Hurlers win in Tipperary
We travelled to Holycross, the club of the famous John Doyle last Wednesday evening to take on their U17s in a challenge match. The Holycross/Ballycahill Club are a strong outfit with a great hurling tradition.
This was the first time we’ve played Holycross with this group of players and it’s always great to travel outside the county for a game. It was a good match for our lads before championship. Both teams performed well with some great Cork v Tipp hurling produced on the night. As it turned out we ran out comfortable winners in the end with all the lads getting game time. Great credit to our hosts for providing teas, sandwiches and buns after the game for all the hungry Rebels. Maybe later in the season Holycross might give us a return game in Rathcormac.
Our panel of players was as follows: Ronan O’Riordan, Darragh Kielty, Liam Collins, Cameron O’Sullivan, Kieran Cotter, Conor Hazelwood, Ronan O’Connell, Davy Barry, Josh Ahern, Cillian Barry, Frank O’Flynn, Adam Hynes, Adam Hayes, Adam Walsh, Eldon O’Connor, Oran Kielty, Ben Knox, Ciaran O’Dowd, Denis Cashman.
CLUB LOTTO
The jackpot on last Tuesday, June 22 was €20,000, the numbers drawn were 2, 7,19 and 29 and there was no winner. The winners of €30 each were Chris Hoare, Ita Madden, Shirley Johnson, John Lynch and Joe Finn. The jackpot for Tuesday night, June 29 was €20,000. You can join the Bride Rovers weekly lotto online at or purchase tickets from any of the retail outlets locally that are open.
U13s IN LEAGUE ACTION
The U13s played against Fermoy in a Rebel Óg hurling league tie in Páirc na Bride last Thursday in what proved to be a very competitive encounter. Bride Rovers got off to a great start with two early goals but Fermoy settled and began to come back into it with the aid of the wind. At half-time the Rovers boys were ahead by two points with the slight breeze at their backs in the second half.
The second half was equally as competitive with the lead changing on several occasions with Fermoy leading by a point with a few minutes remaining. In an exciting finish our lads dug in to put the pressure on in that last quarter and ran out two point victors. Final score Bride Rovers 6-6 Fermoy 3-13.
Panel: Adam Kelleher, David Dixon, Jack Lynch, Con McCormack, Éanna Lyons, Jamie Walsh, James Larkin, Denis Fitzgerald, James Finn, Matthew O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Farrell, Shane O’Dowd, Gary Quirke, Matthew Kenny, Eoghan Buckley, Owen Ryan, Jamie Kennedy, Michael Gubbins, Adam Murphy Fitzgibbon and Michael Cosgrove.
JUNIOR HURLERS IN ACTION TONIGHT
On tonight Thursday, July 1 our junior hurlers play their second league game in the East Cork JBHL group 4. We are away to St Catherines in Páirc Naomh Caitríonaigh in Ballynoe. We played Carrigtwohill in our first game when we lost by a point. REBEL ÓG U16 HURLING LEAGUE
On Saturday afternoon we welcomed Aghada to Páirc na Bride Rathcormac on a splendidly prepared pitch. We were delighted to welcome Chikamso Obi who was making his Bride Rovers debut. We started the game very well. Early on we had great scores from Ryan, Louie, Ronan and Kieran. We were playing some lovely hurling all through the pitch. Frank O’Flynn brilliantly saved a penalty which was a massive boost to us. On top of the save his puck outs were outstanding. Darragh and Eldon were super in the fullback line.
At half-time we were 2-6 to 0-6 ahead. The second half started well again with the lads in control. Scores from Ryan, Ronan, Cormac and Louie had us in a strong position. Adam, Denis and Cillian were very strong in the halfback line. Ciaran was unlucky not get on score-sheet as his performance won him the ‘man of the match’ award. For his first game of hurling Chikamso (the lads have shortened it to Kamso) played very well indeed. The final score was Bride Rovers 4 13 to Aghada’s 3-8. We now have two wins from two and puts us in a strong position.
Team on the day - Frank, Darragh, Eldon, Cillian, Denis, Adam, Cormac, Kieran, Ciaran, Ronan, Chikamso, Ryan and Louie.
Our next match is in the Rebel Óg hurling league on Saturday week, July 10 away to Kiltha Óg.
WELL DONE MARK
I forgot to mention last week that our referee Mark Murphy reffed the 2020 county junior B grade football final recently. Lough Rovers from the City Division defeated Freemount in the final. Well done Mark.
U12s
On Monday night last, June 28 we had 28 lads playing football which was mighty. With a few lads away on holidays it was super to field two teams - one in Caherlag and one at home.
The ‘ Green’ team travelled to Caherlag to play Erins Own in football this Monday. Both teams lined out with 14-a-side. We settled early and led 6 points to 1 at half time. The second half continued along the lines of the first with the lads work-rate and running making it difficult for the hosts. We finished the game as winners by 11 points to 4 but in reality if we had taken our chances it would have been a greater win.
Scorers: Finn 0-4, Michael 0-4, Tadhg 0-2, Darragh 0-1. Team: Bobby Sweeney, Calum Somers, Oliver Harris, Cian Cashman, Cathal Barry, Dylan Keating, Finn O’Driscoll, Darragh Costigan, Darren Kearney, Michael Walsh, Nathan Cahill, Conn Nagle, Tadhg Cronin, Rian Somers. A great team performance!
Meanwhile back at HQ in Rathcormac our ‘Gold’ Team lost by a mere point against very good Glanmire side. This was a super game of football with 23 scores. The final score: Glanmire 6-5 to Bride Rovers 5-7. In this game our lads showed great team work and great fight until the dying moments.
Squad: Sebastian Byrd, Cody Scanlan, Bobby Harrington, Euan O’Grady, Jeff O’Connell, Ciaran Donovan, Daniel Gubbins, Evan Quaine, Conor Geaney, Philly Butler, Shane Drinan, Danny Walsh, Luke Murphy. Scorers were Bobby 3-4, Ciaran 1-2, Luke 1-0.
The next games are both at home on Monday week next, July 12. Green team v Castlelyons, Gold team v Blackrock. Parents will get a text regarding training times.
JUVENILE PITCH
Though it’s only opened a few weeks the new juvenile pitch has already hosted a dozen games. It’s a fantastic addition to the club’s infrastructure and has been widely praised by all visiting teams. The exterior netting will soon be completed which will enhance the facility even more.
JAFC FIXED
Our first round game in this year’s East Cork junior A grade football championship v Midleton. has been fixed for Monday, July 12.
PYNE’S FIELD
The fantastic news last week concerning the acquisition of land from the Pyne family in Ballybrowney has been very well received. Tradition they say is great and the Pyne family have long been connected with the club. Even before Bride Rovers Club was formed in 1928 Dan Pyne was a player with the Rathcormac Club. Pynes field has a long association with gaelic games in the parish. In the 1940s, ‘50s and again in the 1960s this field was the main club pitch. We have rented the field in recent years with the increase in the number of teams fielded by the club.
On Sunday, March 31 1957 the Hill and Castlelyons were fixed to play an East Cork JHL game in Pyne’s field at half 3 with Johnny Kearney as referee. After torrential rain the pitch was unplayable. It was seven months later - on October 20th, before the game was refixed. It was a rough, tough game and Johnny Kearney was at his wits end trying to keep law and order. With five minutes left an all-out fight involving over twenty players broke out. Johnny blew the whistle, abandoned the game and ran for a gap in the ditch! He jumped out onto the Ballybrowney/Rathcormac road, stopped a van, jumped in and instructed the owner to “drive on fast”!
U11s
The U11 boys had no game last weekend. Their next game is in the football league away to Bandon on this coming Saturday, July 3.
IT’S CORK v DUBLIN IN U20 FINAL
Well it will be a Cork against Dublin U20 All-Ireland hurling final. The teams met in the 2017 special U17 final and now it’s a repeat fixture in the long delayed 2020 final. Brian and Eoin Roche captained Cork to victory in that final in Croke Park in August 2017. Last week in the delayed Lein
ster final Dublin outgunned a very fancied Galway team - Cork beat Galway in the 2017 semi-final, and Dublin will be fancied now to beat Cork with the advantage of a recent game. Cork completed their provincial campaign last December with a great win over Tipperary.
In the Leinster final last week, Dublin played ten of their U17 side of three years ago while Galway had just four of their 2017 team on duty. It is expected the Cork v Dublin final will be played on Saturday week, July 10 but no venue has yet been announced. It will be the first meeting of Cork and Dublin in an U20 or U21 final. Donal O’Shea who scored 8 points in the Leinster final for Galway is son of Eamonn O’Shea the former Tipperary All-Ireland winning manager. In the U20 campaign O’Shea scored a total of 2 27. Next week we’ll look at Cork’s campaign in detail. Good luck to Pat Ryan and all the players as they train for this final. It would be a great boost for Cork to win it.
CONGRATULATIONS TOMMY
Congratulations to veteran Fermoy Gael Tommy O’Brien on winning first prize in the Cork GAA Rebels’ Bounty monthly draw for June. Tommy has given a lifetime of service to Fermoy GAA and this win is well deserved, well done Tommy from all in Bride Rovers.
CORK v LIMERICK
Cork and Limerick in the Munster championship, ah yes great memories of great games back to the time of Mackey and Ring. Normally we’d be making the sandwiches on Friday for the trip to Thurles or the Gaelic Grounds or the ‘Park’ by the Lee. Unfortunately the Covid pandemic has changed all that and just a tiny crowd will be lucky to see the game live on Saturday evening. For 99% of hurling fans in both counties we should be at least looking forward to seeing the contest on TV but no, this game featuring the league and All-Ireland winners will not be ‘free to air’ for hurling fans , what a terrible and shameful situation. John Kiely’s team are unbackable favourites but the Rebels always relish a challenge so go for it Cork.
Clare will face Tipperary in the second Munster semi-final on Sunday.
UNDER 20 ALL-IRELAND CONFIRMED
The All-Ireland (2020) U20 hurling final between Cork and Dublin has been confirmed for Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on Saturday week, July 10th at 7.15pm.
SYMPATHY
Our deepest sympathy is extended to the O’Leary family of Ballybrowney on the death of Noel Murphy, father of Valerie. The O’Learys are so involved in all facets of community life in our parish so we sympathise with them at this sad and difficult time.
FIXTURES
Thursday, July 1 JBHL v St Catherines, Páirc Naomh Caitríonaigh, Ballynoe 7.30pm. Saturday, July 3 U11 football. Away to Bandon. Saturday, July 10 U16 HL v Kiltha Óg, away, Monday, July 12 JAFC v Midleton U12 Green v Castlelyons, U12 Gold v Blackrock - both at home.
Bride Rovers Club sponsors are; Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design and Veolia Environmental Services.