Brian - Man Of The Match
There’s a lovely old Irish sean-fhocail ‘Mol an oige agus tiocfaidh siad’ – praise the youth and they will flourish - well for the Roche twins Brian and Eoin it’s a true saying. From a very early age the two lads earned the praise and respect of all that met them. They donned the red and white jersey of Cork at U14 level. They starred in and co-captained the Cork U17 hurling team to an All-Ireland title and played at U18, 20 and 21 level for the Rebels.
Last Sunday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh was a proud day for the Roche family, the Bride Rovers Club and the whole parish. Eoin suffered an injury before Cork lost to Kilkenny in the League semi-final but has battled back onto the panel. In Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday Cork were ‘last to the party’ as Waterford, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary had been in championship action the week before. A mighty crowd gathered in the Park by the Lee as Pat Ryan’s charges took on a Waterford side under the guidance of ‘ the second coming of Davy Fitzgerald’.
From the moment Niall O’Leary of Castlelyons, the Cork Captain, led his team out it was obvious that Cork ‘ were up for it’. With Brian Roche hurling like a veteran at midfield the Rebels made great use of the wind with a succession of great points. Once they got in front they extended their lead. In truth they never looked like losing and a fine point from Brian after his goalbound shot was saved was a great score. Brendan Cummins, Donal Óg Cusack and Jackie Tyrell were all fulsome in their praise of Brian who was selected as Man Of The Match, well done Brian on a great display and well done to all the Cork players.
Brian spoke very well when accepting the award and one could see the pride and passion he has for the Blood and Bandage jersey. Cork’s Seamie Harnedy was part of the after game panel and gave great credit to Brian. As they say ‘one swallow never made a summer’ and next Saturday evening in Páirc Uí Chaoimh Tipperary come down the road once more to take on the Rebels. Since the sides first clashed at Glenagowl, Kildinan in the autumn of 1741 there’s been no greater rivalry in Irish sport than Cork v Tipp in hurling. Here’s hoping for a great game by the Lee - and a Cork win.
BEST OF LUCK LIAM
At half-time on Saturday evening the Cork and Tipperary Primary game teams will play a hurling game. Liam Carr of Desert, Bartlemy - a pupil in Bishop O’Brien NS, Bartlemy, will line out with Cork. Best of luck Liam and enjoy the experience.
U13S TOP OF LEAGUE
Our U13 boys were at home to Eire Óg on Thursday evening. This was a ‘ Top of the Table’ clash in the Premier hurling league group 3. Both teams unbeaten up to last Thursday evening. Having played the mid-Cork side in a challenge match last year we knew we were up against a good team. We got off to a fast start with three goals in the first quarter - Liam got 2 and Fionn the third. Eire Óg were rattled but came right back at us with two of their own and points to leave us ahead by just a single point at half-time. The effort by both teams in that first half was exceptional.
The second half continued to be a tight affair. It was score for score as both teams exchanged points with neither team going more than two points up. However up stepped Sean O’Leary with a great goal to seal the win on a scoreline of Bride Rovers 5-11 Eire Óg 4-9.
This was a huge team effort by all the boys - well done lads.
Team v Eire Óg: Zach, Alex, Cathal O’B, Jack, Nathan, Cody, Danny, Sean F, Sam, Sean H, Fionn C, Sean O’L, Fionn L, Liam, Cormac, Daniel and Evan.
Our next game is football away to Cobh on Sunday 7th at 12 noon.
LOTTO RESULTS
The four numbers drawn on Tuesday, April 25th were 16, 18, 19 and 22 and there was no winner of the jackpot of €7,200. Congrats to our lucky dip €30 cash winners: Pat Mannix, (Bartlemy), Richard Kearney, (Cooleqalane), Vincent Cronin, (Rathcormac), Olive Feeney, (Ballyduff Upper, Waterford) and Jim Purcell, (Kildinan). This week’s jackpot on Tuesday, May 2nd was an incredible €7,400.
U7 HURLING
St Catherine’s and Kilworth came to Bride Rovers on last Saturday morning for an U7 hurling blitz. Our lads were just brilliant in their games, showing great improvement with their skills in each game. Thanks to both visiting clubs for a great morning of hurling. Next up we travel to our near neighbours Watergrasshill for a hurling blitz on next Saturday morning, May 6th.
Training continues 18.30 next Wednesday night, small astro. We are always looking for new players so boys born in 2016 do come along and learn to enjoy the world of Gaelic Games.
CORK U20S GOING WELL
The Cork U20 hurlers, trained by Newtown’s Ben O’Connor are going well in the Munster Championship. Last week’s great comeback win over Limerick guarantees the side a place in the Munster Final. It was great to see our own Cillian Tobin returning to the team at midfield. Cillian had missed the early games because of injury and hopefully can go on to more success with this Cork team. One of Cillian’s teammates is Clyda Rovers’ Ben Nyhan, he played on the St Colman’s Harty team with Cillian. Ben’s great-granduncle was William ‘Captain’ O’Connell of Ballinakilla, Bartlemy. William O’Connell was selected captain of the great Bartlemy Hurling Club in the late 1880s and kept the title ‘Captain’ right up until his death in 1939.
GREAT WIN FOR ALAN
The cast of the Michael Collins Film currently has Sports Prediction Competition as an Oskars Fundraiser. On Monday last they had an ‘early bird’ special - anyone that was entered before noon on Monday was entered in a draw for two Premium Tickets for the Cork v Tipp game on Saturday night next. The lucky winner was Alan Barry - well done Alan.
U15 HURLING
The U15s played their hurling Féile competition last Saturday in Cloyne where they were placed in a strong Division 1 Section. St Catherines, Watergrasshill, St Colmans and Youghal were the opposition and 4 hard battles were fought with one to two scores deciding all of the games. The first match against St Catherines was nip and tuck until the end with St Catherines shading it. Next up Bride Rovers played the home team St Colmans - the boys were leading at half time but St Colmans came back in the second half to get the win by another tight margin. The third game was against Watergrasshill and again a tight match which Watergrasshill edged 5 points to 3 points.
A similar story prevailed in the final match although in this one Youghal got 2 second half goals to put more of a gap between them. But the balance of play was very evenly contested. Overall a disappointing series of results but it doesn’t take away from some excellent teamwork by the Rovers boys who were only a whisker away from winning each of the matches. Next up the boys have their football Féile semi-finals/finals on Sunday, 7 May at 4pm in Blarney v St Kevins at 4pm with the winners playing in the final at 5pm.
WHAT A DAY AT LEGENDS’ GAME
We won the Junior B Grade East Cork Hurling title in 1993 captained by Tom Mulcahy. Five years later Donal Ryan led us to a County JHC title and his brother Sean was captain in 2003 when we won the County IHC title. These Bride Rovers true legends Tom, Donal and Sean were amongst a host of stars who lined out in The Snapper’s Hurling Legends game on Monday.
A beautiful warm May Day, a huge crowd and a fantastic atmosphere led to a great occasion. Rolling Back The Years was the order of the day as the Rovers Return team took on the Happy Snappers. Our former greats were supported for the game with other legends who have joined Bride Rovers in recent years, men like Ken O’Riordan, Seamie O’Farrell, Stephen Hackett and Alan Barry.
It was an amazing afternoon with our U7, U8 and U9 boys and girls playing exhibition games at half time. Thanks to their mentors and parents for adding to the great occasion. Referees James Bermingham (he played in the second half!) and Club Chairman Pa O’Driscoll let the game flow. The match had a live but not so accurate commentary with one of the commentators suffering from migraine and not letting the co-commentator get a word in edgeways. I’d say Marty Morrissey and Ger Canning won’t be too worried about their RTE jobs! Proud team captains were true Bride Rovers legends Pat Barry and Tom Mulcahy. Thanks to all who participated and supported the game -it will be talked about for many a day!
It was great to see Jack Russell in attendance. It’s hard to imagine that it’s twenty year ago this very year since the great Ballyhea man led us to a County Intermediate Championship title. Jack was thrilled to meet so many of ‘his’ players and he was one of the very last to leave Páirc na Bride on Monday evening. Everyone present who bought a souvenir programme was entered in a Draw for B and B in The Rochestown Park on May 26th - the night of The Oskars and the winner was Evelyn Collins, well done Evelyn.
JFL
We are away to Cloyne next Sunday morning in the JFL Division 1.
JUNIOR HURLING LEAGUE FIXTURES
Division 4 hurling at home to Killeagh Monday, 15th May. Div 1 Carrignavar fixed for Thursday 11th at 7.30pm in Rathcormac.
U18 PREMIER 2 HURLING LEAGUE Bride Rovers 1-13 St Finbarr’s 2-9.
We welcomed the Barrs to Rathcormac last Wednesday evening in our last group league game. It was do or die really as a win was a must to advance.
Ryan opened the scoring with a long range pointed free. The game was nip and tuck and former Cork minor Johnny Barrett was a thorn in our side for the game. A great ball in by Ben was caught by Connor and dispatched to the net. The score at half time was Rovers 1-6 to 1-4 for the Barrs. We stretched our lead out to six points at one stage in the second half. However the Togher side never game up and brought the game level with just five minutes to go. Jack Mannix put us ahead only for the Barrs to equalise again. There was time for one more attack and a great ball from Denis was collected by Jack who put the sliotar over the bar for the winning point. The wins puts us into the league semi-final where we will play Fermoy next Wednesday, May 10th at a venue TBC. Well done lads on a brave performance.
Panel: Ronan, Eldon, Kieran, Luke, Adam, Denis, Tomas, Cormac B, Cormac O’S, Cillian B, Ryan, Frank, Connor, Kamso, Ben, Gearoid, Darragh, Oran, Colin, Ciaran, Jack C, Jack M, Gearoid G and Cillian O’S.
FILMING
Four of our 7 Oskars films were filmed last Saturday and Sunday. From 8am til 8pm on both days the cameras were rolling. It was an exciting and manic weekend but the weather was good. Thanks to all who helped with site locations, props, as extras, with catering, make-up, hairstyling, moustache-sticking, dressmaking, transport, circular cattle ‘roundabout’ feeders, glass milk bottles, horses and a hundred other tasks. It was memorable experience for everyone. Roll on next weekend and the same again with The Field, Michael Collins and Bridesmaids set for production at venues all over the parish
CLOTHES COLLECTION
The ladies club have their first Friday of the month clothes collection at Rathcormac Hall on this coming Friday, May 5th.
BARTLEMY RACES
The annual point to point races take place in Bartlemy on Sunday next.
SCRAP SATURDAY AND SCRAP EVERYDAY
Old and unwanted ferrous material (scrap) is still wanted, just ring 087-9538077 to make arrangements.
VOTES OF SYMPATHY
All in Bride Rovers extend our deepest sympathy to the wife and family of Brendan Walsh of Killeagh who died tragically. An outstanding club hurler with Killeagh, Brendan also lined out with Cork in all grades. He was a member of the Senior panel in 1992 when Cork were beaten in the All-Ireland final by Kilkenny.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS
Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print and Design, Gerard Gubbins Construction and Veolia.