaker rounds. Both teams will now travel to Dublin to represent Avondhu in the national finals at the end of September. Awbeg Members, who also serve on the Avondhu Macra regional committee, travelled to Athlone last weekend to attend County Officer Training where the RTÉ Sunday Game pundit Kevin McStay was keynote speaker.
This coming Friday, September 15, Avondhu Macra na Feirme’s Beef and Sheep Stockjudging Workshop will be held on the farm of Awbeg Macra member Adrian Curtain in Buttevant at 7 p.m. This comprehensive workshop will be delivered by recent national final Winners: Edmond Curtain for beef and Awbeg’s Patrick and Breda O’Keeffe for sheep. The event is open to all and attendees from all across Munster are expected. The event will be followed by a night out in Mallow.
Awbeg Macra’s packed September continues to offer something for everyone. Awbeg Macra’s Weekly Sports Night will see the club hit the Driving Range in New Twopothouse this Thursday, September 14. Both the men’s and women’s Awbeg Macra Gaelic Football teams will be competing in the Avondhu Round of their respective competitions next Sunday, September 17, in Kilworth GAA pitch.
All Awbeg Macra members attending the National Ploughing Championships in Co. Offaly are reminded to bring their Macra Membership Cards with them to the event so as to avail of the discounted entry fee.
The Avondhu Macra Ball will be held in Springfort Hall on Saturday, September 23 – very few tickets are now remaining so please get yours now to avoid disappointment. And finally, on Friday, September 29, Awbeg Macra will have a night out in Mallow to welcome new members to the club.
New members are always extremely welcome. To find out more contact them via Facebook (awbeg.Macra), Twitter (@Awbeg Macra) or club phone 085 7729798.
Awbeg Macra na Feirme is based in the areas surrounding the Awbeg River in County Cork incl. Buttevant, Churchtown, Doneraile, Killavullen and is open to absolutely everyone aged 17 to 35 who is looking to meet new people and have fun. Their main areas of activity include sport, travel, community involvement, performing arts, agriculture and public speaking – but they are liable to try anything.
GAA CLUB NOTES
NORTH CORK JUNIOR A FOOTBALL FINAL – Killavullen GAA Club was privileged to host the North Cork Junior A Football final, on Saturday evening last, and made the most of this occasion to showcase positively the recent upgrades in the pitch environs.
The grass on the field looked better than the greens on Augusta, thanks to the efforts of Tommy and John. The tram lines and pitch marking were straighter than you would see in Wimbledon, so thanks to Billy and Mick. Rory, our chairman assembled more stewards than the Cork County Board amassed for the opening of Pairc Uí Chaoimh and Claire and Ava ensure that all the dignitaries and whoever else wished for, got tea, sandwiches and cakes afterwards.
Michael Rea and his company, Adgraphic put together a very accomplished match program, helped in no small way by the willingness of the PROs of both clubs to contribute.
The programs were sold on the day by Cian, Eoghan, Paul and Eddie, and these young lads certainly have good business acumens, and their pushing of the programs would have been endorsed by Alan Sugar, and his ‘The Apprentices franchise.
The City of Limerick Pipe Band entertained the crowd before the game, led the two teams on a parade before the game, and also played brilliantly during the half time interval. The two teams were joined by under-10 players in the parade, from both clubs, superbly marshalled by Pat Spratt. These same under-10 players played a mini exhibition game in front of their own peoples on the pitch during the interlude in the main game.
Parking was provided very close to the pitch area in the field across the Blackwater River by Nicholas Roche and family, and that was very welcome and appreciated.
Overall, players, and backroom teams of both cubs and officials of the North Cork Board were universal in the praise of the facilities and efforts of the club, which is only a positive thing.
Buttevant won the game on a final score of 2-13 to 1-07 to win the Junior A Football Championship for the very first time. Congratulations to them.
UNDER 16S DEFEATED IN CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER – Killavullen and Kildorrery played out a tetchy first round championship game in Ballygiblin last night that Kildorrery prevailed in, on a final score of 3-15 to 3-10
The strength of Kildorrery was a decisive factor but a very fine effort was put in by Killavullen over the over.
Kildorrery score first from a free in the first minute before Noah Butler equalised for us, in the next minute Kildorrery half forward line was important to them, and in Seán Watson, they had a fine player who scored next, in the fifth minute and again in the seventh. Kildorrery scored from their accurate No. 12 in the same minute. Mikey O’Connor got a point back for us in the eighth minute, before strong determined play from Darragh O’Grady resulted in a point in the ninth minute.
Kildorrery got another point in the 11th minute before Mikey got one back, immediately afterwards and then, after Colm Looney was fouled, Mikey scored a free in the 13th minute to bring parity to the game. Kildorrery went ahead again with a point in the 14th minute, and tacked on further scores in the 16th and 17th minute before Darragh was fouled and Mikey slotted over the resultant free in the 18th minute. Kildorrery got their final point of the half in the 20th minute.
Killavullen were aggrieved that they did not get a penalty after Mikey O’Connor was through on goals, and tackled from behind, but it was not awarded but the same player was on finer form from the placed ball, and score two further frees before the interval, after Darragh was fouled on both occasions. The score at the interval was 0-09 to 0-08
On the changeover, Kildorrery got a lively start with a good goal from the best player on the field, Seán Watson in the second minute of the half. They tacked over a point immediately afterwards, before Colm Looney billowed the net with a ground stroke for us in the 35th minute. Colm then got a point in the 37th minute. The game went into a tight phase for 10 minutes of good honest hurling where there was no score for either side, with Liam Fox in commanding form for Killavullen at the back. James O’Keeffe made a very brave save, right at the feet of the attacker before Darragh O’Grady got another point for us, in the 47th minute.
Kildorrery work the ball along the end line, and centred to goal in the 48th minute, and then got another goal in the 49th to open up a commanding lead. Mikey O’Connor then squeezed in, a close in free into the net after Ronan Barry had done well to keep a ball alive initially. Kildorrery though pressed their physical advantage home and worked four frees from the 54th minute, before Mikey scored another goal in the 59th minute, a goal that was vigorously contested by the Kildorrery officials. The final score was 3-15 to 3-10.
Killavullen were beaten by the same opposition in the opening game of the league, when Kildorrery had scored 5-10 in the opening half alone against two points from Killavullen at one stage, That game on April 8 had finished 5-16 to 3-10. That the players went into a championship game, and were only a point down in the 47th minute after that drubbing in April speaks volumes of the progress that has been made with this bunch in the interim period. On the night, Killavullen players pressed gallantly to the end, but Kildorrery prevailed.
The team and those who scored was: James O’Keeffe, Cian O’Connor, Liam Fox, Mikey Looney, Brian Cotter, Mark Nagle, Noah Butler (0-01), Fionn Magner, Eoin Birchill, Darragh O’Grady (0-01), Michael Cagney, Colm Looney (1-01), Mikey O’Connor (2-07). Substitutes: Ronan Barry for Eoin Birchill – injured; Ben Hunter
MINORS DEFEATED IN CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER – Killavullen would have been gutted to be beaten by Kildorrery in the reaffixed Minor Hurling championship, played in Fermoy last Thursday evening (September 7) by a single point, but in reality, cannot quibble with the result.
Kildorrery lost their talismanic gifted player James Keating before the game to a hamstring injury but others stepped up for them on the night, and too often, they were first to the breaking ball, a good indicator of which team showed the greater desire.
We got a great start with a goal from Pádraig Looney in the second minute and a point from Jack O’Connor before Kildorrery opened their account. Kildorrery then scored the next three points, from three different players before Jack got us back in front again with a pointed free, after good work from Noah Butler to earn the free in the first instance, in the 13th minute. Kildorrery struck for a goal then, in the 15th minute, a ball that Killavullen will feel that they should have cleared, but a stray hand pass did not find its man.
Eddie Cotter scored a fine point for us in the 17th minute to counter that score before Kildorrery got the next point from a converted 65 metre shot. Next Liam Fox caught a great ball at the edge of the square, and fed the inrushing Pádraig Looney, who finished well to the net to put us up again, by a solitary point 2-03 to 1-06. Kildorrery restored parity with a pointed free before Jack O’Connor gave us a lead again, with a converted free. We were playing against the wind, and a point to the fore, but disaster struck, just before half time, when a long free eluded everybody and found its way to our net without an intervention. 2-06 to 2-04 at the interval.
Kildorrery scored the initial score of the second period in the third minute only for Jack to reply with another free. Kildorrery then scored the next two points, but we answered that emphatically, with three points of our own, from James Fitzpatrick, and two further frees from Jack O’Connor.
Twelfth minute of the second period, and the score was 20-09 to 2-08. We were hurling well at this stage, with our rejigged half back line of Noah Butler, Eoghan Buckley and Fionn Magner asserting a big influence. Behind them, Brian Cotter belied his young age with an accomplished display. Our midfield of Eddie Cotter and Jack O’Connor was industrious.
Kildorrery scored another free before we had a calamitous mix up between our goalie and full back and we ended up putting the ball into our own net to gift Kildorrery a fortuitous goal. 3-10 now to 2-08 but there was only 14 minutes gone in the half. Michael Fresh set about eating into that lead with a point in the 15th minute and then Eoghan Buckley scored a monster free to add more impetus to our resurgence.
The game was halted several times for small inconsequential injuries that thwarted our momentum before we had the next point from the hard working Eddie Cotter in the 55th minute but not everyone was showing his application and that was disappointing when the game was there to be grabbed. Jack O’Connor brought it back to a single point game in the 58th minute, but Kildorrery scored a break away point to bring their tally to 3-11.
We pressed gallantly but failed to break down their resolute rear guard, and tellingly we took the wrong shot options under pressure, and put five shots wide. We got out final score from distance in the 62nd minute from Jack O’Connor to amass 2-13 over the hour and eight minutes of injury time, but it is just short.
On the night, following the flight of the ball from the stand was very difficult, in the Autumnal evening light, but it was the same for both teams. Overall a decent display but we played as individuals at times, and not a group collective. The final score was 3-11 to 2-13
The team and those that scored were: Cian Lankford, Liam Eoin Nagle, Seán Browne, Darren Murphy, Brian Cotter, Eoghan Buckley (0-01), Fionn Magner, Eddie Cotter (0-02), Jack O’Connor (0-08; 0-03F), Michael Fresh (0-01), Pádraig Looney (2-00), Noah Butler, James Fitzpatrick (0-01), Liam Fox, Seán Woulfe. Substitutions: Darragh O’Grady for Darren Murphy; Mikey O’Connor for Seán Woulfe.
FORTHCOMING JUVENILE/ ADULT FIXTURES - Killavullen Blue v Clyda Rovers, under-12 Hurling League Final, Thursday, September 14, in Fermoy at 6.30 p.m.; Killavullen v Castlelyons, Minor Football Championship, Monday, September 18, in a venue to be confirmed at 6.30 p.m.; Killavullen v St Dominic’s, under-16 Football Championship, Thursday, September 21 – Venue to be confirmed at 6.30 p.m.
All underage leagues are now reaching their conclusion, with a good healthy involvement of Killavullen teams.
Dates are fluid depending on permutations; so, please check the Killavullen Webpage for clarification – killavullengaa.com.
LOTTO
The jackpot of €2,100 was not won last Tuesday night. The numbers drawn were 11, 24 and 32. The draw was held in the Griffins Bar. The lucky-dip winners were: €50 – Margaret O’Callaghan, Seller – M Linehan; €30 – Pat O’Donovan, Seller – O Regan’s shop; €20 – Mary Mellerick, Seller – Davy Mellerick. The next draw will take place on the 12h September in the Haven Bar.