BRIDE ROVERS GAA NOTES 22ND JUNE 2026.

WELL DONE BRIAN, AND CORK.

Last weekend was one of the busiest so far in this hectic season of 2026. Cork hurlers with Brian Roche at midfield had little trouble getting over Offaly in Thurles. The Tony Walsh Cup went to Waterford on Saturday. We had the Sports First Aid course also on Saturday. There no Lotto Jackpot winner last week -for a change! This weekend coming sees our third hurling XV in the East Cork JHL Div 4 Final.

TONY WALSH HURLING TOURNAMENT.
On Saturday last we again honoured the memory of club stalwart Tony Walsh when we played Fourmilewater from Waterford in a senior hurling tournament game for the Tony Walsh Perpetual Cup. It was great to see members of the Walsh Family present on the day.
With the sun shining and the grounds looking glorious, we were all set for a good game of hurling. Fourmilewater were at near full strength with players of the calibre of Jamie and Tom Barron and Sean Walsh in their team. Bride Rovers were without the services of Eoin and Brian Roche and the injured Josh Ahern, Shane O Connor and Kieran Kearney.
Experienced referee Diarmuid Kirwan was on the whistle and got the game underway, from the resultant throw in Ronan O Connell broke onto the ball to get the opening score. Both sides were showing great effort in the warm sunshine and were level at 0-3 each, Cian Hogan scoring 2 points - from a free and a 65. Then a defensive error resulted in a goal for Fourmilewater and they soon opened up a five point lead. Points from Conor Barry (2 frees), Cillian Tobin and Davy Barry reduced the lead to a goal. But Fourmilewater hit a purple patch and latched on six good points to our two before half time to lead 1-15 to 0-09 at the break.
 The Rovers started the second half well with points from Cormac Barry, Louie Roche and Paddy O’Flynn. Conor Barry hit three points on the trot, two from frees, but equally Fourmilewater were keeping the scoreboard ticking over and the gap was not being reduced. The hurling was fast and accurate and the scores were of a high quality. Cillian Tobin added his second as did Cormac Barry from a free. Cillian got his third after Conleith Ryan scored a point. Shaun Knox completed the Rovers scoring with 2 pointed frees in the last few mounts.
Final Score: Bride Rovers 0-22 Fourmilewater 1-26
Team: C Hogan, R Prendergast, D Cashman, T O Sullivan, C Barry, C Town, C Hazelwood, C O Sullivan, R O Connell, C Ryan, L Roche, P O Flynn, D Barry, A Walsh, C Barry. Subs used: A Hayes, E O Connor, L Collins, K Cotter, O Kielty, J Mannix, C O Riordan, E Cashman & S Knox. After the game Club Vice Chairman Pa O Driscoll spoke briefly to welcome and congratulate Fourmilewater.  Club Communications Officer John Arnold then spoke on the huge contribution the late Tony Walsh had made to our Club over many, many years. Tony’s daughter Anne Marie Higgins then presented the Cup to Fourmilewater Captain Jamie Barron in the presence of other family members. Jamie suitably replied and thanked Bride Rovers for the invitation.  Congratulations to Fourmilewater on their win and best of luck in their championship opener v Dungarvan in a fortnight. Fourmilewater now join the list of Tony Wash cup winners alongside Bride Rovers, St Mullins(Carlow), South Liberties (Limerick) Tallow and Mallow.
Our next fixture is our last League game of the year. It is against Newcestown on Saturday next 27th June at 52pm in Rathcormac -note change of time
The RED FM County Senior Hurling League (Division 2) Final v Erins Own is due to be played on the weekend of 11th & 12th July. No venue has been announced yet.  Diarmuid Kirwan from the Eire Og Club in Mid Cork reffed the Tony Walsh Final. A native of Ballyskenagh in Offaly Diarmuid’s uncle Jim played a few games with us many years ago when employed as a Lorry Driver with John Fenton.  Talking to Diarmuid after the game on Saturday the chat was about the game in Thurles the next day. Diarmuid made a vey valid point that during Offaly’s ‘glory years’ in both hurling and football in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s  Bord na Mona gave massive employment in County Offaly. Most of this is now gone. His own Club Ballskennagh amalgamated with a neighbouring Club Killavilla in 2013 and the Ballyskenagh/Killavilla Club are now joined with Shinrone in order to field Juvenile teams.

CONGRATS CATHERINE. After the match on Saturday Cian Hogan -on behalf of the Senior Panel, presented Catherine Power with flowers to mark the happy occasion of Catherine’s marriage recently to Denis O Sullivan from Dromcollogher. We wish Catherine and Denis a long and happy married life together. In her role as Physio Catherine has made a huge contribution to the Bride Rovers Club

SPORT FIRST AID COURSE a huge success
Well done and thanks to our team mentors who gave their time in undertaking a 2-hour Sports First Aid Course last Saturday
This course was excellently facilitated by Eric Donovan of Workplace Training and Compliance Ltd. It was professional, practical, and very worthwhile. We had a good attendance of parents and mentors from right across the club spectrum
All are now much better equipped to make good decisions to help in the case of an accident or emergency. First Aid is a vital and important skill to have both in terms of sport and everyday life
Well done to all involved, and a big “ thank you” to Rathcormac Community Council for the use of the old National School- our own clubroom was choc a bloc after the Tony Walsh Cup Final.

 REBEL OG P UNDER 14 HL. Bride Rovers produced an excellent all-round performance to record a convincing victory over Mallow in the Under-14 Premier 2 League on last Friday evening in Pyne's Field. A strong first half saw Rovers build a 1-4 to 0-4 lead at the break, with Conor Healy finding the net and points coming from Patrick O'Regan, Eoghan Croke and Adam Hackett. The defence worked hard throughout while the team continued to create plenty of scoring opportunities. Rovers stepped up another level after the interval. Dara Murphy made an immediate impact from the bench with a goal and a point, while Conor Healy kept the scoreboard ticking from both play and placed balls. Further goals from Eoghan Croke and Adam Hackett sealed an impressive win, with Tíarnán Lyons also getting on the scoresheet. It was a very encouraging team performance, with hard work, movement and teamwork evident throughout the field as Bride Rovers ran out deserving winners on a scoreline of 4-13 to 0-7. Team: Noah Collins, Oisín Dorgan, Darragh Feeney, Cameron Hoare, Luke Fitzgerald, Jack Fitzgerald, Matthew Finn, Tommy Conway, Ryan Hogan, Conor Healy (1-5), Adam Hackett (1-4), Thomas Heggarty, Eoghan Croke (1-1), Patrick O'Regan (0-1), Conor Dorgan, Tíarnán Lyons (0-1), Dara Murphy (1-1), Liam Harrington.

 

ROCO SPORTS JHL DIV 4 FINAL ON FRIDAY.

On this Friday night June 27th our third team contest the East Cork Division 4 Junior Hurling League Final.  This is a great achievement for our third adult hurling team. We finished on 11 League Points whilst our opponents Sars are on 13 points. We met Sars in our first game on March 7th and the game ended in a draw Rovers 1 12 Sars 0 15. After that we defeated Watergrasshill, Killeagh, Erins Own, and Midleton, lost to Ballinacurra and got a walkover from St Catherines. The League Final on Friday night has been fixed for Pairc na Bride at 7.30pm so best of luck to players and management.

CAR BOOT SALE. Thanks to all who helped out last Sunday with another massive Car Boot Sale crowd from early morning. The next sale is fixed for Sunday July 19th -we’ll talk about it over the next few weeks.

DOUBLE DREAM LIVES ON. Well after last weekend just Galway and Cork can still do the ‘Senior Double’ like we did in 1990 ! Well done to our own Brian Roche and his Rebel comrades on a great win over the Faithful County in Thurles last Sunday. We feared it might be one sided but hoped for a good competitive contest. Alas that never materialised as the game as a contest was over, in reality, after quarter of an hour.  Operating at midfield with team captain Darragh Fitzgibbon Brian scored two points and was involved as ‘provider’ for another four Cork scores. It was a facile win for Cork but at least they are just now 70 minutes away from an All Ireland Final. The Men from The West, Galway, will provide the semi-final opposition on Saturday week in Croke Park. Those of us old enough will recall 1975 and 1979 when Cork lost out in semis to Galway. People everywhere predicting a Cork v Limerick decider on July 19th but Clare and Galway are there still.  Galway could easily have been in this year’s League Final and though the experts say Leinster Hurling is ‘the weakest ever’ when it comes to All Ireland semi finals teams can often produce massive displays. With a capacity of 80,000 + there should be room for everyone in Croke Park on July4th. Meanwhile Monday morning’s Draws in Silverbridge (Home Club of GAA President Jarlath Burns) saw the Cork Senior Footballers paired with Mayo in the coming weekends Quarter Finals. The Cork v Mayo game is fixed for 4pm on Saturday next followed by Kerry v Tyrone at 6.15.

MICHAEL RYAN REMEMBERS. Michael Ryan former Waterford SH Manager and a great Fourmilewater man was at the match last Saturday. At present he’s finishing a Club History  of Fourmilewater in this the Club’s Centenary year -last Saturday in Rathcormac the Club wore a new set of Blue and White striped jersies for the very first time – these were the Club’s original colours back in 1926.  Michael will forever be associated with the brilliant Ballymacarbery Ladies Football team and Club. In 2021 the Club won their 40th Senior County Title in a row! Michael started as Club Manager in 1982 and stayed in that job for 25 years. In a ten-year period Ballymac won 8 All Ireland Club Titles.  In conversation with him last Saturday Michael said ‘I have great memories of this pitch here in Rathcormac -it’s where it all began for us’ he went on to remind me that their very first Munster title was won in  Pairc na Bride Rathcormac before Christmas in 1984. ‘That win started us on the road and we never looked back’

CORK v LAOIS. After the Tony Walsh Final on Saturday the Cork and Laois camogie teams played a challenge game. Cork are as good as qualified for the Senior Semi Final. Laois play in the Intermediate grade and are top of their Round Robin Group.

MINOR FOOTBALLERS IN FINAL. Despite conceding two goals in the first quarter Cork easily overcame Derry in the All Ireland Minor Football semi final in Parnell Park on Saturday last. They will play Tyrone in the Final- probably in Tullamore, Portlaoise or Kildare, on Sunday week July 5th. We wish our own Michael Walsh and selector Vincent Cronin an all involved the very best in the Final.

SOCIAL INITIATIVE GROUP TRIP. WE hope the Rathcormac Social Initiative Group had a great day on yesterday, Wednesday, when they travelled to Dublin to see the Viking Experience and they also visited Croke Park.

 CUL CAMP. Our annual Cul Camp will be held  at the end of July. With over 200 participants registered it promises to be a brilliant week and we might have the Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire Cups -or both! The Juvenile Club are looking for volunteers for the week or part of it- to help with stewarding, car Parking etc. If you could help on any day please contact any Club Officer.

CLUBZAP. For latest Club news and fixtures just check Bride Rovers Clubzap.

 

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.