News

Bride Rovers G.A.A. Club notes and news for the week.

November 8, 2018

Great Win for Senior Hurlers

Leaving Pairc Uí Chaoimh on the evening of Sunday June 27th, few of us could have predicted the way our destiny in this years Cork Senior Hurling Championship would progress. Having lost to St Finbarrs and to the Glen, our prospects of much further progress seemed remote. What happened in subsequent weeks though didn’t help either, as our very participation seemed in doubt. Fair play to the team however, they picked up the pieces against Blarney to avoid the ‘Final no one wants to be in’, and ensured we were back in the championship proper. On last Friday evening in Ballynoe, we had a further opportunity to make progress when we met East Cork rivals Carrigtwohill. Unlike us, Carrig had a very straightforward uneventful passage to Round 4 of this championship. Back in the first weekend of June, they defeated Killeagh, thus avoiding back doors and trap doors. With a crowd of over seven hundred people present there was a real championship atmosphere in Ballynoe. A beautiful pitch and lovely match programme added great to the sense of occasion.

Just as he did in the Blarney game, Kieran Collins opened our scoring tally early on with a fine point. Carrig had two wides before levelling from a free in the fifth minute. Shortly after this Niall McCarthy put Carrig ahead 0-2 to 0-1. With our defence soaking up a lot of pressure, the playing was really end-to-end stuff before Carrig went two points up. Padraig Murphy scored a great point and Michael Collins made it 0-3 apiece coming up to ten minutes gone. Carrig then struck a purple patch bringing their tally to 6 points with two scores from play and one from a free to leave it 0-6 to 0-3. Just when Carrig looked like getting the upperhand, we really came into the game. With Brendan Walsh and Barry Murphy leading by example in defence, we came right into the contest. We hit three points in a row, two from frees by Barry Johnson and a great score from Jerome O’Driscoll. Six points each with twenty minutes gone. Carrig edged ahead with a point from Mickey Da, but Sean Ryan pointed after a pass from brother Donal left it 0-7 apiece. Padraig Murphy pointed in the 28th minute, which left us one ahead, 0-8 to 0-7 at the break. It was a good position to be in because in the middle period of the first half Carrig had threatened to pull away on the scoreboard. On the resumption Niall McCarthy made it a drawn game again. Then came a vital score after Carrig had mad a few attempts to clear the sliotar form the square, Michael Collins got the vital touch and we were 1-8 to 0-8 ahead. This score really lifted the team, Jerome put us four ahead. Barry pointed two frees in the 11th and 12th minutes and we were 1-11 to 0-8 ahead. Though six points behind, Carrig never gave up and came right back into the game. They reeled off four points in a row to reduce the deficit to two. Brian Murphy sent over a fine point to make it 1-12 to 0-13. Carrig got a point to leave just a single score between the sides. Trevor Moloney was injured and there was a long break in play. A Sean Ryan point gave us a two point cushion but as we know a two point lead is the worst of all! Carrig came looking for a winning goal as the five minutes of injury time ticked away. Our backs held out for a famous win on a scoreline of 1-13 to 0-14. It was a great team performance with seven players contributing to our tally of 1-13. We are now in the quarter final of the County Championship and we will be back in action this weekend. Well done lads on a great display of spirited and brave hurling.

Team & Scorers: Denis Fitzgerald, Shane Kearney, Brendan Walsh, Trevor Moloney, Jason Pratt, Barry Murphy, Aidan Collins, Padraig Murphy (0-2), Brian Murphy (0-1), Kieran Collins (0-1), Barry Johnson (0-4), Michael Collin (1-1), Jerome O’Driscoll (0-2), Sean Ryan (0-2), Daniel Dooley.

Subs: Donal Ryan, Brendan O’Driscoll, Stephen Boyce, Michael Kearney. 

Co. Quarter Final

On next Sunday evening we will be meeting Sarsfields in the Co. quarter final in Pairc Uí Chaoimh at 6.30pm. It’s less than 24 months ago since Sars broke our heart when defeating us by a single point in the 2008 Co. Final. Since then Sars reached the final again last year, losing out to Newtownshandrum. They have been a very consistent side over the last few years and had five players on the County Senior panel this year. Our game against Blarney was tight tension filled and dour. The hurling was better but Sunday night against Carrig, but we are all very aware that Sarsfields are a major step up from any of the four sides we’ve played in this year’s championship to date. Hopefully the team can give a good display. Win, lose or draw, we can be very proud of this team and the way they salvaged the season after what happened earlier this year. The game on Sunday is at 6.30 in Pairc Uí Chaoimh. Go for it lads and hopefully like last weekend, we will have massive support – this team deserves that.  

Under 21 Hurling Championship

Our U-21 Hurling Championship game against Castlelyons was postponed last Monday night on account of our Senior involvement. At the time of writing no definite date for a re-fixture has been agreed. More than likely the game will go ahead on either Monday or Tuesday next.

Cork Win

It was close and tight but eventually Cork footballers got there. The win over Dublin puts the Rebels in line to win the County’s 7th All Ireland football title – 1890, 1911, 1945, 1973, 1989 and 1990 being the previous ones. Well done to all concerned and especially to Gerard and Daniel Lane who are part and parcel of Conor Counihan’s backroom team. As Cork P.R.O. Gerard is Liaison Officer with the senior football team and Daniel is one of the field team of helpers.

Looking Back

The game against Carrigtwohill in Ballynoe on last Friday night brought back memories of 1969. That year we were reigning East Cork Junior Hurling Champions going for a two in a row. We met Carrig in the 1969 final in Riverstown. We were hot favourites but Carrig were well up for the game. The Rovers led 3-5 to 2-1 at half time but Carrig actually took the lead with a minute to go. Seanie Barry levelled for us to leave the game ending in a draw Bride Rovers 3-11 Carrigtwohill 6-2. The replay was on Sunday September 14th, again in Riverstown. Carrig again had the knack of scoring goals but with Seanie Barry scoring 1-12 we won by 3-17 to 6-4.

That team was John Gettings, Tony Walsh, Michael Murphy, Donal Murphy, Paudie Murphy, Batty Hogan, John Meade, Seanie Barry, Pat Sheehan, Frank Meade, Sean Murphy, Owenie Gubbins, Johnny Barry, Tom O’Riordan, Eddy Barry.  

Tickets for Football Final

All paid up club members who want their names in the draw for the All Ireland Football Final tickets should contact Club Runaí Nicola Barry before the weekend.