Taoiseach’s address provides glimmer of hope
Glorious conditions initiating the best week of the year thus far making the difficult yet entirely understandable third lockdown that bit less tolerable is what provided the backdrop to Micheál Martin’s partial easing of restrictions following his long awaited address to an expectant body of people. We remember how the ’93 minor team were pieced together before going into their campaign next time around. Also bringing you the results from the most recent weekly lotto draw. Read on.
TAOISEACH’S ADDRESS TO THE NATION
Tuesday, March 30 saw temperatures soar to the mid-teens and possibly beyond thus making it the most pleasant day of the year so far. A dry spell that would continue and making this third lockdown and its demanding yet understandable conditions that bit more difficult to adjust to. A glimmer of hope, just a partial opening of a door now sealed solid for three months, offered by Taoiseach Micheál Martin in his address to an expectant nation, a possible easing of restrictions.
It’s now the morning of Thursday, April 8 and from next Monday, April 12 the five km travel limit will end and people will be allowed to move anywhere in their county. Then moving on a week to Monday, April 19 and senior intercounty GAA teams will be allowed to resume training. Expect a new fixtures plan for today (Thursday) or tomorrow, Friday, April 9 to be released with a view to starting the national leagues in May.
Then at the end of the month from Monday, April 26 there will be the return of non-contact training for U18s. Children’s training must be outdoors and confined to groups of fifteen. Tennis courts and golf courses may reopen that day as well. Just beware that dressing rooms, clubhouses and changing rooms must remain closed. That’s how we see it. A bit more expected next month. Step by step. Bit by bit. Of course everything depends on the Covid figures. If anything goes wrong, if there’s any backfire at all and the whole plan goes belly up we could be returning to where we’ve been for the last twelve weeks and unfortunately previously as well. Into another lockdown and we sure as hell don’t want to spend the summer months in that dastardly place. Please stay safe, with the vaccine supply to increase over the next three months.
THIS WEEK’S PERIOD OF REFLECTION
Few would question or query the influx of new blood playing its part on the historic intermediate hurling achievements of 1994. It also being the year of the one and only time that the East Cork U21 A championship was won. Thus making it one of the most memorable years in club history. A year before, expectancy was at a high level as we followed the trail of the minor squad in both their football and hurling championship campaigns. Of course winning teams always linger in the memory. Their achievements rest easily in the mind, sadly and unfortunately with this team it was a case of what might have been. So near and yet so far. With underage you must do it when the time is right. There are no second chances. One might believe they should have but sure twelve months later a fresh squad emerges. That’s how it was for the minor hurling squad of 1993.
Looking closer at them and through the ranks what would have been the source level of our expectancy? Tightening things up with an East Cork double and county U12 B hurling championship success in 1987. Going on to win a B féile title twelve months later. Then there was the win over Kanturk. Going on to defeat The Glen in the county final proper of the 1990 county U16 B hurling championship. A decider played in Fermoy under the captaincy of Pat Fitzgerald. So far so good. But didn’t happen when losing out to Erin’s Own (2-06 to 0-10) in the East Cork minor A final of 1992. St Catherines also lost out to Youghal in the East Cork U21 B final that year. Slowly but surely the clock turns. Reaching our designated year effectively only five of that panel from a year before had moved on. So we still seemed to be on an upward curve. A year older and wiser. Sure you know yourself how it goes!
1993 was the year twin brothers Batty and Billy O’Connell put up the Paddy Sheehan Cup for a minor hurling tournament. Named after their uncle who served a three year term as first treasurer of the club, it began to slip by the wayside through the years. But under the guidance and vigilance of Ed Galvin and Paul Davis, resurrected itself in more recent times and is now played for annually as an U12 hurling tournament. That is when there’s no Covid-19! When called upon Billy O’Connell would usually make the presentation.
Coming as it did right in the middle of the season and a win over Glenbower Rovers preceded a loss to Glenville in the divisional minor A football championship. Younger readers might find it difficult to adjust. Emergence of Rebel Óg and all that but all divisional minor football and hurling league and championship matches were then under the jurisdiction of the divisional adult board. Right that’s it. Infrastructure in place and next week we start the East Cork section of the 1993 minor A hurling championship. But first a few lineouts for you.
1990 U16 B county hurling final proper - Michael O’Brien, Richard Cotter, Pat Fitzgerald, Brendan Noonan, Noel O’Neill, Patrick Sheehan, Declan O’Neill, Mark Lane, Johnny Sheehan, Michael Hegarty, Brian Cotter, Jim Lane, Dave O’Connell, Kieran Morrison and Tom Morrison. Also: Dessie Lucey, Aidan Hickey, Robbie Hamilton, James Fitzgerald, Michael Dorgan and Ger Lynch.
1992 minor hurlers team that started the East Cork final v Erin’s Own - Michael O’Brien, Ger Lynch, Pat Fitzgerald, Brendan Noonan, Martin O’Keeffe, Michael Dorgan, Kevin O’Connell, Johnny Sheehan, Declan O’Neill, Michael Hegarty, Brian Cotter, Noel O’Neill, Dave O’Connell, Kieran Morrison and Tom Morrison. Subs used were James Fitzgerald and Paddy Lane.
1992 U21 B hurling final v Youghal - Michael O’Brien, Dessie O’Keeffe, Pat Fitzgerald, Patrick Sheehan, Michael Hartnett, Martin Sheehan, Jim Lane, Ger Morrison, James ‘Junior’ Sheehan (captain), Johnny Sheehan, Declan O’Neill, Paddy O’Leary, David Temple, Kieran Morrison and David O’Connell. Subs used were Paul Higgins, Brian Cotter and Mark Lane.
Also, James Fitzgerald, James Geaney, Liam Sheehan, Martin O’Keeffe and Richard Cotter.
1993 minor football v Glenville (They played as Glenhill Rovers) - Johnny Sheehan, Aidan Hickey, Michael Dorgan, Richard Cotter, Jim Lane, Martin O’Keeffe, Paddy Lane, Ger Lynch, Brian Cotter (captain), Paul O’Connell, Kieran Morrison, Dave O’Connell, Richie Hegarty, Dessie Lucey, Michael Hegarty. Also Robbie O’Connell, Donal Lynch and Brendan Noonan.
LAOCHRA GAEL
With 18 All-Ireland medals and sixteen All-Star awards Briege Corkery has won more than anyone in the history of gaelic games. She features on tonight’s (Thursday) Laochra Gael documentary on TG4 at 9.30pm presumably there are the usual spate of repeats.
LOTTO RESULTS
All the details from the most recent weekly lotto draw held on bank holiday Monday night last, April 5. Numbers drawn being 4, 16, 25 and 26 and the €10,000 jackpot wasn’t
won. Consolation winners were: John Barrett, Ballynoe, Ann Galvin, Lacken, Chloe Higgins, Ballycullane, Ballynoe, Meabh Mulcahy, Boutla Ballynoe, and Shane Cotter, Ballynoe.
Next draw on Monday night, April 12 now has an accumulated jackpot of €10,200.
ST CATHERINES GAA CLUB SPONSORS
T&A Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, Ballynoe are St Catherines GAA Club sponsors. Juvenile club sponsors are Mulcahy Steel.