Club Notes and Fixtures For THe Week Ahead

Huge Hurling Weekend

The coming weekend is the biggest one of the year so far for the club. Our Senior Hurling team bid to reach the quarter final of the Co. Championship for the fourth successive year while our Junior Hurlers are in first round action in East Cork. Pairc Uí Chaoimh is the venue on Sunday afternoon for our third round clash with city side Blackrock. Since we gained Senior status by winning the Co. Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2003 we’ve played a total of 22 senior hurling championship games. We’ve played the Barrs, the Glen and Na Piarsaigh in championship action but we’ve never clashed with famed Blackrock. The Rockies are holders of numerous county and All Ireland Club hurling championships and have been one of the most consistent teams in Cork hurling over the last thirty years.

Our only major engagement with them was in the final of the 2006 Conroy Cup – the County Senior Hurling League. This game was played under lights in Pairc Uí Rinn in April 2007. We led this game for 60 minutes, at times we were up 5 and 6 points. We were pipped at the post however as Blackrock levelled and then won the title with a point from a late, late free, 0-21 to 3-11. They are a very experienced team with ten of their lineout having played with Cork. players like John Browne, Fergal Ryan, Wayne Sherlock, David Cashman, Brian O’Keeffe and Adrian Coughlan are all household names in Cork hurling circles. They defeated Carrigtwohill in the first round. They won this game without Alan Browne and Paul Tierney who have both been playing with their unbeaten Intermediate side, but ‘twould be no surprise at all to see this pair line our with the seniors on Sunday. People have been writing off Blackrock with the last two years but they continue to produce top class hurling displays.

Our route to Sunday’s game has been somewhat different. On the last Sunday in May we travelled to Ballynoe to play Killeagh in the first round. This game was very even for the first twenty minutes. Then just before the break Killeagh added 2-1 to their tally and after that we were chasing the contest. We got some great points in the second half but were unable to raise a green flag and Killeagh won by 8 points, 3-15 to 0-16. This defeat left us wit a local derby encounter with neighbours Castlelyons – our first time meeting at this level. After a glorious first week of June, the weather turned winterish for this game in Ballynoe. After 12 minutes we were down by 0-2 to 0-1 but after that we took over completely. ‘Twas goals from Donal Ryan and one from Colm O’Keeffe helped us to a surprisingly easy win on a scoreline of 3-10 to 0-3. Since the Castlelyons game training has gone well and the lads are in good shape for Sunday. We reached the County Final last year but this has no bearing on the Championship of 2009.

People try and judge results of hurling games on how teams got on in previous games but really it’s all down to the day and the hour. Our game on Sunday is at 3.30pm. Pairc Uí Chaoimh is a big stadium so we need plenty of vocal green, white and gold supporters. Everyone in the club and parish wish Brian Murphy and his team-mates all the very best on Sunday. Go for it lads.

The evening before the senior game our ‘second string’ will be in action against Lisgoold in the first round of the East Cork Junior ‘A’ Grade Hurling Championship. This is Lisgoold’s first team – they won the Divisional and County Junior ‘B’ titles in 2008. When we won the Junior ‘B’ Hurling Championship in East in 2007 we defeated Lisgoold in Caherlag en route to the final. it will be a much stronger side that we will meet on Saturday night in Castlelyons at 7.30pm. Our Junior ‘A’ team is a good mix of experienced and younger players. This will be a very big game for the team but we know they will give it everything. Best of luck lads.

Minor Hurlers in Action

On Sunday morning last our Minor hurlers played Blackwater Rovers (Ballyhooley/Killavullen) in a practice game in Rathcormac. This was the first game for both sides after the exams break. In a high scoring game the visitors won by 4-12 to 3-11. It was a great game to get the season re-started and we will probably have an East Cork Minor Hurling League game next week.

Team: M Dooley, A Buckley, B Collins, W O’Leary, J Kearney, R O’Connor, D Lane, S O’Leary, F Collins, J Mannix, E Murphy, G Healy, K Cahill.

Subs: R Foley, D Buckley

Training for the minor hurlers is on this Thursday night June 25^th at 8.30pm in the main pitch.

Junior ‘B’ Hurling Championship

It is expected that the Junior ‘B’ Hurling Championship first round game against Erins Own will be fixed for mid July and the Under-21 Hurling Championship will also be fixed shortly.

Under-14’s Defeated

Though defeated our U-14 hurlers put up a good display against St Catherines in the East Cork Final in Rathcormac on last Friday night.

Forty Years Ago

Having won the East Cork Junior ‘A’ Hurling title in 1968 for the first time in 36 years, 1969 saw the Rovers set out to defend their title. The first round was a repeat of the 1968 final and the Rovers won by 1-12 to 1-8. The second round game against Dungourney was played in Riverstown on June 29^th 1969. After quarter of an hour Dungourney led by 2-4 to 0-2 and were still ahead 2-5 to 0-6 at half time. Two second half goals from Michael Murphy helped the Rovers in to a 7 point lead with a few minutes remaining. Goals from Pat Cronin and Michael Ahern for Dungourney brought the margin down to a single point, but Seanie Barry with his tenth point of the game ensured the Rovers won by 2-15 to 4-7.

Fixtures

Thursday June 25^th Minor Hurling Training

Friday June 26^th Senior Hurling Training

Saturday June 27^th J.’A’ H.C. Bride Rovers v Lisgoold in Castlelyons at 7.30pm.

Sunday June 28^th Co. S.H.C. 3^rd Round Bride Rovers v Blackrock Pairc Uí Chaoimh at 3.30pm.

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Club Notes and Fixtures For THe Week Ahead