BRIDE ROVERS GAA CLUB NOTES.

 

UNDER 21’s LOSE OUT.   For the second year in a row our under 21 A hurling team were beaten in the East Cork Final. In Aghavine on Sunday last before a huge crowd  ourselves and Midleton each scored seventeen times but goals win games. Midelton had a goal after two minutes and a second one in the 64th minute of the match and won by four points. It was a gut-wrenching defeat because we dominated the second quarter and playing with a strong wind we had a six point lead after 24 minutes.  Still 4 up at the break Midleton used the wind well in the second half and raced into a four point lead. Then in the last few minutes we brought the margin back to a single point. Hat late Midleton goal finished the game off.   Getting to two u21 A Grade Finals in a row is mighty but unfortunately only the winners names are on the Roll of Honour and it's the magpies who now go on to defend their County Title with Ballincollig meeting them next weekend.  Truly this was the game of two halves with the wind the dominant factor. The Fr O Neill Club had everything in perfect order and the playing surface was excellent. After Midleton’s early goal we responded well -Jack Mannix was so unlucky not to hit the net in the very first minute, and points from Adam and Davy Barry settled us. We lost Loue Roche with a head injury after ten minutes. His replacement Matty Kenny, Cillian Barry, Cormac O Sullivan, Jack Mannix Adam and Davy all contributed points and we looked in a good position. Ahead by six near the short whistle but Midleton got two back to trim our lead to just four at half time 0 13 to 1 6. They were killer scores because if we held a six or seven point lead at the break we’d have been in a very strong position -even playing against the wind. In the whole 7o minutes played we only hit two wides but in the third quarter of the match there was an eight point turnaround as Midleton went from four down to lead by four. Scores dried up for us – we only hit 1 point in twenty minutes. Yet near the end we came right back into the contest. A goal-bound free from Cillian Tobin was saved but we still kept attacking. In the last few minutes we raised three green flags as we sought an equaliser. Then in a breakaway Midleton scored their second goal to restore their four point lead ad that’s what they won  by 2 15 to 0 17.  After the thrilling semi final win over Erins Own and a nice two week  break for the final this was a game we could so easily have won. Nevertheless credit to all the players and the management for massive effort. All our u 21 players played Senior ar Junior A or C this year and in fairness every team accounted well for themselves. Four years ago Glen Rovers beat us in the Minor(under17) County Final –‘twould have been nice to have had another cut of them at under 21 but that’s sport for ye.

Team; R O’Riordan; J Aherne, D Cashman, D Fitzgerald; C Hazelwood (jc), C Tobin, L Collins; R O’Connell (jc), C O’Sullivan; D Barry, Cormac Barry, L Roche; A Walsh, J Mannix, Cillian Barry.  Subs: M Kenny for Roche (10 inj), C O’Riordan for Mannix (44), R O’Callaghan for Cillian Barry (55).

Scorers; A Walsh 0-7 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), D Barry 0-3, Cormac Barry, C O’Sullivan 0-2 each, J Mannix, Cillian Barry, M Kenny 0-1 each.

AGM REPORTS.   (Senior Hurling) We started back training as a group on Saturday the 4th of January, prior to this players would have being  doing their own individual programmes.  Over the course of the year, with the senior hurlers alone the players did  90 training sessions and  24 matches. This is not including their own individual gym sessions.  

Division 3 Hurling League    After being relegated from division 2 last year, we started our league campaign this year away to Blarney, unfortunately we got a lesson on our first day out. The next 7 games saw a dramatic change in fortunes,  winning 6 and drawing 1, we lost the last game of the group. We met Newcestown in the league final in sweltering heat in Riverstown. We won the game after extra  time on a score line of 1.29 to 3.16.

Senior A Hurling Championship

Our championship campaign began against Blarney in Pairc Ui Rinn, unlike the first league game we were far more competitive & recovered from a terrible start to win by 7 points. For the second game we were in Riverstown  once again, against Courcey Rovers. After a tight first half we pulled away midway through the second half to record a 4.22 to 2.18 win. After these two wins, we faced Watergrasshill in the last group  game in a windy Ballynoe, losing 1.22 to 1.13.  Losing the last group game meant that we didn’t have the 4 week gap we had the previous 3 years to the semi final and instead had a two week break to our quarter final.  We were drawn against Inniscarra, this turned out to be a massive test, our 9 point half time lead was cut to 2 midway through the second half & against the wind, we took over in the last 10 minutes.  Onto the semi final v Carrigtwohill, again another slow start but we slowly worked our way back into the game and we led by 4 at half time. In a hectic second half we again showed great resilience winning the game by 6 points. Everyone is aware of the final, the cancelled game, the draw and the replay. There is no need for me to remind anyone. But on behalf of the senior players and management we owe a huge thank you to all the supporters that painted the roads, flew flags, and  roared the players on throughout the year and who  gave us a homecoming we will never forget. To borrow and change a phrase from a former Celtic  manager- Hurling without supporters is nothing.

Thank You  I would like to thank the following :Our physios : Devon Roche , Catherine Power and Darren  Cody, Pre-season trainers: Paul Howard & Declan Higgins, Analysis: Declan Kielty & Fergus Collins Logistics : Gearoid Gubbins & Adam Hackett Sponsors : Ger Gubbins Construction, Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design  also the Club executive and Grounds Committee. I’d like to give a special’ thank you’ to Alan Fitzgerald, Stephen Hackett, Frank Hogan, Barry Hazelwood & Steve Glasgow. The time and effort these lads put in behind the scenes, the meetings, trainings, travelling to games, watching other teams etc etc etc. To our coach Steve Glasgow, the numbers we had at trainings showed more than I can say how good the  trainings were. The attention to detail, constantly reviewing previous games to see where we can improve and implementing drills that helped that improvement to take place. Clubs all over the country have to  pay outside coaches, we are lucky to have an excellent coach that does it for free.   Finally the players, as the Man Utd manager recently said about his players, sometimes I love them, some times I hate them.. Luckily this year it was more the first than the second. These players did 114 trainings/matches over the  year, they live in each others pockets outside the pitch. I hope they enjoy what they have achieved as much as the rest of us have and realise the next generation look up to them.. Lists for Christmas now  include Rovers jerseys, Hurley’s & Helmets, thankfully replacing jerseys of mid table team like Man U and Liverpool.

Only watching/playing a game of hurling can give the emotions that we experienced on Nov 1st, thanks to this group of players we will have those memories for a lifetime. Go raibh mile maith agaibh.- Brian Murphy.

WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO.  The Lotto Results for Tuesday 18th of November – the numbers drawn were  2, 11, 18 & 30  and there was No Winner
Congrats to our lucky dip €30 cash winners Doireann Collins, Mullintoura Fr Sean Barry, Main St, Catherine, c/o Spar, Deborah O’Keffe, c/o Oline Lotto and Jennifer & DJ Cahill, Gracelands This  week's jackpot on Tuesday November 25th was an incredible €18,200. If your ticket has expired we would appreciate if you would enter again via

 

CILLIAN is OCTOBER SPORTS STAR.

 

Congratulations to Cillian Tobin who was named the October winner of the Cork 96FM,C103 Cork and Rochestown Park Hotel Sports Star award.  This follows his immense displays from centre back in our recent SAHC  replay win over Castlelyons. Cillian’s many great displays included the Player of the Match performance in the replayed County Final. The Award was presented in the Rochestown Park Hotel last attended by Cillian’s family and representatives of the Bride Rovers Club- well done and well deserved Cillian.

 

COLM POWER’s TEAM WINNERS. Well done and congratulations to the Amsterdam Hurling Club. They won the Special Leinster Junior Club Championship Final on Saturday last in Pearse Park, Longford with a one point win over the local Longford Slashers. Our own Colm Power was a member of the squad- an injury to his shoulder in the semi final kept Colm out of the starting 15 on Saturday. Well done Colm and Amsterdam.

 

PHOTOS, PICTURES, SNAPS!  We are putting together a collection of photographs and video clips of the 2025 County Senior A Hurling Campaign with a view to having an extensive archive for the future. From the first game  Blarney to the Final replay and the homecoming and the three weeks since- if you have and pictures on your phone, camera or video recorder please, please send them on or just ring 087 9538077 and we’ll arrange to copy and file as many images as possible.

 

Presentation to Tommy Barry -1975 Selector.

 When the Rovers won the Junior Grade Hurling Championship in 1975 Tom and Willie Cotter and Tommy Barry were the three selectors. Sadly Wilie and Tom Cotter are no longer with us. Last Saturday Tommy Barry was presented with his special souvenir Hurley/Clock -made by our own hurley-maker, Denis Ahern. The presentation was made by Club PRO John Arnold and his niece  Michelle.  A long standing Club Treasurer Tommy served the Club as an Officer, selector and Committee member -thank you Tommy.

 

2026 HERE WE COME!

The 2025 playing season has just ended and already our thoughts are turning towards next year. On next Tuesday week, December the 9th, the Annual Cork GAA Convention takes place in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Bride Rovers  will be in the Draw for the 2026 Premier Senior hurling Championship along with  Blackrock Charleville  Douglas  Glen Rovers  Fr O Neills  Kanturk   Midleton  Newcestown 1 Newtownshandrum  St Finbarrs and Sarsfields. The 2025 semi finalists Sars, Midleton , Blackrock and St Finbarrrs will all be seeded.

BARTLEMY HALL UPCOMING EVENTS..

Sunday 30th November  - Christmas Community Cafe and blessing of Memory Tree

Thurs 4th December - Christmas Bingo with bumper jackpot €150 and great raffle prizes.

 

 SHANOWEN PLAYERS.

 The Shanowen Players wonderful presentation of Brian Friel’s ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’ opened in Rathcormac Hall last weekend to packed houses. It’s on again this weekend -Friday, Saturday and Sunday, don’t miss it.

 

SPONSORS. The Bride Rovers GAA Club sponsors are Fermoy  Print & Design, Rathcormac Tyres, Gerard Gubbins Construction and Veoila -please support our sponsors whenever you can.