Mulcahy Steel East Cork U21A Football Championship Final

Glenville 3-16 St. Colmcille’s 1-11

Twenty years of waiting ended in Rathcormac on Sunday. As the final whistle sounded, Glenville supporters poured onto the field to share the moment with the players and watch Ciarán “Fraz” O’Leary accept the trophy. Glenville were East Cork U21A football champions for the first time since 2006 and for only the third time in the club’s history.

A nine-point winning margin told the story of Glenville’s superb second half, but there had been little between the teams up to that point. Glenville had narrowly beaten St. Colmcille’s in the league final earlier in the season and knew from that encounter how quickly the opposition could turn a game.

It was Glenville who struck first on Sunday. A two-pointer from O’Leary and a goal from Dave Barry helped them into a six-point lead after 15 minutes, 1-5 to 0-2. St. Colmcille’s hit back with a goal and three consecutive points, wiping out the advantage and edging a point in front. Glenville steadied themselves before the break to leave the sides all square at 1-8 apiece.

St. Colmcille’s picked up where they had left off, landing a superb two-pointer straight after the restart. Remarkably, it would be another 31 minutes before they scored again. Glenville drew level and then took control, with the defence repeatedly cutting out St. Colmcille’s attacks and giving Glenville the platform to build at the other end. Goals from Liam Foley and Jayden Hennebry put daylight between the sides, and by the final whistle nine Glenville players had contributed to the scoreboard.

The five substitutes introduced were all minors, and each was called upon at a stage when there was still work to do. Their contribution was a feature of a second half in which Glenville outscored St. Colmcille’s by 2-8 to 0-3. For the players who had been involved in the 2024 final defeat and the 2025 semi-final loss, there was particular satisfaction in seeing this one through.

There was genuine emotion as players and supporters gathered for the presentation. After two seasons of coming close, this group had earned its moment, and Glenville had an U21A championship to celebrate again after two decades.

Credit to referee David Butler and his team for officiating a sporting game, to St. Colmcille’s for a fine contest and to Bride Rovers for hosting the final.

Glenville team and scorers

C. Sheehan, C. McHugh, C. O’Mahony, S. O’Leary, S. Curtin (0-2), B. Ryan, C. Lenihan (0-1), C. O’Leary (0-5), D. O’Bric, D. Forde, J. Counihan (0-3), L. Foley (1-2), E. Forde, D. Barry (1-1), R. Loftus (0-1).

Subs used

T. McCarthy, J. Hennebry (1-0), J. Buckley (0-1), A. Casey, Z. Curtin.

Glenville’s second U21 side push Castlelyons all the way

East Cork U21C Football Championship Final

Castlelyons 3-11 Glenville 2-11

Twice in the second half on Friday night, Glenville hauled themselves back to within a point of Castlelyons. They were still chipping away at the lead in the closing stages of an open East Cork U21C final, but the home side held on to win by a goal. For Glenville, reaching a final in the club’s first year fielding two U21 championship teams was a fine achievement in itself, and the players showed just how close they were to going one step further.

A shower before throw-in made conditions slippery underfoot, though the rain cleared for the game itself. With the extra space afforded by the 13-a-side format, both teams found openings early on. Castlelyons scored the first two points from play before Liam Foley opened Glenville’s account with a well-taken effort. The home side added another point, but Shane O’Callaghan was alert to intercept a clearance and finish to the net to put Glenville in front.

The lead was short-lived. Castlelyons full-forward Jack Cremin, a handful throughout the evening, replied immediately with a well-taken goal. The sides traded points for much of the rest of the half, and the game was still finely balanced until Castlelyons struck for their second goal just before the break. That left Glenville five points down at half-time, 2-6 to 1-4.

James Buckley and Sam Dennehy came off the bench for the second half and made an immediate impression. Buckley found the net and Jayden Hennebry followed with a point to cut the gap to one. Castlelyons answered with their third goal, leaving Glenville with another four-point deficit to chase. Back they came again. Buckley landed a two-point free and Mike O’Riordan added a well-taken point to leave the minimum between the sides for a second time.

Castlelyons eased three points clear and then stretched the margin to five. Glenville kept going and took two points off the deficit in the closing stages, but the final whistle came with a goal still between the teams.

There was understandable disappointment afterwards, especially after coming so close to drawing level more than once in the second half. The players can take pride in how they responded each time Castlelyons threatened to pull away. Fielding a second U21 team was a milestone for Glenville, and for that team to reach a final and push a strong Castlelyons side all the way on their own ground gave the club plenty to celebrate from Friday night too.

Glenville team and scorers

H. Wain, T. McCarthy, A. Casey, D. O’Leary, Z. Curtin, M. O’Riordan (0-1), C. O’Neill, R. Hennessy, D. Field, J. Hennebry (0-2), S. O’Callaghan (1-0), L. Foley (0-3), F. Fitzgerald.

Subs used

S. Dennehy (0-1), J. Buckley (1-4), S. Callanan, W. Manley, F. Duffy, J. Madden.

East Cork champions Glenville head to Castlehaven for county quarter-final

Fresh from winning their first East Cork U21A football title in 20 years, Glenville turn their attention to the county championship this Saturday evening, 14 November, when they travel to Castlehaven for the quarter-final.

Sunday’s win over St. Colmcille’s in Rathcormac was a memorable day for the club. The players now have another big game to look forward to, and it would be great to see a strong Glenville support make the journey to Castlehaven and get behind them again.

Best of luck to the players and management.

Glenville U14s finish the year as Division 1 league champions

U14 Division 1 Football League Final

Glenville 3-11 Bride Rovers 1-5

Glenville’s U14 footballers saved a fine performance for their last match of the year, beating near neighbours Bride Rovers to claim the Division 1 league title. A hard-fought opening half left just three points between the sides, but two second-half goals helped Glenville pull clear and finish the season with a ten-point win.

There was little between the teams in the first half. Both sides found the net, and Glenville took a 1-6 to 1-3 lead into the break. With only a goal separating the sides, the final was still very much in the balance as the teams came out for the second half.

Glenville found their stride after the restart. Jacob Coleman and Ronan Cahill both found the net, while Ciaran Lee, Paddy Moynihan and Darragh McHugh were among the point scorers as Glenville built on their interval advantage. At the other end, they held Bride Rovers to two points after the break to seal a deserved 3-11 to 1-5 victory.

Well done to the players and their mentors on a fine finish to the season. Thanks to Bride Rovers for a sporting contest, to the referee for officiating the final and to the parents and supporters who backed the team throughout the year.

U21 hurlers in action on Wednesday

Best of luck to the Watergrasshill U21 hurlers and their management team when they take on Aghada this Wednesday, 11 November. It would be great to see a good crowd out to support the lads.

70% of places gone for the Great Glenville Run

With less than two weeks to go until the Great Glenville Run, 70% of places have already been taken for this year’s four-mile road race. Last year’s event sold out and there will be no entries on race day, so if you’re planning to run, now is a good time to book your place.

Glenville GAA and Watergrasshill AC are once again joining forces to host the race on Sunday, 22 November, with an 11.30am start. The event has become a firm favourite on the local running calendar, bringing club runners and first-timers together on the roads around Glenville. Whether you’re chasing a personal best over four miles, getting back into running after a break or lining up for your first road race, you’ll be in good company.

Entry costs €17.50, with individual and category prizes on offer. The race is chip-timed, has an AAI permit and will take place on a course accurately measured by Jones Counter.

The finish line is only part of the morning. There’ll be tea, coffee and the usual spread of homemade cakes afterwards, with a chance to catch up with friends and compare notes on how the four miles went. The hospitality is a big part of what brings runners back to Glenville each November.

Registration details are available on the Glenville GAA and Watergrasshill AC social media pages. We look forward to seeing everyone on the start line on Sunday, 22 November.

Glenville GAA Lotto jackpot rises to €15,200

The numbers drawn in this week’s Glenville GAA Lotto were 5, 11, 14 and 18. There was no winner of the €15,100 jackpot.

Congratulations to our four €20 Lucky Dip winners — Dinny Highwind, Paul Harrington, Paul O’Driscoll and Joe O’Riordan.

The next draw takes place on Friday, 13 November, at Kades Kounty, Glenville, with a jackpot of €15,200 up for grabs. Tickets cost €2 each or three for €5 and can be purchased "online through Smart Lotto" (https://www.smartlotto.ie/Glenville-gaa).

Thanks to everyone who continues to support the club lotto and to Kades Kounty for their sponsorship.