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Bride Rovers GAA Club Notes

November 8, 2018

Banner topple Rebels in rip-roaring replay.

What a summer of inter county hurling we’ve had, one of the best ever surely and to top it all we had two magnificent games between Cork and Clare culminating in last Saturday’s thriller. Cork lost out but what a game we saw. Anyone that doubted the claim that hurling is the best field game in the world will surely have admitted his or her mistake! Clare proved worthy winners after two of the best games ever seen in Croke Park. In the drawn game Cork scored 3 16 and amazingly they repeated that tally in the replay. Not since 1972 did a losing team score more in an All Ireland Final – forty one years ago Cork scored 5 11 but Kilkenny hit 3 24 for a great win. Of course we’re disappointed that Cork didn’t win but in hindsight last Spring when Clare relegated us to the second division of the National Hurling League in Thurles who would have forecast that Cork would end up in the All Ireland final this year? Great credit is due to Jimmy Barry Murphy and Co and this team for giving us so many tremendous memories this summer long. They played some great hurling in the games they won and in the Munster and All Ireland finals, which we lost. The ability of Cork hurling sides to come literally from nowhere and make progressing the championship is stunning. After losing a Final there will always be the ‘what ifs’ but what’s won is won and what’s lost is lost and gone forever. This team has done Cork proud and we in Bride Rovers are especially proud of Brian Murphy and the outstanding displays he has given. Brian has defied logic and medical opinion to play with Cork in the All Ireland final and replay. His shoulder injury last August was deemed so serious that a recovery span of four to six months was being spoken of. Such was the determination and dedication of Brian that he worked extremely hard, through the pain barrier to regain full fitness in the space of a few weeks. Then again determination and a steely passion for the game have been but two of the hallmarks which has made Brian Murphy one of the best defenders at inter county level over the last decade. Brian and this Cork team have a bright future – we are priviliged here in Cork to have their likes proudly wearing the red and white of Cork.

For those lucky enough to have been in Croke Park on Saturday evening last it was truly a magnificent occasion with an electric atmosphere. This is surely what sport is all about, great banter, craic, no animosity and no ill feelings afterwards. What a game this hurling is surely !

WELL DONE GIRLS.

What can one say about the Cork Ladies Football team ? They have won eight Titles in nine years and once again last Sunday they cameo ut on top. It was tight at the end when a draw seemed likely but the Cork girls fought tenaciously especially in the second half when Monaghan began to dominate and pulled ahead on the scoreboard. Well done to Grace, Eleanor and Jennifer who were all on the panel and have brought further glory to the Parish and Club and to their families. A special word of praise to the great Eamonn Ryan, one of the best ever inter county managers in any code.

COUNTY MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

On Friday night last we took on Kilnamrtyra in a play off in the Rebel Og MFL. Ni raibh morán peil déanta againn le cúpla mi agus bhi an foireann o Cill na Martra go h-iontach ar fad. Our recent endeavours in the County Hurling Championship ,meant in effect we’d little football since our c.ship defeat to Brian Dillons. The game was played under lights in Castlelyons and the boys from Noel O Leary’s club had a comprehensive win.

Team; J. Barry, P. Noonan, C. Howard, J. Buckley, S. Walsh, S. Cotter, D. Linehan, R. Prendergast, C. O Connor, T. O Sullivan, D. Moore, W. Finnegan, C. Howard, DJ Cahill, S O Connor, J. Connor, J. Tobin, C O Grady.

CO MINOR HURLING LEAGUE.

On Tuesday last Brian Dillons played Cobh in a MHL play off to determine the second placed team in the Group. The winners of that tie play Clondrohid and we play the eventual winners in the next round of the competition at a date to be arranged.

JUNIOR C HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

On Thursday night last we travelled to Pairc Risteard UI Chinneide in Killeagh to take

on the home side in the quarter final of the East Cork JHC. We had a good win over Castlemartyr two weeks ago in the first round while Killeagh were making their debut in the competition.

Due to injuries, work commitments and return to college our numbers were severely depleted and we had only 15 players.

We opened brightly land went ahead by 5points to 1 but then a mix up in defence saw us conceding 2 goals to fall behind. This gave Killeagh the initiative and they tacked on some long range points but with 3 excellent points from Mike Hogan , Jim O Connor and Gerard Healy we had it back to 2.5 to 0.8 at halftime. Killeagh took the initiative again at the start of the second half but then a goal by Garry Clerkin had us back in the game and further goals from Liam O Leary , Gerard Healy and James Barry saw us gain the upper hand and we eventually ran out winners by 4-11 to 2-10.

Team: Mce Dooley, Podge Noonan, Tomas Kearney, Enda Collins, Sean Cotter, Jim O’Connor, Kieran Wolfe, Liam O’Leary, Gerard Healy, Garry Clerkin, Niall Hogan, Darren Moore Mike Hogan, Cian Howard, James Barry

Scorers: Gerard Healy 1-1, Garry Clerkin 1-0, Liam O’Leary 1-1, James Barry 1-0, Darren Moore 0-6,Mike Hogan 0-1, Niall Hogan 0-1, Jim O’Connor 0-1

Our semi final opponents will be Cobh.

JUNIOR B GRADE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

The losers round games are being played shortly in the JBFC and we will have to await the draw for the third round to see who we meet next.

Sponsors

The Club wish to acknowledge the generous sponsorship of the Rathcormac Tyre Centre, O Coileains Bar and Veolia Environmental Services.