St Catherines GAA Notes.

  • Aug 08,2022

Great win for U19s

In starting you off with what was another busy week and can we just remind you once again that should the current jackpot remain with us extra bonus prizes (€50.0 x 3) will be incorporated into the weekly lotto draw on Bank Holiday Monday, August 1st next. This process will continue on the first Monday of each month for as long as the current attractive jackpot stands. Presenting you with the results from the most recent weekly lotto draw held on Monday night last July 11th. Numbers drawn being 14,17, 29, and 30 and the €20,000 jackpot wasn’t won. The consolation winners on the night were Tom Daly c/o P.H. Conna, Angela Davern, Conna, Tony Hickey, online, Anne Barry Carrigmore, Conna and John Sheehan, online. There will be a draw on Monday night July 18th. Jackpot €20,000.

Club action on the field

Round three division two East Cork Junior Hurling League.

St. Catherines 3-12 Youghal 1-17

A swashbuckling second half rounding off with a kamikaze ending to this round three division two Junior Hurling League tie when played in Ballynoe on Monday evening July 4th last. It was 1-06 to 0-07 to the opposition at the interval. Corner forward Ronan McMahon the goal scorer on twenty minutes. With the point scoring ability of Barry Ring and in particular Devon O’Donoghue extending the margin with Youghal ahead on a scoreline of 1-17 to 0-11 to fifty four minutes. Genuinely looking like winners. Oh yea of little faith!!!!

Sprang from the bench substitute Richie O’Connell, crashed in two goals in as many minutes. Niall O’Regan first timing an equalising third shortly afterwards. Just before Richie Galvin pointed the lead and what proved the winning score right on the sixty minutes. In fairness Youghal were presented with the opportunity to tie up matters for a sixth time. But saw a late free veer wide of the target. That now concludes the division two Junior hurling league programme. Three wins, two draws and two defeats amassing a tally of eight points from seven matches played not enough to insure progression. Two home league ties against both Carrigtowhill and Cloyne must still be played in the division four league.

Scorers – R O’Connell (2.00), N. O’Regan (1-03), H Draper (0-05 frees). W Leamy, M Mulcahy, P Tobin and Rd Galvin (0-01 each).

St Catherines team: E Aherne, P Tobin, S O’Brien, S Kearney, B O’Connor, L O’Connor, D Galvin, J Neville, R Galvin, H Draper, M Mulcahy, J Hayes, W Leamy, N O’Regan, T Hartnett. Subs: P Ryan for D Galvin (second half), O O’Neill for W Leamy (38’), R O’Connell for T Hartnett (48’), S Cotter for H Draper (50’), D Lane for B O’Connor (52’).

Referee: Mike Walsh (home club)

Quarter-final East One U19 Hurling Championship

Carrigtwohill 0-15 St Catherines 1-15

Ten months on from an enthralling then minor semi-final and form was put to the test with the Saints again confirming superiority when this U19 hurling championship quarter-final was played at a deceptively windy Carrigtwohill on Wednesday evening, July 6th last

Sean O’Donoghue, who registered a tally of glorious times and well taken points, this time turning provider to release Mark Geary to finish with aplomb the game’s only goal on 8 minutes making it 1-3 to 0-1 and with Harry Draper and Darragh Morrison also among the scorers, maintaining that advantage on a half-time scoreline of 1-7 to 0-6.

Now favoured by the conditions and Carrigtwohill were eating into the deficit and with Padraig Walsh, Justin Oke and Cian O’Riordan among their scorers, parity was restored for the first and only time in the contest at 1-12 to 0-15 on 55 minutes. But the Saints finished strongly and late points from Gearoid O’Brien and Kyle Wallace confirmed the win for a Saint’s outfit who were due to play the equivalent football championship in Caherlag last night, July 13th.

Scorers: K Wallace (0-6, 0-4 frees), S O’Donoghue (0-5), M Geary (1-0), H Draper, D Morrison, E O’Riordan, G O’Brien (0-1 each).

St Catherines team: E Philpott, B O’Connor, O Fitzgerald, F O’Connell, K O’Donoghue, E O’Riordan (captain), D Galvin, M Geary, G O’Brien, H Draper, K Wallace, C England, D Morrison, T Hartnett, S O’Donoghue. Subs: W Leamy for C England (22’), N Sheehan for T Hartnett (53’), D Temple for W Leamy (59’). Also: C Dinneen and C McAuliffe.

Referee: Rory O’Connell (Cobh).

All-Ireland senior hurling final

Every report appearing on these pages must be carefully thought out, players deserve that. But we had to dig extra deep in researching what words to use in relation to that major upcoming match. Rare though not unusual would be the case surrounding Sunday’s protagonists, especially when it comes to the meeting of Kilkenny and Limerick in the ultimate decider itself. Basically one believes that this has all the ingredients of being the greatest final ever.

Limerick represented by Kilfinane overcame the Cats represented by Tullaroan in the first All-Ireland hurling final between the counties in 1897, even though the match wasn’t played until November 1898 in Tipperary. Then Kilkenny emerged triumphant in 1933 and 1935.

Limerick’s turn to exert dominance over the Cats in 1940, before we enter more modern televised times. Limerick defeating a savagely depleted Kilkenny in 1973, first final appearance and first title claimed by the Shannon-siders in 33 years. Kilkenny exacting revenge over the same opposition 12 months after that and winning the last final tussle between the teams in September 2007.

For the purposes of modernity and relevance, no team even comes near what Kilkenny have achieved over the last 20 years, not to be sneezed at as Tipperary won four All-Ireland’s in that time. Cork two, with one title each bagged by Clare and Galway. Mindboggling to think 15 final appearances were earned by the Cats in that period. Of even more significance 11 All-Ireland hurling titles went Northside in that time, firmly putting themselves in the frame to be the greatest team of all time.

Limerick have seriously emerged in recent times, beating then champions Galway in the final of 2017. Provincial and league titles have come their way in the interim. Liam McCarthy coming back Shannon-side following the 2020 and 2021 finals. They are the current occupants striving for that historic 3-in-a-row achieved by Tipperary (49-51), Cork (52-54), Cork (76-78) and Kilkenny (06-08), Kilkenny going on to achieve 4-in-a-row at that time. That will be at the back of Limerick minds this weekend. As if all went to all they might be going for 4-in-a-row this upcoming weekend. They are the reigning champions. They are the heirs to the Kilkenny throne in the league of greatness.

This will be the eighth time in the history of the game that Kilkenny and Limerick have met in the senior hurling decider. This is the final everyone wants. It’s going to be special.

What we have in fixtures for you

Friday, July 15th at Ballynoe round one section two division one Rebel Og East U17 football championship v Midleton at 7pm.

Wednesday, July 20th at Ballynoe round one section one division two Rebel Og East U15 hurling championship v Lisgoold at 7pm.

St Catherines GAA Club sponsors

T&A Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, Ballynoe are sponsors of St Catherines GAA Club. Mulcahy Steel are sponsors of St Catherines Juvenile Club.