Slowly but surely action returns
Sparks of light, green shoots enveloped the week now over. There was a win over Youghal in division 2 of the junior football league. Playing the first juvenile competitive match in 18 days. Overcoming Erins Own in division 2 of the Rebel Óg East Minor Football League at Caherlag. The Féile na Peil qualifiers didn’t materialise. As we sympathise with those incurring family bereavements. Mention of the Wallace family, Ballynoe and the Mulcahys, Ballycullane, Ballynoe, Condolences as well to Tom and Kaye English, The Corner Shop, Conna on a recent family passing. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse.
Match reports to follow. Read on.
BIG WEEKEND FOR REBELS
Arguments and disagreements regarding the early and condensed start must now go to the back burner. After a none too impressive win over the Shannonsiders on the opening day of the provincial campaign, the Rebels must now enter the lion’s den. Off to Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday evening coming, April 20th to face the Kingdom in the semi-final of the Munster Senior Football Championship. Underplaying it on Cork’s behalf let’s just say what we saw the last day wouldn’t do and improvement is required. How’s that?!
Then with barely time to sample the implications of such a result focus quickly shifts to Walsh Park and the opening match against Waterford in the round-robin Munster Senior Hurling Championship. Down for Sunday 21st. Also at 4pm. Such is the intensity of the southern province, both teams will only be too well aware victory is essential here if progress is to be made down the road. All too brief localised bragging rights will put the winners in a stronger frame of mind with the really big boys parking up around the corner. Either way the overall picture will be much clearer by the time next week’s report is compiled.
Underage teams coming up with satisfactory results from their sequence of matches played last week. Getting the better of Tipperary in the U20 Football Championship in Fethard. While after tasting defeat to Tipp previously Cork had their first win in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship. Overcoming Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Thursday evening last. Most of those matches are reserved for midweek slots.
RESUMPTION OF PLAYING ACTIVITY ROUND 3 DIVISION 2 EAST CORK JUNIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE St Catherines 3-08 Youghal 0-12
A lucrative second quarter performance of extreme benefit to the Saints in keeping their winning start to the campaign going. Though billed for Copper Alley, a junior football league tie relocated and played under the lights in damp, misty albeit mild conditions on Friday evening last at Ballynoe.
Ray McConville playing a part in setting up Ciaran Pietropaolo for the opening goal and a lead of 1-02 to 0-03 right on the 15-minute mark. An Ed Kenneally pass into the path of Sean O’Donoghue saw a second added 6 minutes later. In isolation Oisín Fitzgerald finished a third goal just before the break with the Saints to the good on a half-time scoreline of 3-03 to 0-04.
Barry Ring, Rory McMahon and Nigel Roche among others on target for a Youghal team enjoying equally as much possession on the change of ends. Rory Galvin and second half substitute Diarmuid ‘The Doc’ O’Donnell keeping the momentum going.
Scorers: O Fitzgerald (0-01 free) (1-02), S O’Donoghue (1-01), C Pietropaolo (1-00), R Galvin (0-02), E Kenneally, N Sheehan and D O’Connell (0-01 each).
St Catherines team: A Carr, F O’Connell, A Neville, C McAuliffe, N Sheehan, L O’Connor, K O’Donoghue, O Fitzgerald, R Galvin, C Hayes, E Kenneally, P Keane, C Pietropaolo, R McConville, S O’Donoghue. Subs: W Leamy for R McConville (second half), D O’Connell for P Keane (42), C Leamy for K O’Donoghue (47), G O’Callaghan McCarthy for C Pietropaolo (48), P O’Connor for R Galvin (54). Referee: Niall O’Neill (Midleton). Round 2 division 2 East Cork Junior Hurling League Youghal v St Catherines, match not played. Round 3 division 2 Rebel Óg North U16 Football League St Colmcilles v St Catherines match cancelled. Féile na Peil qualifiers not held.
CLUB ACTION ON THE JUVENILE FIELDS OF PLAY ROUND 3 DIVISION 2 REBEL ÓG EAST MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE Erins Own 0-05 St Catherines 2-05
St Catherines maintained their unbeaten start with this hard earned, mildly flattering 6-point success from round 3 of the Minor Football League played at a dull, misty and overcast Caherlag on Wednesday evening, April 10th last. A favourable bounce saw Ciaran Pietropaolo slot home the key score of the opening half on 16 minutes with the visitors to the good on a half-time scoreline of 1-02 to 0-02 in a clear low scoring league encounter.
Apparent both teams performed better against the elements and a further duo of Tom O’Riordan points allied to a well-constructed and finished Paddy Bennett score had two evenly matched teams together for the first and only time at 0-05 to 1-02 now nine minutes into the second half. Cillian Hickey was involved as this time luck wasn’t required with Ciaran Pietropaolo cutely polishing off the second goal on 50 minutes. Diarmuid O’Donovan caught some great ball coming up from the back. Diarmuid O’Connell largely trustworthy from frees taken from the hands before Gearoid Sheehan rounded off the scoring late on.
Division one hurling league v Kiltha Óg was down for last evening April 17th. Football again coming up on April 24th. Both matches fixed for Ballynoe. Watch out for any lapsed games.
Scorers: C Pietropaolo (2-01), D O’Connell (0-03 frees) and G Sheehan (0-01). Erins Own scorers: T O’Riordan (0-04 frees) and P Bennett (0-01).
St Catherines team: T Dee, G O’Callaghan McCarthy, C Leamy, S Aherne, T Clancy, D O’Donovan, C McCarthy, E O’Driscoll, C Hayes, C Hickey, D O’Connell, J Temple, J Hickey, C Pietropaolo, G Sheehan. Subs: K O’Donoghue for C McCarthy (14), D Murphy for J Hickey (37), J Pietropaolo for S Aherne (47), C Murray for C Hickey (56), L Moore for G Sheehan (58).
Referee: Damien Taaffe (Passage).