Rebels’ Bounty draw March 25th

Thank you to everyone who has signed up for Rebels’ Bounty to date. For those who haven’t there is still three weeks to do so. Tickets cost €100 each and you have the chance to win from a prize pot of €500,000 with the December draw alone is worth a massive €100,000! The first three draws will take place on Thursday, March 25. This will incorporate monthly draws, for January, February and March when 90 lucky winners will receive prizes ranging from €20,000 for first to €150 for 30th.

We have reached our minimum target set by the County Board so 100% of the proceeds of all tickets sold from now on stay in the club! By supporting the Rebels Bounty Draw you are supporting our club development. This may be our only big fundraising opportunity in 2021 so all your support is greatly appreciated. You have the option to pay the €100 upfront now or you can pay €10 a month. Tickets are available from a number of executive committee members or they can be bought online.

CLUB LOTTO

Club lotto continues to be suspended due to level 5 restrictions until further notice. Anyone paid up for the lotto prior to its postponement, will carry over to the next draw. Next lotto draw jackpot €7,400, date TBC.

MEMBERSHIP REMINDER

A reminder that club membership can now be paid online by logging onto www.foireann.ie. Ideally we would like all members to pay their membership online this year, given the current Covid restrictions in place, there is unlikely to be a registration night this year. If you have any queries in relation to the system, please do not hesitate to contact club registrar Alan Kenny.

VOTES OF SYMPATHY

The club would like to extend its deepest sympathy to the Hennessy family, Mitchelstown following their recent bereavements.

REELING IN THE YEARS – NORTH CORK JUNIOR A HURLING CHAMPIONS 1995 (TITLE NUMBER 9)

Over the next few weeks we will look back at the North Cork junior hurling championship win of 1995, the club’s 3rd title in 5 years. Having lost to near neighbours Fermoy for the first time in the club’s history at adult hurling level in the 1994 final, Kilworth were intent on making amends in 1995. Ballyhea, Kilshanning and Fermoy were defeated en route to a third final in a row with victory over Charleville in the final securing a ninth title. While the same group of core players remained together over the 5 years (9 of the starting team in the final of 91 also started in the ‘95 final) and the team backboned by a lot of experience there were a number of youthful additions to the team as the era progressed which helped to re- energise the panel.

Kilworth 2-15 Ballyhea 1-8 (Round 1; June 24th, 1995)

In a keenly contested game Kilworth had a comfortable win, securing safe passage to the quarter final of the junior hurling championship with a 2-15 to 1-8 win over a spirited Ballyhea side before a large attendance at Kildorrery.

It was a tit for tat all through an even first half with both teams competing well and at times playing some wonderful first-time hurling. Sean Carey opened our account with two pointed frees before Kilworth goaled in the 12th minute through William Hegarty. This seemed to be exactly what Kilworth needed but Ballyhea to their credit replied two minutes later with a very good goal of their own. The first half was very closely contested, with the sides level at 1-5 each after 25 minutes, Kilworth’s scores coming from John Sheehan (2) and Colm Carey. Our final score on the call of half time from William Hegarty gave us a slight 1-6 to 1-5 advantage at the break.

Kilworth had three early second-half points by Noel O’Brien, Pat Shanahan and William Hegarty to go four ahead. Ballyhea replied with a pointed free. Kilworth introduced Will O’Donoghue who immediately made his presence felt with a great point. Ballyhea again replied to leave just a green flag between the teams with Kilworth leading 1-10 to 1-7 at the three-quarter stage. John Joe Shanahan made a superb and very important save shortly after. Ballyhea pointed again to leave just two points between the teams. Sean Carey landed a free in the 50th minute. From the resulting puckout Kilworth delivered the knockout blow. Aidan Kenny brilliantly blocked an attempted Ballyhea shot goalward, with Will O’Donoghue collecting the break and sent a great ball into the square where Sean Carey dived in to deflect the ball past the Ballyhea goalie for a great opportunist goal. It killed off any chance of a Ballyhea revival with Kilworth tagging on four additional points from William Hegarty, Sean Carey, Aidan Kenny from a ’65’ and Will O’Donoghue finished the scoring on the stroke of full-time helping Kilworth to a ten-point winning margin to set up a quarter final meeting with Kilshannig.

This was a satisfactory performance with plenty room for improvement. Those deserving a special mention on the night were; B Sheedy, J Sheehan, S Carey, W Hegarty and W O’Donoghue.

Team and scorers: JJ Shanahan, B Sheedy, J Kiersey, J Keane, A Kenny 0-1, O Sheehan, M Dunne, J Sheehan 0-1, M O’Brien, C Carey 0-1, M Gowen, N O’Brien 0-1, W Hegarty 1-4, P Shanahan 0-1, S Carey 1-4 (0-3 frees). Subs used; W O’Donoghue 0-2 for M O’Brien, E Pierce for M Dunne.

Kilworth 1-12 Kilshannig 0-5 (Qtr final; July 16th, 1995)

Kilworth had a ten-point winning margin over Kilshannig in heavy rain at Ballyhooly, to advance to a semi-final meeting with neighbours Fermoy. Although it looks a very convincing win on the scoreboard it was not as straight forward throughout. Kilworth opened well and were always ahead after Sean Carey pointed a free inside two minutes. Then from a long puck out John Sheehan added superbly to it in the air, it was met again in the half forward line into Chopper’s hand who drew the defence and his perfect pass gave William Hegarty the easy task of slamming the ball to the net. Kilshannig scored their only two scores of the half, one from a free in the seventh minute and the second from play in the 8th minute. Kilworth added six more points without reply before halftime, two in the 11th and 14th minutes from the outstanding Mickey Gowen, whose performance from start to finish was excellent. His work rate alone made him Kilworth’s star on the night. Noel O’Brien had a point in the 18th minute, Sean Carey landed a free in the 20th minute, Colm Carey was on the mark in the 23rd minute and Aidan Kenny had the last score of the half from a 65 in the 24th minutes leaving the interval score 1-7 to 0-2.

Kilshannig opened the second half in determined fashion and had three points in the first ten minutes. Kilworth’s lone reply being a Sean Carey free in the 36th minute. These proved Kilshannig’s only scores of the half and although they pressed Kilworth all through, but for their lack of penetration in the forward division it could have been a much closer call. Sean Carey pointed another free in the 44th minute, Mickey Dunne scored a fine point in the 54th minute with Mickey Gowen striking again after good work from Pat Shanahan in the 56th minute. Substitute Will O’Donoghue wrapped up the scoring in the 59th minute with a fine point from play way out on the left.

While this was a good win in difficult conditions the general consensus was a lot of improvement was required if we were to dethrone the reigning champions Fermoy in the semi-final to book a place in the final for the third year in succession. Best for Kilworth on the night were A Kenny, O Sheehan, J Sheehan, M Gowen & P Shanahan.

Team and scorers: JJ Shanahan, B Sheedy, J Kiersey, J Keane, A Kenny 0-1, W Twomey, O Sheehan, J Sheehan, M Dunne 0-1, C Carey 0-1, N O’Brien 0-1, M Gowen 0-3, S Carey 0-4, P Shanahan, W Hegarty 1-0. Subs Used; W O’Donoghue 0-1 for C Carey, M O’Brien for S Carey, E Pierce for N O’Brien.

The review of 1995 will continue next week.

CLUB HISTORY

One of the few positives to come out of this pandemic is that it has given us the chance to look back to our past and at the great men and women who did so much to put our club on the map in the early years. With social media and the internet, recent history has been captured however we would like to fill in some of the blanks from the second half of the last century in particular. If anyone has old programmes, team sheets, paper cuttings, club records etc, we would be most grateful if you could pass them on to any club officer. Any items offered will be treated with care and will be returned to their owners.

MAIN CLUB SPONSORS

Mike Walsh Pharmacy, Aherne’s Pub, The Village Inn, KDC Ltd, Kilally Stables and Mitchelstown Dental Clinic.