St Catherines GAA Notes.
- Jun 01,2023
National Scene Now Dominates
Such is the condensed period of play very little time for reflection is tolerated as the Munster hurling championship cranks uo a notch, game by game, day by day, week by week. Right now Tippearary will be happy with three points collected on the road. Remaining matches against Limerick and Waterford going to Tom Semples field. That said the Rebels at this point in time can be well satisfied. Taking the win and the draw in their opening two matches against Waterford and Tipperary in turn. A crowd of around 38,000 descending on the southern capital on Saturday evening last. A result which still leaves Cork on top of the table. There on +9 with Tips at +5. One always felt the home team would have to get goals the last evening if anything was to be collected off the Premier County. Responding in kind with the Tipp defence now breached for seven in their two championship games played. Still all to play for. Cork are not out this weekend. Focus now reverting on the Deise and the Banner. Wexford look as if their struggling in Leinster.
As expected the big football matches on Sunday were poor viewing. Simply failing to capture any imagination. Sligo dogged against Galway in the Connacht decider. Yet largely outclassed. Consolation though with their under twenties getting the better of Kerry in an All Ireland semi-final. That should keep the county upbeat for that bit longer. Down south, Clare were awful in the provincial final. Worse than bad. Which beggars the question - how poor are Cork? Ten of their thirteen semi-final points coming off the boot of one man. Not long to go now to have that question answered.
Draws for the now Champions League style Sam Maguire cup publicised on Tuesday May 2nd last. Already we know Munster Champions, Kerry, Mayo and fourth seed Cork will be assigned pool one. Group completed by whoever loses the Leinster final this coming Sunday. Hazard a guess?!!! Still Mickey Harte must be commended on his progress with Louth. Group two made up of Galway, Tyrone, Westmeath and whoever loses from the Derry/Armagh Ulster final also on Sunday coming. In section C go Sligo, Roscommon, Kildare and whoever does come from the east. Ulster winners together with Clare, Monaghan and Donegal form group four. Looks like a northern championship all over again. Matches commence on weekend May 21st. Big match there of local interest will centre on Kerry at home to Mayo. On the following week the Rebels travel to the defeated Leinster finalists. As you can see matches played on a home/away neutral base over the three game period. Tailteann Cup matches out there as well.
Other teams of interest involving local talent figuring on the county and international stage would include the appearance of Shane Riordan with Cork in the recent Go Games Football Clash up in Ennis V Clare. While Evan O’Driscoll lined out at left half back as Cork overcame the challenge of Limerick in a Celtic challenge up on Shannonside last Saturday. That competition is ongoing. A terrific Catherines supporter is Bernard Wallace who lives in Ballyphehane. He was telling me in Blarney last Saturday that his granddaughter Rachel, won a gold medal in her weight at the recent underage European Taekwando Championships held in Romania. Rachel would be a first cousin of Catherines players Eoin, Kyle and Shay Wallace.
Club action on the field of play
Round One Group B Bon Secours Sponsored County Junior B Football Championship
St Oliver Plunketts 0-10 St Catherines 0-03
Only previous involvement with the opposition was when they hosted a County Division Three U14 football semi final v Eire Og. Played at Ahiohill on the Sunday of the October Bank Holiday Weekend 2019. A Catherine’s team Captained by Oisin Fitzgerald.
St Oliver Plunketts were largely the dominant force from the outset of this county Junior B Football Championship tie played played by and large in sunny conditions at Blarney on Saturday afternoon last. Sean O’Donovan had them into a lead not for relinquishing. Pointing from play on twenty four minutes. Oliver Plunkett’s in black and white stripes resembling Midleton ahead on a half time scoreline standing at 0-05 to 0-01. All scores from play. I’ve different players contributing.
That said Mike Keohane with a quartet of points ironically all from placed balls as the third quarter progressed were the scores which almost had the opposition out of sight in a clear low scoring championship encounter. Now just take note that Crosshaven have withdrawn from the group and the competition as a whole. Meaning the Catherines/ Castlelyons clash scheduled for early June in Rathcormac now takes up a much more significant role in the quest for advancement from Group B. By the time you read this report the Saints should have concluded their divisional football league campaign.Scheduled to have played Midleton at Ballynoe on Tuesday night, Just gone, May 9th.
Scorers - K. Wallace (0-01 free) (0-02) and K.Barry (0-01).
Oliver Plunkett’s scorers - M Keohane (0-04 frees) (0-05) S. O’Donovan (0-02), M. Kelly, E. O’Driscoll and S. White (0-01 Each).
St Catherines Team - E.Davis, J.Neville, E. O’Riordan (team captain), K.Neville, P.Keane, L.O’Connor, W. Leamy, R.Galvin, O.Fitzgerald, E.Wallace, K.O’Donaghue, K. Barry, S. O’Donaghue, E. Kenneally, K. Wallace.
Subs: H.Draper for R. Galvin (Second half), C.McAuliffe for P.Keane (49’).
Referee:; Jim Mcevoy (Blarney).
Juvenile notes start with report on final of Division Two Rebel Og East U18 Football league
St Catherines 3-09 Mayfield 2-06
For the Saints a first Juvenile title of the season following a well earned win in this Division Two Football League Final played at a bitterly cold Ballynoe on Wednesday evening May 3rd last at 7:15pm.
A brace of early Oisin Fitzgerald points from placed balls helping the home team to settle. Further boosted by a sweetly struck left footed effort from Ciaran Pietropaulo for the Saints and the games opening goal on twenty four minutes. When the same player pointed shortly afterwards, it saw the home based team to the good and ahead on a half time scoreline standing at 1-08 to 0-03.
Now favoured by the conditions and understandable early opposition pressure was momentarily repelled by a timely Sean O’Donaghue goal four minutes into the second half. But when Calvin O’Donovan, arguably their best player, twice found the target meant the margin had been trimmed at just two points (2-08 to 2-06) to the end of third quarter and beyond. All hands on deck, solid Cian Dunning and Evan O’Driscoll defending required. Before in one of the moves of the hour taking in Kieran Kelleher and Conor Hayes it was Kian O’Donaghue who crashed home the all important and match winning third goal on fifty-nine minutes. No coming back from that.
On hand was Martin Leahy, Rebel Og, who presented the winning trophy. Catherines captain, Aforementioned Kieran Kelleher the recipient.
Scorers - S. O’Donaghue (1-03), C.Pietropaulo (1-02), K.O’Donaghue (1-01), O.Fitzgerald (0-01 Free) (0-01 “45”) (0-03).
St Catherine’s team - Thomas Dee, Cian Dunning, Cathal McAuliffe, Diarmuid O’Donovan, Conor Hayes, Evan O’Driscoll, Cian McCarthy, Darragh Morrison, Oisin Fitzgerald, Nathan Sheehan, Kian O’Donaghue, Sean O’Donoghue, Kieran Kelleher (team captain), Ciaran Pietropaulo, Diarmuid O’Connell.
Sub; Ciaran Leamy for Nathan Sheehan (45’).
Also; Timmy Barry, Jack Hickey, Geared Sheehan and Geared O’Callaghan McCarthy.
Referee; Aidan Hyland (Kilworth/Araglen Og)
Section One Round Three Division Two Rebel Og East U16 Football League
St Michels 3-11 St Catherines 1-06
An early start on Sunday morning for this U16 Football league tie when played in Mahon, home of St. Michaels, sister club of Blackrock. In fairness the home team seemed livelier at the outset but a stupendous Thomas Dee Sprawling save, down low to his right right and a stupendous Thomas Dee sprawling save, down low to his right and a subsequent penalty miss denied them. Coming much more into it and an opportunistic Tristan Clancy goal and the point taking skills of John Temple were of benefit to the Saints in building up an internal advantage on a scoreline of 1-05 to 0-02. But the home team assumed control thereafter. Ross O’Herlihy, Andrew Hurley and Shane O’Shaughnessy among others were very good and duly collected the points on offer. This weekend its hurling at home to Carrigtwohill.
Scorers - T. Clancy (1-00), J. Temple (0-030, J. Pietropaulo, C. Hickey and G.Sheehan (Free) (0-01 each).
St Catherines team; T. Dee, S O’Donaghue, C.Murray L. Moore, S.Aherne, J. Kenneally, B. McKee, J. Pietropaulo, C. Hickey, T. Clancy, G. Sheehan, A. Cotter, C. O’Driscoll, J. Temple, K. O’Donaghue.
Subs; E. O’Mahony, J. O’Connor and R. Hickey for K.O’Donaghue, C.O’Driscoll and S.Aherne (All second half).
S.Walsh for S.O’Donoghue (37’), S. McCarthy for B.McKee (51’), L.Kilmartin for A.Cotter (56).
Referee James O’Regan (Lough Rovers).
Round Five Division One Rebel Og East
Under Fourteen football league.
Mayfield 2-07 St. Catherines 3-13
A second win in two evenings over the city north side club when this U14 football league tie went ahead in Lotabeg at 7.00pm on Friday evening last. Mayfield were enjoying as much in the possession stakes, but Cillian McCarthy and brother Shane were doing their best to repel any opposition attacks, Noah Keane was busy at the other end and Ronan Hickey goals at the opposite ends of the opening half all meant a lead for the visitors on a half time scoreline standing at 2-03 to 0-04.
Alan Cotter played a central role in the opening five scores on the change of ends. Scoring four and setting up Sean Walsh for the other. Eoin Dillon on and Eoin O’Mahony also found the mark. While U12 substitute Aaron O’Gorman worked ferociously hard on introduction. It’s hurling this weekend in Killeagh.
Scorers - A.Cotter (0-01 free) (1-06) R. Hickey (2-01), T. Walsh (0-03 Frees), E.Dillon, S. Walsh and E. O’Mahony (0-01 each).
St Catherine’s Team; S. O’Keefe, C. McCarthy, S. McCarthy, R. O’Donaghue, C.Higgins, S. Walsh, S.Moore, T. Walsh, A. Cotter, E. Dillon, R.Hickey, T. Morrison, N.Keane, E. O’Mahony, J. Coughlan.
Subs; A.O’Gorman for J Coughlan (Second Half), J. Coughln for R. O’Donaghue (53’).
Referee - Luke McCarhty (St. Finbarr’s).
Next up on your fixture list
Friday May 12th Round Five Division One Rebel Og East U14 hurling league in Killeagh at 7.00pm.
Sunday May 14th at Ballynoe Round Four Division One Rebel Og, East U16 hurling league v Carrigtwohill at 11.00a.m.
Sunday May 14th at Round Six Division Four County Hurling League in Lisgoold at 7.00pm.
Monday May 15th at Ballynoe Round Three U12 football league v Youghal at 6.30pm.
Latest Lotto Details
Winding up the week with the results of the most recent lotto draw from Monday Night last, May 8th. No’s drawn here; 1,6,14 and 28 and there was no jackpot winner. While the consolation winners on the night were; Cotter family, Ballynoe, Eileen Roche, Curraglass, Pat Lane, Curraheen, Niamh Spillane, Kilavorilla and Caroline O’Connell, Ballynoe. With a jackpot of €13,600 . There will be draw in the clubrooms, Ballynoe, on Monday night, May 15th at 9.30pm.
St Catherine’s G.A.A Club Sponsors
T&A building and civil engineering contractors, Ballynoe are sponsors of St. Catherine’s GAA Club. Mulcahy Steel are sponsors of St. Catherine’s Juvenile GAA club.
