St Catherine's Notes (24th Jul)
- Jul 24,2025
Tipp are champions as they claim their 29th All-Ireland Senior hurling title
There were a few clear indicators in the opening half. Particularly defender Eoghan Connolly blazing a goal attempt wide on 19 minutes. Then referee Liam Gordon disallowing a Tipp goal. Final touch deemed to be inside the square. So the threat was there all the time.
Balance that with a trio of ‘Dudsy’ Healy points as the Rebels now found themselves 5 points to the good to 30 minutes. Shane Barrett who had an excellent first half then pounced for the Cork goal. Judging it beautifully, looking for the bounce, coming as it did a minute overtime and ideally placing the Rebels 6 points ahead. Now in the lead on a half time scoreline standing at 1-16 to 0-13.
But what we didn’t know at the time was that was as good as it was going to get. All the second half pluses were on the Tipperary side. Two John McGrath goals. Darragh McCarthy who had a few horrible moments during the summer clinically goaling from the penalty spot on 53 minutes. Eoin Downey now off the field. Tipp ravenous with Noel McGrath now in the thick of the action. Outscoring the Rebels on a mesmerising 3-16 to 0-02 second half scoreline. Ample compensation for the league final and earlier round robin setbacks. Inflicting back-to-back final losses on the Rebels who have now tasted defeat in their last five final appearances. In fairness they were unlucky last year. But it’s going to take some time to get over this sizeable defeat.
Club match reports
Round 2 Michael O’Connor Motors East Cork Junior B football championship
St Catherines 5-15 Fr O’Neills 0-04
St Catherines hit the ground running, surging into a sizeable lead not for catching when this round 2 divisional Junior B football championship tie went ahead in sunny conditions at Aghavine on Friday evening last. Appointed venue on toss of a coin when switching the match from the land they call Killeagh. Industrious midfielder Eoghan O’Riordan with the game’s and the Saints’ opening goal inside 3 minutes. Diarmuid O’Connell and Ed Kenneally combining before the ever-threatening Eoin Condon picked his spot when slotting in the second 8 minutes later. A feature of the first half was the scoring contribution of attacking wingback Nathan Sheehan with a return of 1-03 all from play with the Saints in a strong, commanding position and ahead on a half time scoreline now standing at 3-06 to 0-02. Now favoured by the conditions and in an instant on the change of ends were further boosted with ‘Doc’ O’Connell securing a two pointer from a placed ball. Further points quickly followed from Rory Galvin and team captain James Hayes, and the margin was just too wide. This competition for the Saints resumes in mid-August as the focus now reverts to the 13-a-side Junior D championship this upcoming weekend.
Scorers: E Condon (2-04), N Sheehan (1-03), R Galvin (1-01), E O’Riordan (1-00), D O’Connell (0-02 frees) (0-03), S O’Donoghue, W Leamy, J Hayes and G Sheehan (0-01 each). Fr O’Neill’s scorers: P Butler (0-01 free) (0-02), J Finn and L Phipps (0-01 each).
St Catherine’s team: T Dee, J Neville, L O’Connor, D O’Donovan, S O’Donoghue, R Galvin, N Sheehan, G England, E O’Riordan, W Leamy, E Kenneally, J Hayes (team captain), E Condon, B Davis, D O’Connell. Sub: G Sheehan for B Davis (temporary) (17’). Referee: Anthony O’Regan (Youghal).
Juvenile section
Round 1 division 2 Rebel Óg Minor hurling championship
St Catherines 3-15 St Vincents 1-20
Two evenly and well-matched teams playing out a highly exciting Minor hurling championship opener at overcast Ballynoe on Wednesday evening, July 16th last. Both squads difficult to separate would never have more than two points separating them. Goals from Gearoid Sheehan and Alan Cotter, 11 minutes apart to 24 minutes helping the home team to shade it and ahead on an interval scoreline standing at 2-08 to 1-09.
You could say the Saints enjoyed their most rewarding period just into the turnover and midway through the third quarter. Good work served up by Billy O’Connor and Liam Moore in turn saw just introduced replacement Tadgh Walsh crash home a third goal. Well worked points from Eoghan O’Mahony and Thomas Dee forthcoming with the widest margin yet now between the teams. A point-blank Cathal Higgins stop between the posts ensuring that would remain the situation. It was 3-12 to 1-12 now 12 minutes into the second half. Response from the northside city club emphatic. Six unanswered points followed, five from the ever-threatening Sean Daly, be it general play or frees. For the seventh time over the hour Catherines and Vincents not for dividing. Now it’s 3-12 to 1-18 to 54 minutes. Now you know by what we mean when declaring even and well matched. Catherines surge to the front again. Conor Murray, James Kenneally and Shane O’Donoghue defending like never before. Use any method to get it out. Kick, boot, whatever. Trevor Broderick now has it back to the minimum again. Never was the sound of Mike Carey’s whistle so welcome. Good start. Football was to commence in Cobh last evening (Wednesday, July 23rd). Next hurling tie v Mayfield. See fixtures.
Scorers: G Sheehan (0-05 frees) (0-01 “65”) (1-07), A Cotter (1-05), T Walsh (1-01), E O’Mahony and T Dee (0-01 each). St Vincent’s scorers: S Daly (0-06 frees) (0-02 “65”) (1-11), AJ Murphy (0-04), T Broderick (0-03) and L Coughlan (0-02).
St Catherine’s team: C Higgins, C Murray, J Kenneally, S O’Donoghue, R Hickey, S Walsh, B O’Connor, C Hickey, L Moore, C Barry, K O’Donoghue, A Cotter, T Dee, E O’Mahony, G Sheehan. Sub: T Walsh for C Barry (34’). Also: S McCarthy and L Kilmartin. Referee: Michael Carey (Bride Rovers).
Round 1 division 2 Rebel Óg U16 football championship
Carrigtwohill 3-07 St Catherines 6-11
Running concurrently with aforementioned Junior B was this U16 football championship tie in Carrigtwohill also on Friday evening last.
Scorers: T Walsh (2-00), A Cotter, K O’Connell (0-03 frees) and B O’Connor (0-01 free) (1-03 each), R Hickey (1-01) and C Higgins (0-01).
Team: J Cunneen, N Keane, E O’Mahony, C McCarthy, S McCarthy (captain), S Walsh, E Dillon, A Cotter, S Riordan, C Higgins, B O’Connor, R Hickey, K O’Connell, T Walsh, R O’Donoghue. Subs: S Moore for C McCarthy (10’0, S O’Keeffe for R O’Donoghue (20’), D Temple for T Walsh (55’). Referee: PJ Delaney (Glanmire).
Round 2 phase 2 division 1 Rebel Óg East U12 hurling league
St Catherines 1-12 Douglas 2-03
Since moving onto phase 2 this was the most demanding test in either code following round 2 of the U12 hurling league in sunny Ballynoe on Thursday evening last. Defensively James Beecher and Cathal Kearney were solid and dependable. Ronan Geaney, Ciaran O’Connor and Robbie Pietropaolo were regularly on the ball with the bulk of the scores coming from the prolific Alex Keane against a Douglas team blessed with good players, most noticeably in Joe Cronin, Patrick Cullagh and Ned McSweeney. Catherines were due a visit to Togher playing the Barrs on Tuesday night just gone. Next football league match will be at home to Killeagh.
Scorers: A Keane (0-03 frees) (1-11) and R Pietropaolo (0-01). St Catherine’s team: S Flynn, J Beecher, E Passaquay, C Fitzgerald, C Kearney, S Cummins, R Geaney, C O’Connor, R Pietropaolo, A Keane, D Fitzgerald, S O’Keeffe, A Fitzgerald. Also: C Twomey, D Linehan, L Fleming, O Ryan, L Kearney and R Coffey. Referee: Stephen Hackett (Bride Rovers).
Weekly lotto results
There was no winner of the weekly lotto draw held in the clubrooms, Ballynoe on Monday night, July 14th last at 10pm. Numbers drawn were 11, 14, 20 and 25. €30 consolation winners were; Ann Cotter, Glentrasna, Ballynoe; Jerry Fitzgerald, Garrycaheragh, Ballynoe; W Kearney, c/o PH Conna; Leo O’Donnell, Bridane, Lismore; Mary O’Brien, Rathdrum, Ballynoe. Jackpot was standing at €5,400 for most recent draw scheduled for Monday night last, July 21st.
Fixture list
Sunday, July 27th at Ballynoe, round 1 group A East Cork Junior D football championship v Cobh at 11.30am. Monday, July 28th at Ballynoe, round 2 division 2 phase 2 Rebel Óg East U12 football league v Killeagh at 6.30pm. Monday, July 28th at Trabeg, round 1 division 2 Rebel Óg East U16 hurling championship v Nemo Rangers at 7.30pm. Wednesday, July 30th at Ballynoe, round 2 division 2 Rebel Óg East Minor hurling championship v Mayfield at 7.30pm.
St Catherine’s GAA 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.
