Bride Rovers GAA Club notes & news round-up for the week.

How can you define the ‘Spirit of Bride Rovers’? – well many a person has tried to sum up that never say die and keep trying until the end attitude, but it’s something more than that. We have never won the Cork County Senior Hurling Championship, maybe we’ll win it this year and maybe we wont.

One way or another our Senior Hurling Team must be commended for reaching the County Quarter Final for the sixth season in a row and displaying that heart and spirit that wearers of the green white and gold jersey have been renowned for since 1928. Going into last Saturday nights fourth round game against Blackrock most of the pundits had written us off. The accepted , collective wisdom was that playing championship games three weeks in a row was a bridge too far for us. Others felt that having avoided relegation in the two games versus Bishopstown and secured Senior status for 2012 we had achieved our goal for this year. Our team however are an amazing bunch of lads. They love the game and their pride in the Club is very obvious. In our opening Championship tie against Na Piarsaigh in Watergrasshill on June 3rd and on successive weekends in Riverstown we started very slowly and sluggishly. Amazingly in the Erins Own game we were out of traps very early on with a fabulous start. Last Saturday evening at Pairc Ui Chaoimh it seemed as no side wanted to open the scoring. We had two early wides to Blackrock’s one before the city side had their first white flag in the sixth minute. 

They had two further points before Daniel Dooley had our first in the 15th minute. Blackrock went to four a minute later before Michael Collins notched our second score. Barry Johnson pointed a free but Blackrock had their best period in the game between the 17th and 25th minutes- stretching their lead to 0  8 to  0 3. We needed a goal and Barry went for it with a semi-penalty but Alan Long saved.  Heading for half time there was a noticeable tightening up in our defence as both full and half back lines came into the game in a big way. A long ball in from Barry Johnson was finished to the net by Dan Dooley just like he did against Blackrock on his 19th birthday in 2009 ! Padraig Murphy then struck the upright but David Burke collected the sliotar and struck over a super point to leave us just one point adrift – 1  4 to 0 8 at the break.

Having played second fiddle to the Rockies for most of the half we were in a great position going in at the short whistle.  We started the second half in mighty style. Early on Barry spotted Sean Ryan in a good position and hit a free in his direction. Sean made no mistake and the sides were level for the first time in the match – 1  5 to 0  8. Then Daniel Dooley had his second goal  to put us three clear. Eoin O Farrell got one back for Blackrock but Daniel put us three ahead again and looking good. Almost immediately we were caught for a goal – tapped in by Colin O Leary.  Our lads didn’t panic. A point from David Burke restored our lead but the city side levelled at 2  7 to 1  10 with 42 minutes gone.

The game was in the melting pot at this stage. Some felt the exertions of the previous two weeks might cause us to run out of steam but this never happened. Dinny’s long puck outs ensured we had a plentiful supply of ball. Michael Collins pointed but once again the Rockies levelled. Heading into the last ten minutes we hit two bad wides before Barry put us ahead from a 65. When Colm O Keeffe headed for goal he was fouled and Barry put us two ahead. From a free David Cashman narrowed the deficit to just a solitary point. Blackrock came looking for an equalising point but in a breakaway Daniel Dooley put us two ahead. We were entering stoppage time and with a two point lead the Rockies threw everything into attack seeking a match-winning goal. Our defence held firm and two minutes into added time Ken Healy blew the final whistle. What a win -exactly fourteen days earlier in Riverstown we were looking at a four point defeat to Bishopstown with less than four minutes left but battled back to get a draw and then extra time. That ended level and then we won the replay and now we’ve beaten Blackrock to qualify for the Quarter Final against Erins Own or CIT who put us out of the Championship last year. Well done to each and every player and panel member -ye are a credit to family, parish and Club. Whatever the rest of the season brings we can be proud of the battling qualities shown again and again.

Well done to Pat and his backroom team. It was a very emotional occasion for Pat having been at his grandmother Bridie Mackey’s funeral in Youghal on Saturday morning. Our sympathy goes to the Mackey and Barry families.

The match on Saturday last was at 5.30, an akward time but well done to all those who went to support the team.

Final Score Bride Rovers 2  11 Blackrock 1  12.

Team and Scorers; Dinny Fitzgerald, Aidan Collins, Brendan Walsh, Shane Kearney, Brian Murphy, Barry Murphy(Captain), Liam Forde, Jason Pratt, Barry Johnson (0 3, 0 2 frees, 0 1 65) Michael Collins  (0 2) , David Burke (0 2), Daniel Dooley (2  3),Colm O Keeffe, Padraig Murphy, Sean Ryan (0 1). Subs; Michael Kearney, Jason Mannix and Kieran Collins.

Erins Own and CIT meet on next Tuesday August 9th and our Quarter Final game against the winners will be scheduled shortly after that date.

When we met Blackrock in the Senior Championship in June 2009 our victory margin was just a single point; 1 11 to  0  13. Our team that day was as follows;

Denis Fitzgerald, Aidan Collins, Brendan Walsh, Trevor Moloney, Barry Murphy, Brian Murphy, Mike Kearney, Padraig Murphy, Barry Johnson (0-5), Sean Ryan, Jerome O’Driscoll, Michael Collins (0-3), Colm O’Keeffe, Donal Ryan, Daniel Dooley (1-2). Subs: Terry Broderick (0-1), Stephen Boyce.

Well done to Barry Johnson who is the Top Scorer to date in this years County Senior Hurling Championship. In the games played to date Barry has scored a total of 33 points. Well done Barry.

Our Minor Hurlers won the first round of the Minor Championship last Friday night with a narrow victory over Donoughmore.

We travelled to the Mid Cork venue to take on the home side. The game was a very tight low scoring affair with the bulk of the scoring coming from frees.  A pointed free from Damien Buckley and a point from play by Paul Dee saw the sides level at 0  2 each after ten minutes. Donoughmore went a point ahead but Damien levelled from another free to leave it 3 points each at half time. Frank Hogan in goals for us and the Donoughmore keeper made excellent saves in the first half. We were down a point until Owen Murphy levelled matters. Donoughmore scored 1  1 without reply to go 1  5 to 0  4 ahead midway through the second half. Owen got two  terrific long range points from a 65 and a free but the Mid Cork side got a point back to lead by 1 6 to 0 6 with six minutes left. Owen then got a goal  and a point to put us into the lead by a single point, 1 7 to 1 6. Donoughmore attacked again and again but Owen doubled our lead to two. We conceded two 65’s in the last few moments in semi darkness. Twice the sliotar was landed in our square but the defence cleared their lines admirably. A great win but the loss of two players will completely upset our hopes of progress in this competition.

Team and scorers; Frank Hogan, Jack Kearney, Barry Collins, Adrian Buckley, Jacob Macak, William Finnegan, Stephen O Leary, Owen Murphy ( 1 5), Cian O Connor, Ryan O Connor, David Quinn, Jamie Buckley, Damien Buckley (0 2), Paul Dee(0 1), Gerard Healy. Subs Liam O Leary and Tadhg O Sullivan.

Our next game in this County competition is on Sunday coming August 7th when we are at home to Newcestown at 2.30 in Pairc na Bride.

We face Sarsfields in the quarter final of the East Cork Oil sponsored East Cork Junior Hurling Championship on this Thursday night August 4th in Watergrasshill. This will be our third game in this competition. We drew with Cloyne at a foggy Cobh and then won the replay in Carrigtwohill. We then received a bye to the quarter final. Sarsfields are a very strong side. We’ve played 5 Senior games using twenty one players whereas Sars have used just 18 in their two games to date. Since our victory over Cloyne we’ve lost Daniel Dooley to the Senior side. This game will be a huge challenge with Sars just after winning the Avondhu/ Imokilly Junior Hurling League on Sunday night last in Fermoy. Go for it lads! 

We had a home game against Midleton last Tuesday night. We opened brightly and had 2 points on the board but then conceded 3 frees which were converted by Midleton. This was a wake up call and we then played some very good combination play and for 20 minutes we were totally in control but then again conceded some needless frees  and by half time we lead by 3-10 to 0-6.

We used five subs in the second half but continued to play with some excellent movements which involved wonderful combination hurling and we ran out easy winners by 5-18 to 0-8.

Scorers:    Terry Broderick 0-8, Richard Cahill 1-3, Alan O’Keeffe 1-1, Fergus Collins 1-1,  Donal Ryan 1-3, Sean O’Brien 1-0, Gavin O’Flynn 0-1, and Pat Cotter 0-1.

Team; Frank Hogan, James Murphy, Joe Delaney, Tomas Kearney, Nevin O’Regan, Pat Walsh, Jim O’Connor, Fergus Collins, Gavin O’Flynn, Sean O’Brien, Terry Broderick, Richard Cahill, Alan O’Keeffe, Donal Ryan and Stephen Walsh.

Subs Used:   Gavin Quill, Michael Hogan, Patrick O’Driscoll, Pat Cotter and Kieran Manley.

Our Club Development Committee are arranging a Parish wide collection of Scrap Metal. As part of our ongoing fundraising drive to complete our Pitch Development considerable finance is needed and the Scrap for the Club is just one aspect of ongoing efforts. All types of scrap metal such as steel, copper, brass, old cars and other machinery and batteries are wanted. We do not want electrical appliances, timber, rubber or plastic. The intake point is Ryan’s Yard in Mondaniel, Rathcormac. 

 For more details or to arrange a collection phone James 086 8350741 or Terry 087 933 0000.

Anyone interested in receiving club news, lotto results, match fixtures should text their name & mobile number to 086-0278790.

Any team managers that wish to set up a group text for notifying players or parents about training or matches, please contact Liam Barry with details.

The club text service was in full use last Saturday for the championship game with no fewer than 60 members spread across the world from USA, India, Australia, Africa, France & Spain receiving regular updates on the game.

At Croke Park on Sunday last the reigning All Ireland Champions Cork were beaten by Mayo in the quarter final. It was Mayo’s first championship win over Cork since 1916 and on the day Mayo were worthy winners. Thanks to Conor Counihan and all the Cork players and backroom staff -including Gerard and Daniel Lane for some great displays in recent years. They are not finished yet.

Thursday August 4th JHC V Sarsfields in Watergrasshill at 7.30pm

Sunday August 7th Co MHC V Newcestown in Pairc na Bride at 2.30.

Best of luck to our u 14 hurlers who are on the County Championship trail also on Sunday next.

Well done to East Cork team Glenbower Rovers on their great victory over Cill na Martra in the County u21 BFC Final on last Friday night.

Bride Rovers Main Sponsors are Conversation Piece.ie and The Rathcormac Inn