A disappointing week for the Saints on the East Cork playing fields. Well beaten by Fr O’Neills in the divisional Junior B2 Football Championship decider. While the second team lost out to Aghada at Rostellan. St Catherines tasted defeat to St Colmans (Russell Rovers/Cloyne) in the quarter final of the Rebel Óg East Division One U16 Hurling Championship. Match reports to follow. So read on.

It probably is no consolation to take on board this week and losing the way they lost is going to hurt. They’re only human after all. But Castlemartyr, for years in the doldrums, did claim two county titles in recent seasons. Inniscarra with tradition and fabulous facilities down there in Cloghroe/Ballyanley now go up that extra notch.

That star encircling Kanturk continues to shine. Twelve months on from hurling success and now they are County Premier Intermediate Football champions. Likewise, Kilshannig are county winners. Overcoming Aghabullogue in the intermediate A final. Aghabullogue must now revert to the sliotar. They play Aghada in the Premier Junior Hurling League semi-final. At the moment that’s down for Ballynoe on the afternoon of Saturday, November 12^th. Castlemartyr and Lisgoold are on the other side. Crowd in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Sunday hovered around the 5k mark.

What a weekend on the way. Knocknagree and St Michaels (Blackrock) meet in the Senior A Football Final. Likewise, the hugely attractive pairings of St Finbarrs and Nemo Rangers in the Premier Senior to follow. The Barrs now striving to emulate Kilmacud Crokes and win a County Senior double. Can they do it? Yes they can!

St Finbarrs will play Ballyea at a Clare venue on November 20th in the semi-final of the Muster Club Hurling Championship. Ballyea of Tony Kelly fame. Can he collect another All-Star this week? If there’s any justice!

Club action on the field of play

Final East Cork Junior B Football Championship

Fr O’Neills 5-06 St Catherines 0-05

Second win from 3 deciders this season and just a fortnight on from their historic Senior A hurling success over Courcey Rovers. Now Fr O’Neills are back on the county trail again. Now they will be Imokilly representatives in the upcoming rounds of the county Junior B2 Football Championship following a dominant display and resounding success over the Saints in the East Cork Final eventually played in Killeagh under lights on Saturday evening last.

At the end of a four-man move wing forward Eoin Motherway first timed in the opening O’Neill’s goal on ten minutes. Shane Fitzgerald, James Neville and Eoghan O’Riordan were doing their utmost to stem the opposition tide. When hit with a double whammy. There was the concession of a second goal finished off by Sean O’Connor just before influential defender Shane O’Brien had to depart the field of play with a worrying leg injury. His replacement, team manager Liam O’Connor immediately pressed into action. Releasing Ed Kenneally to point a well-taken score. Kyle Wallace quickly followed with a point from a placed ball and although behind on a half-time score standing at 2-03 to 0-04 it still felt like Catherines were still in the game.

Team captain Motherway was inflicting untold damage and had his hat-trick completed by 41 minutes. Fifth goal, finished off by wing forward Joe Millerick, came from a penalty kick just at the end of the third quarter. As in fairness in the time left had an inevitable feel to it and although the weather largely behaved itself for most of the duration of the hour it was a contest winding up in a deluge of rain. Just as Board Chairman Donal O’Keeffe was about to make Eoin Motherway the recipient.

Disappointing the way it ended after what largely has been eight months of activity which involved a decent league run, two wins in the County Championship and an East Cork Junior B Football Final place secured. We commend team manager Liam O’Connor, trainer/coach Pat Clancy and fellow selectors Dave Wallace, Laurence O’Connor and Shane O’Connell for their as always unfailing efforts.

Fr O’Neills were beaten by Diarmuid O Mathúnas in the County B Final at Páirc Uí Rinn back in mid-July. Two nights later losing out to the Saints in the round robin stages of the East. Now they’re back and might well be up against Duhallow representatives Lismire this forthcoming weekend.

Scorers: D Mangan (0-02 frees) (0-03), E Kenneally and K Wallace (free) (0-01 each). Fr O’Neill’s scorers: E Motherway (3-01), S O’Connor and J Millerick (pen) (1-00 each), J Hankard (0-01 free) (0-03), B Dunne and D Harrington (45) (0-01 each).

St Catherine’s team: Shane Fitzgerald, James Neville, Shane O’Brien, Kieran Neville, Fionn O’Connell, Eoghan O’Riordan (capt), James Hayes, Thomas O’Connell, Eoin Davis, Eoin. Wallace, Eoin Condon, Kyle Wallace, Richard O’Connell, Daniel Mangan, Ed Kenneally.

Subs: Liam O’Connor for Shane O’Brien (23), Padraig O’Connor for Thomas O’Donnell (34), Philip Keane for Fionn O’Connell (37), Aaron Neville for James Hames (46), Shane Cogan for Richard O’Connell (50). Also Matthew Mulcahy, Stephen Cotter, Darragh Galvin and Denis Temple. Referee: Cathal McAllister (Aghada).

Round 2 group 2 East Cork Junior C Football Championship

Aghada 0-15 St Catherines 0-05

Marauding through the centre largely it was the home team that were the dominant force. Possibly against the run of play Denis Temple replied with the pick of the opposition’s first-half scores. Brian Davis also a threat. While five different players contributed as Aghada lead on a half-time scoreline standing at 0-08 to 0-03 in this tie when played under the lights at Rostellan on Tuesday night, October 18^th. Having a 7.45pm start.

Now favoured by the conditions they continued in the ascendancy. Points from Sean Morrissey and Oisin Counihan ensued. A combination of William O’Driscoll and the post probably denying them that much sought after goal their overall play probably deserved. Just out the field a bit and John Mulcahy wasn’t afraid of the big hits and his tigerish

Defending was having an impact and was a considerable help.

Catherines rounded off with stylish well-taken scores from Kevin Barry and a second point from the returned Conor Hickey.

Just to briefly take you through the construction of this particular championship. Section one has Glanmire, Lisgoold and Glenville. While Carrigtwohill, Midleton and Cobh make up the third combination of teams. Only group winners and who are considered the best runner-up advance to the semi-finals. In section two Carraig na bhFear have already beaten Aghada. They play St Catherines in the next match at Ballynoe.

Kudos to team manager James Casey and mentor Padraig O’Connor who had seventeen players togged out and all sampling the action. Hopefully more of the same the next day or night or whenever!

Scorers: C Hickey (0-02), D Temple, K Barry and B Davis (free) (0-01 each). St Catherine’s team: W O’Driscoll, R Clancy, M Dinneen (capt), P Tobin, D Galvin, J Mulcahy, C Hickey, J Hurley, K Barry, T Hartnett, B Davis, S Cotter, G Leahy, John Casey, D Temple. Subs: James Casey and E Sheehan for G Leahy and John Casey (both 36). Referee: Shane Hodgins (Erins Own).

Juvenile emphasis is on quarter final division one Rebel Óg U16 Hurling Championship.

St Catherines 1-20 St Colmans 5-09

Without fear of contradiction this was the most entertaining match of the week. Catherines settling to their task much quicker and with five different players on target were ahead on a scoreline of 0-09 to 0-01 to 11 minutes of this quarter final when played at a mild, intermittently showery Ballynoe early on Sunday morning last. That said, driven on by excellent midfielder James O’Brien and the opposition always looked threatening in attack and goals from Adam Lee and David Crotty kept them very much in contention. John Temple buried a well-crafted goal for the home-based team on 25 minutes and with Diarmuid O’Connell and Ciaran Leamy also on target, the home-based team were shading it on a half-time scoreline standing at 1-13 to 3-05.

Darragh Heavin booted in his second goal of the hour early on the change of ends. Initiating a vastly exciting, hugely entertaining period with two well matched teams together on three occasions through the ensuing 21 minutes when the score stood at 1-17 to 4-08. Adam Bryan and Ciaran Pietropaolo among the scorers and looked to be after lifting the siege when second half substitute Julian Pietropaolo widened the gap to 58 minutes. But Darragh Heavin completed his hattrick right at the death. Confirming St Colmans place in the semi-finals against either Carrigaline or Bride Rovers. While the Saints will be out again in the division 2 football semi-final. Fixed for mid-November in Fermoy.

St Catherine’s mentors: Brian Sheehan (manager), Pat Fitzgerald, Rory Galvin, Noel Kielthy and Kieran Neville.

Scorers: J Temple (0-03 frees) (1-06), C Pietropaolo (0-01 free) (0-05), D O’Connell and C Leamy (0-03 each), A Bryan (0-02) and J Pietropaolo (0-01). St Colman’s scorers: D Heavin (3-00), J O’Brien (0-03 frees) (0-07), A Lee (1-01), D Crotty (1-00) and L Fitzgerald (0-01).

St Catherine’s team: Gearoid Sheehan, Fionn McCreedy, Diarmuid O’Donovan, Connor Murray, Timmy Barry, Evan O’Driscoll (team captain), Cian McCarthy, Diarmuid O’Connell, Conor Hayes, Dylan Murphy, Ciaran Pietropaolo, Adam Bryan, Jake Bryan, Ciaran Leamy, John Temple. Subs: Julian Pietropaolo for Jake Bryan (36), Kyle O’Donoghue for Adam Bryan (45). Also Jack Hickey, Shay Wallace, Thomas Dee, Cillian Hickey, Cian Dunning and Gearoid O’Callaghan McCarthy. Referee: Eoin Coleman (Youghal).

Next on your fixture list

Tuesday, November 1^st at Ballynoe, round 3 group 2 East Cork Junior C Hurling Championship v Russell Rovers at 8pm.

Rebels’ Bounty

Latest rollover in the Rebels’ Bounty Draw is imminent. Living in hope as always!

Latest lotto results

Draw held on Monday night last, October 24^th. Numbers drawn were 10, 16, 17 and 32 and the jackpot wasn’t won. Consolation winners were Batt Leahy, Curraheen, Conna, Rose Hickey, Rosebower, Curraglass, David Lonergan, Modelligo, Aoife Neville, online and Eimear Doyle, Conna. A draw for the €20,000 jackpot will be held on Bank Holiday Monday night, October 31^st at 9pm.

Angela Lansbury

Much made on various media outlets, all fully deserved, on the recent sad passing of legendary actress Angela Lansbury. So we are chipping in with the only meeting encountered with the Hollywood star who for many years lived just outside of Conna village on the way to Curraglass.

Roughly halfway between Conna Village and Big Tree Bar, thumbing to a Macra na Ferime field evening in Glenville when this jeep pulled up. “Where are you heading?” was the query from the passenger’s seat. “Glenville” was the one word reply. “Oh, is it near Rathcormac?”. “Yes, it’s on the way!”. “Hop in, we’ll drop you in Rathcormac!”. Our one and only meeting with Angela Lansbury. You remember things like that. That was July 1981. How getting up to Glenville went is now with the gods!

Horse racing success

What a win for Hewick and the Shark in the USA. Back in May it was the Bet365 in Sandown. Then it was the Galway Plate while bad luck deprived him of further glory in Listowel. Made up for it though in far hills, New Jersey. Terrific. Other major racing story emerging during the week was the decision to keep the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival at four days.

Congratulations to TVM

Well done to TVM Bartlemy announced as being one of Ireland’s best managed companies. It was the tenth time to pick up such an accolade.

Enjoy the weekend

Just take note that fast approaching the clocks go back. So enjoy that extra hour in the leaba this forthcoming Saturday night of the October Bank Holiday weekend.

St Catherine’s 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 GAA Club