Footballers win, hurlers lose out, lotto promotion - all systems go!
It’s a sure sign that we’re getting back to some kind of normality when our ‘official’ playing season has commenced in the month of March. It was on Monday, June 7th in 2021 when we played our first football league game, on that occasion we travelled to Carrignavar where we lost out to the home side. So Bride Rovers Junior A Footballers opened their 2022 league campaign at home to Carignavar in Páirc Na Bride on Saturday afternoon last. This was a tough opening game for the lads and they had to put in a great effort over the hour to come out victorious on a scoreline of 3-07 to 1-07.
There was a fine turnout on Saturday with 22 players togged out and a few new faces on the panel with Adam Walsh, Conor Hazelwood and David Barry making the step up from U17 last season and certainly contributing to the result.
The panel and scorers on Saturday were - Ben Hogan, Stephen Glasgow, Jordan Mannix (1-01), William Finnegan, Cian Hogan (0-03), Conleith Ryan, Conor Barry (2-01), Adam Walsh (0-01), Seamus Ahern, David Barry, Shane Walsh, Cian Howard (0-01), John O’Sullivan, Paddy O’Flynn, Conor Hazelwood, Shane O’Connor, DJ Cahill, Jack Connor, Ciaran Crowley, Daniel Dooley, Damien Buckley and Tadhg O’Sullivan.
The next game for the Rovers is away to Glenbower Rovers (Killeagh) which is fixed for Sunday, 20th March at 3.30pm, however this is subject to change and will be firmed up closer to the date.
2022 EAST CORK DRAWS
In reality calling them ‘Championship Draws’ is bit of a misnomer because with ‘round robin’ formats in all championships nowadays it’s only a matter of just drawing out groups of four or five teams in each competition. Nevertheless we gathered in the Tom Powell GAA pavilion in Midleton last Wednesday night to see who we would be meeting in East Cork Hurling and football.
JUNIOR A FOOTBALL
With five teams gone down to junior B this year just 12 teams will contest the JAFC. So three groups of 4 were drawn. We are in with Cloyne, Glenbower Rovers and Aghada in Group 1. Group 2 is Cobh, Midleton, Carrigtwohill and Castlemartyr. The third group consists of Lisgoold, Erins Own, Carrignavar and Cloyne. There’s no easy group and no easy game in that competition. In the junior B hurling we are in a 4 team group with Cloyne, Sarsfields and Midleton. That’s Group 2. Group 1 is Aghada, Lisgoold, Youghal and Killeagh while Group 3 has St Catherines, Erins Own, Castlemartyr and Carrigtwohill.
SENIOR HURLING
On Sunday last our senior hurlers played Kilworth in a challenge match. The match was very useful to both teams with many players getting more hurling in ahead of our first league game on Sunday. Kilworth won out on a scoreline of 3-17 to 0-16.
Panel: C Hogan, T O’Sullivan, A Buckley, D Barry, R O’Connell, E Roche, S Walsh, K Kearney, C Ryan, A Walsh, D Dooley, N Kelleher, A Hayes, M Collins, B Hogan, L Collins, J Pratt, J Mannix, P O’Flynn, L Forde, C Hazelwood, S O’Connor, J Powell, C O’Connor, C Barry, E Cashman.
Our first senior hurling league match is fixed for next Sunday, 13th March at 2pm v Carrigtwohill in Rathcormac.
CORK V GALWAY IN NHL
Cork and Galway played out a great game before 13,000 spectators in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night last. The contest however was played under the shadow of the sudden death of Paul Shefflin, brother of Henry the current Galway manager. All Gaeldom was shocked at Paul’s death and like every other GAA community in Ireland, we in Bride Rovers extend our deepest sympathy to his family. Cork maintained their unbeaten run and have now qualified for the league semi-final. Good to see Brian Roche getting on the field near the end of the contest. Not since 1998 have Cork won the NHL so hope springs eternal
GREYHOUND SUCCESS
The Mannix and Gubbins families are synonymous with the Bride Rovers GAA Club with both clans having provided players and mentors for over half a century. Both are also big into greyhound racing and with some great successes in recent years. Not long ago Gerard Gubbins had major success in Kilkenny track and added another winner, Hollyhill Abby, in Youghal on Monday last. On Saturday night Bartlemy Jas, owned by Liam Mannix won the €4000 Cork Cup at Curraheen Park. Well done lads and keep it going.
CORK U15 HURLERS HQ
Our facilities at Páirc na Bride have been greatly developed in recent years as part of our ongoing expansion and planning for ‘Pathway to 2028’ in 6 years’ time when the club celebrates its centenary. We are glad to help all teams promoting Gaelic games. Over the next six weekends the Cork U15 hurling panel will be based in Páirc na Bride. They will use the facilities for group training each weekend as their mentors improve the skills of these young hurlers. We welcome them and hope they benefit from their coaching here. Four Bride Rovers players Cormac Barry, Jack Collins, Conor O’Riordan and Tomás O’Riordan are on the panel. It’s a huge honour for these lads, their families and the Bride Rovers Juvenile Club.
U12S ARE BACK
The U12 boys are back in action. They are continuing to train on Saturdays at 12noon. Rebel Óg league games will start in April. As always we extend a céad míle failte to all boys of this age. Even if you have never been down at the pitch do come along and guaranteed you’ll enjoy it.
CLUB LOTTO
Our lotto takes place every Tuesday evening. The draw on Tuesday, March 8th was for a jackpot of €18,400. The results from our draw on Tuesday, March 1st were as follows - the 4 numbers drawn were 7, 9, 18 and 19 and there was no winner. Lucky dip winners of €30 each were: Rita O’Keeffe, Glanworth; Pablo Vianna, Cork; Caitriona Hartnett, Kilworth; Declan Corbett Kilworth; Sylvia Walsh, Rathcormac.
Each week we are now also presenting a special prize and the first winner of the extra prize - an O’Neills voucher, was Mai Browne Bartlemy. As part of our online lotto campaign we urge all members and supporters to contact friends, relations, work colleagues, and contacts everywhere asking them to join the Bride Rovers Lotto. A €10 contribution buys 5 tickets and using modern communications methods purchasers have the option to auto - renew their ticket buying and that’s where the huge income generating potential is. Online lotto players can keep in touch with ongoing club developments as well as following the day to day activities of the club. Pre-prepared text and email messages for sending to potential buyers are on the club website.
This is a major undertaking for the Bride Rovers Club and requires an input from everyone but the potential gain is massive. The people and businesses who each week sell the lotto tickets, will still be as important as ever and hopefully this new online sales marketing will just compliment their work of the last 26 years. It’s all about the ‘ Future Rovers’ so tell friends, tell family to play Bride Rovers lotto. The special prize on Tuesday night was a yearly Netflix subscription.
STRANGE ST PATRICK’S DAY
It seems so strange now that we are coming out of lockdown and the national holiday, St. Patricks’ Day coming up next week that Croke Park won’t see a crowd of over 40,000 on that special day. For decades the GAA had really built up Patrick’s Day as the club final day when the hurling and football club senior finals were played at HQ. On our national holiday there was something unique and special about Gaelic Games in our national stadium. I loved going to Dublin on March 17th and despite the cold I was lucky to see some great finals with ever increasing attendances. But like the September Sundays for the All Ireland, all’s changed utterly changed and I for one am not convinced the changes are for the better.
JUNIOR HURLERS START
Our junior hurlers open their league campaign next Tuesday night with an away game v St Catherines under lights in Páirc Naomh Chaitríonaigh in Ballynoe at 8pm.
U15S IN ACTION
Bride Rovers U15s played their first league football match away to Kilshannig on Sunday, 6th March. The game was played in Glantane. Weather conditions were good and we were looking forward to a tough match. We had a bad first half, finishing at half-time with a score of 3 points to Kilshannig’s 2 - 7.
In the second half the boys came back strongly and really upped their game, the final score was 3-4 to Bride Rovers and 2-12 to Kilshannig. It was a great second half performance. Our opening game in the Rebel Óg U15 hurling league is on St Patrick’s Day. On that afternoon at 4 o’clock we are at home to Fermoy in Páirc na Bride.
U17S IN ACTION
Our U17 footballers are in league action next Sunday. We are away to Mayfield at 12 noon.
SYMPATHY
The club extend sincere sympathy to our former goalie Joseph O’Brien on the death of his cousin Mary Walsh. Mary died in England recently. Her mother Lil was a sister of Joseph’s father Tom. We also extend our sympathy to the family of the late, great musician Donal Ring. Donal was a hugely popular céilí band exponent for close on 70 years. We had the Donal Ring Band in the marquee in Rathcormac during festivals in the late 1970s. Donal and his family were involved in the Rathpeacon GAA Club. Widely regarded as one of the best accordion players in the country Donal Ring entertained several generations of dancers and concert goers.
All in Bride Rovers also extend deepest sympathy to Dave Ryan and family, Fermoy on the death of Dave’s wife Mary. Dave and Mary were both proud Tipperary people - both from Ryan clans, but they settled in Fermoy and have made a magnificent contribution to the business, cultural and sporting life not just of the town but the surrounding district as well. May Mary rest in peace.
FIXTURES
Sunday, March 13th - U17 Football League v Mayfield, away at 12 noon. Senior Hurling League v Carrigtwohill, home at 2pm. Tuesday, March 15th JHL v St Catherines, 8pm, in Ballynoe. Thursday, March 17th, St Patrick’s Day U15 Hurling v Fermoy, home at 4 o’clock.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS
Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design and Veolia.