St Catherine's (17th Jul)
- Jul 17,2025
Planning lodged for development of third playing pitch
As many of you are aware St Catherine’s GAA Club are in the process of developing a third playing field. After a significant amount of work with stakeholders, local authority etc, the club are delighted to confirm that this week we lodged planning with Cork County Council for the development. An application that includes a new full-sized sandbased pitch, dressing rooms, car park, a viewing stand, an extended walkway along with the extension of the current roadway down to the new grounds. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our club supporters (including the proceeds of the Strictly fundraiser) will be able to fund the purchase of the field without resorting to borrowing. Once planning has been granted and the sale has closed, the club will then update its members with details of plans to complete the phased development of the new facilities. Looking forward to your ongoing support into the future. St Catherine’s GAA Club offer their thanks to the development committee for their hard work and to all volunteers who help in so many ways to run the club. Both on and off the field. Now that the intercounty part of the year is almost at an end and the split season shortly takes effect, we wish all teams across male and female codes the very best of luck for what effectively is the second part of the year.
All-Ireland hurling final weekend
Just check your records. Kilkenny remain top of the pile. That won’t change any time soon. Thirty-eight titles have adorned the marble city. But even the mighty will have to take a back seat over the next few days. Munster’s top two add another fifty-eight between them. One thing sure and certain that goes up by one this weekend. Which way?
Cork and Tipperary have been serving up hurling classics since time immemorial. Maybe the current rivalry could trace its inception back to the late forties, early fifties. Tipperary winning All-Irelands in 49, 50 and 51. Matched by the Rebels in the successive years of 52, 53 and 54. Beating the premier county in all three Munster finals. Tipp were the game’s force in the sixties. Can you believe they beat Cork in three hurling finals in 1960? League, Oireachtas and Provincial. There was the unique, historic final of centenary year. Mark Foley’s days in the sun in July of 1990. After Tipp had prevented a six-in-a row of Munsters in a replayed final at Killarney in 1987. We had close and exciting Munster finals in 2000, 2005 and 2006. All won by Cork.
But now we have something completely different. Cork and Tipp meeting in the All-Ireland final itself. Tipp lost out to a dynamic Clare team in the first all-Munster All-Ireland final of 1997. Incredibly Offaly and Kilkenny served up an all-Leinster final 12 months after that. As did Kilkenny and Galway in 2012. Cork and Clare had two goes at it in 2013. It was Limerick/Waterford in 2020. Cork/Limerick in 2021 and only 12 months ago Clare and Cork in another all-Munster All-Ireland Senior hurling final. They’re getting more prevalent. Thing is to be top of the pile when the prizes are dished out. You shouldn’t need reminding this to be the fourth meeting between the teams in over five months. From the regular league meetings in Thurles won by Tipp in mid-February. Cork reversing the outcome in the league final on Sunday, April 6th. Backing it up with another solid victory in round 2 of the round robin Munster Senior hurling championship when returning to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh just three weeks later. On the day when Darragh McCarthy received that red card prior to any action taking place. Now for the greatest prize of all. Go for it!
Weekly lotto results
We were at the weekly lotto draw held in the clubrooms, Ballynoe on Monday night, July 7th last. Numbers drawn being 9, 16, 21 and 22. There was no jackpot winner. €30 consolation winners were; Paris Browne, Bilberry, Midleton, Neilus Kearney c/o PH Conna, Carol and Liz (phone number), Elaine Wallace, Ballynoe and Eamon Buggy, Conna. With a jackpot of €5,200 most recent draw was scheduled for Monday night last, July 14th.
Action from East Cork playing fields
Round 1 Michael O’Connor Motor Factors East Cork Junior B Football Championship
St Catherines 1-18 Ballinacurra 1-10
Following the completion of the confined competition and the domestic league shortly afterwards a first competitive encounter for this squad of players in 6 weeks when opening round 1 of the round robin East Cork Junior B football championship on Magniers Hill on Sunday last at 12 noon. High noon! With Eoghan O’Riordan ably supported by Gavin England to the fore around the middle of the pitch guaranteeing a plentiful supply of ball inside with the Saints utterly dominating the opening sequence of play and would find themselves ten points to the good without reply to twenty minutes. All scores coming off the boot of Oisín Fitzgerald, Eoin Condon and Ed Kenneally. Margin untrimmed with the Saints still to the good and ahead on a half time scoreline now standing at 0-12 to 0-02.
That said now favoured by the conditions with a stiffish breeze to their backs and Ballinacurra were much more involved. Points from Luke Kelly O’Reagan and James Nagle ensued and when James Hegarty goaled it had cut the deficit to 0-16 to 1-08 right at the end of the third quarter and beyond. No doubt the Saints’ goal finished off by Oisín Fitzgerald would prove a massive psychological boost with the score standing at 1-17 to 1-08 to 48 minutes. There were a few smartly taken Kian O’Donoghue points to follow with the opposition successful with a 2 point attempt with a free on the far side of the pitch from the dugouts side of the ground. An 8 point win for the Saints at game’s end. Football to the fore for the month of July. Another round upcoming this coming weekend. Playing Fr O’Neills in Killeagh. While St Catherines have entered a team in the 13-a-side D football championship. One game at home, one away and the third on neutral soil. Starting their campaign when playing Cobh at Ballynoe towards the end of the month.
Scorers: O Fitzgerald (0-04 frees) (1-08), E Condon (0-04), E Kenneally and K O’Donoghue (0-03 each). Ballinacurra scorers: L Kelly O’Regan (0-05 frees), J Hegarty (1-01) and J Nagle (0-01 free) (0-04).
St Catherine’s team: T Dee, C McAuliffe, D O’Donovan, J Neville, S O’Donoghue, R Galvin, J Hayes (team captain), E O’Riordan, G England, E Davis, E Kenneally, K O’Donoghue, E Condon, O Fitzgerald, W Leamy. Subs: T Barry for G England (43’), C McCarthy for J Hayes (51’), N Sheehan for K O’Donoghue (56’). Also: G Sheehan, B Davis and L Heffernan. Referee: James Daly (Youghal).
Focus on the juveniles
Round 7 division 2 Rebel Óg East Minor Football League
Mayfield 6-11 St Catherines 5-07
All through an evenly contested, well fought affair when this Minor football league tie went ahead in sunny conditions at Lotabeg, home venue of Mayfield GAA Club on Wednesday evening, July 9th last. It was the home team making the better start. But after Kyle O’Donoghue picked out Tadgh Walsh for the first of his two first half goals on 11 minutes the visitors would always remain in contention. They led 1-02 to 0-03 and after at least two blinding Thomas Dee stops between the sticks it remained at 2-05 apiece at the sound of the half whistle. Moving on to 3-05 each after Eoghan O’Mahony carefully picked his spot to add a third Saints’ goal now nine minutes into the second half. Calum McCarthy and Adam O’Flynn among others were good for the home team, overall were that bit better balanced and deserved to win. As the Saints fought gallantly right to the end. Right, that’s it. We’re now in Minor hurling and football championship season.
Scorers: T Walsh (2-00), A Cotter (1-00 free) (1-02), J O’Connor (0-01 free) (1-01), E O’Mahony (1-00), S Walsh (0-02), L Moore and K O’Donoghue (0-01 each).
St Catherine’s team: T Dee, B O’Connor, S O’Donoghue, C Barry, L Moore, T Clancy, A Cotter, S Walsh, G Sheehan, K O’Donoghue, E O’Mahony, T Walsh, J O’Connor. Referee: PJ Dennehy (Glanmire).
Round 1 phase 2 division 2 Rebel Óg East U12 football league
Mitchelstown v St Catherines
Now then St Catherines were much the stronger when starting off phase 2 of the U12 football league played in excruciating heat in Mitchelstown on Saturday evening last at 4pm. It was like old times with two water breaks required in an effort to counteract the savagely warm conditions. This team following an earlier success over Watergrasshill return to duty tonight (Thursday), July 17th when then play Douglas in Ballynoe in round 2 of the hurling. Next Tuesday evening (July 22nd) it’s off to Togher playing St Finbarrs. Next football match will be at home to Killeagh towards the end of the month.
Scorers: R Pietropaolo (4-01), R Geaney (3-02), N Keane (2-00), E Passaquay (1-00), S O’Keeffe and C Fitzgerald (0-02 each), A Fitzgerald and C O’Connor (0-01 each).
St Catherine’s team: T Cummins, S Cummins, L Kearney, C O’Connor, A Fitzgerald, C Kearney, R Geaney, S Flynn, R Pietropaolo, S O’Keeffe, C Fitzgerald, A Keane, E Passaquay. Also: D Linehan, L Fleming and R Coffey. Referee: John Aherne (Araglin).
Recent county football finals
Mixed fortunes for neighbouring clubs in recent county deciders. Disappointment for Araglin following a heavy loss to Ballyphehane who in fairness have been knocking on the door for a few years in the confined county Junior B football championship final. Better luck for Castlelyons when getting the better of Rochestown in the C competition. Both county football finals were played in Mallow on Sunday, July 6th.
What’s coming up on your fixture list
Tonight (Thursday), July 17th at Ballynoe, round 2 phase 2 division 1 U12 hurling league v Douglas at 7.30pm. Saturday, July 19th at Killeagh, round 2 East Cork Junior B football championship v Fr O’Neills at 3pm. Sunday, July 20th at Croke Park All-Ireland Senior hurling final Cork v Tipperary at 3.30pm. Tuesday, July 22nd at Togher, round 3 phase 2 division 1 U12 hurling league v St Finbarrs at 7.30pm. Wednesday, July 23rd, round 1 division 2 Rebel Óg East Minor football championship in Cobh 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.
