Senior Championship on Sunday..

The weather seems more like winter or autumn yet the 2018 Cork Senior Hurling Championship begins this weekend when we meet Erins Own. With the last decade the County SHC had a start date of late may or early June. However in it's infinite wisdom the GAA decided to dismantle the most competitive ever Munster and Leinster Provincial  Hurling Championships and emasculate them into mickey-mouse round robin leagues. The knock on effect has meant that Club Championships have been brought forward. In my opinion it's a disgraceful decision and now after a horrendous last few months weather-wise clubs are facing into important games with very little real hurling done because of ground conditions. I understand the GAA has no control over the weather but the whole concept shows the ordinary GAA members, players and Clubs that we matter very little in comparison with the Inter County scene -which after all caters for 3% of all hurlers and footballers. Such is the GAA we now have. We face into next Sunday's game with a much changed team from the last few years but we can be confident of a good display from our lads. Our opponents reached the County Final just two years ago and have been one of the top club teams in Cork with the last five years. We've met several times in the SHC in recent years with Erins Own coming out on top on a few occasions so we are well due a win. Our displays in the Senior Hurling League have been good. We drew with the Barrs and then had two good displays against Sars and the Glen but lost both. Then in the space of a few days we had two nice wins against Midleton and Blackrock while our game against Newcestown fell foul of the weather. Manager Pat Walsh and his selectors and[players have put in a massive effort in recent months and we wish them all  the very best on Sunday. The game is fixed for Pairc Ui Rinn at 3.30pm. Go for it lads, the whole parish is behind  ye, c'mon the Rovers.

New Jersies Thanks to Canon Ml. Leamy for blessing the new set of jersies at Bartlemy mass on Sunday last.

No Lotto Jackpot Winner of €20,000.

On Tuesday last April 10th the Lotto Jackpot was €20,000 and the four numbers drawn were 1, 15, 28 and 31 and there was no winner. The prizes of €30 each went to Aidan Collins, Ava, Cormac, Cathal Barry, The Sunday Club, Ryan Rathcormac and Margaret O'Sullivan, Rathcormac. Tickets for the Lotto are just €2 each and can be bought from Club members, in local business outlets and online at locallotto.ie Your ongoing support of the Lotto is really appreciated. The Income from the weekly Lotto is vital in helping with the day-to-day running of the Club.

Premier 2 Under 13 Hurling.

Bride Rovers began their Premier 2 league campaign with a trip to Na Piarsaigh last Friday evening. A slow start allowed our hosts into a sizeable lead and although the Bride Rovers lads worked hard, their efforts weren't reflected on the score board. Another quick start to the second half added to Na Piarsaigh's lead, and no matter how hard the Bride Rovers lads worked, they couldn't seem to peg them back and Na Piarsaigh eased home to a flattering victory. Final score Na Piarsaigh 5-16 : Bride Rovers 2-08

Match squad,  J Collins, O Kielty, L Roche, D Kielty, L Harrington, D Cashman, A Hynes, C Barry, C O'Sullivan, G Gubbins, R O'Callaghan, B Knox, C O'Sullivan, R O'Riordan, J Keating, K Ryan, C O'Dowd, E O'Connor, T O'Riordan, J Hynes, K.Cotter.

Juvenile Games. It's a hectic period for Juvenile games with matches from Minor down to under 8 going on nearly every day. Results from last week'U 14 HL Bride Rovers 4 15 Ballygarvan 1 3 MHL Bride  Rovers 0 12 Blackrock 5 12 U 15 HL Bride Rovers 1 16      Blackrock 3 6 U 13 game v St Finbarrs went off (details of these games next week) Div 3 JHL  Aghada 5 20 Bride Rovers 1 9

Fixtures

Sat U 14 Feile in Dungourney v Killeagh Itas and Kiltha Og Sun 22/4 Co SHC V Erins Own in Pairc Ui Rinn 3.30 Mon 23/4 U 13 hl v Inniscarra away 7pm. Tues 24/4 JHL Div 1 v Russell Rovers away Thurs 26th MHC V St Finbarrs.

John Ryan RIP. It was with great sadness that we learned on Sunday of the unexpected death of John Ryan of Mondaniel, Rathcormac. A great GAA Supporter and a proud family man John Ryan represented all that was and is good in rural communities. He loved his family, his community,  his farm and his GAA Club in a special way. John and his brother Liam (later Fr Liam) played with the Club in the early 1950's at a time when the Club was not in a very strong position in regards to competing at top level in East Cork but nevertheless they helped keep the flag flying. The Ryan family has made a huge contribution to Bride Rovers with both Donal and Sean captaining the Club to County titles and the next generation is continuing that tradition. John Ryan and his wife Brid were so happy and pleased to see the growth of the Club in recent decades. John Ryan was a great friend and a true son of a great parish clan. His father Daniel was born in 1891 and was son of William Ryan who was born in 1845. William was grandson of the widow Johannah Ryan of Ballinakilla, Bartlemy who in December 1834 took a brave stand against the Tithe Tax and lost a son in the bloody fight on Dec 18th of that year. The Ryan family in all it's branches have been stalwarts of our parish down the years and continue to do so. We offer our sincere condolences to all the Ryan family at his sad time. May John rest in peace.

BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres

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