Joe Brolly in sole charge in Knockmore now
1 Like
Cork
An HORS CATEGORIE game on the BOICMC between last years beaten Munster Club Finalists Eire Og Ennis and Doon finished in a draw on Saturday afternoon,
Big one tonight in Castlemartyr for anyone in the area - Imokilly v Ballygunner for the most prestigious Abernethy Cup.
With the Inter County season effectively a lame duck, hopefully the club season has more cut and thrust to proceedings.
1 Like
Iâll let the Corkies run the rule over this Imokilly lineout.
Ballygunner won by a cricket score. Something mental like 5-27 to 1-15.
1 Like
Probably 5 of Imokillys first choice team. They should be disbanded anyway.
Theyâd hardly be training much at this time of the year, would they?
This fixture is usually much more competitive though.
No be doing nothing. 1 positive of the split season is it has really screwed Imokilly. Cant train together. Ciaran Joyce out for championship too.
Seems like all other divisions and UCC have given up too.
Ballygunner looking ominously strong with effectively 5x Inter County Senior men to come back in to that team.
Yet another @peddlerscross TFK exclusive.
It was on Imokilly Gaa twitter last night mate.
2 Likes
tell us more about the abernety cup
Carlow Senior Hurling Championship got underway this weekend.
Mount Leinster Rangers beat Naomh Brid by a cricket score. No surprise there.
Bagenalstown Gaels beat Myshall by 6 points. Myshall had a man sent off in the first half.
I was at the Ballinkillen v St Mullins game this afternoon in the newly renovated McGrath Park, Bagenalstown. The perennial question is can anyone break the Mount Leinster Rangers/St Mullins duopoly. Ballinkillen have looked most likely in that regard for a few years now and made a good start this afternoon overcoming a 6 point half time deficit to win by 8 on a score of 1-27 to 2-16. St Mullins were missing Mouse Kavanagh, but their main men are all getting on a bit now. No sign of Choo Choo Murphy for Ballinkillen. Unclear as of yet seemingly as to whether he is hurling this year.
2 Likes
Watched some of the Clubber highlights package back there. That Bagenalstown victory over Myshall is a very significant one as itâs hard to see the latter reach a semi-final after it. A video of their victory over Parnells in the 1994 Carlow senior hurling final popped up on YouTube the other day. A real throwback to proper roaster Ireland. I never realised that SĂŠamus âMaggotâ Murphy cut his managerial teeth as 5 in a row winning manager of Myshall. Parnells merged into Naomh BrĂd shortly after 94â didnât they? A rude awakening for Naomh BrĂd at the weekend against an MLR team shorn of a load of mainstays on holidays (cc split season) like Chris Nolan, Evan Kealy and Jon Nolan. A huge gulf in class to go from winning intermediate which is akin to the middle reaches of Junior (4th tier in Wexford) to facing an MLR team who would be a strong senior outfit in any county. This theory of mine was reinforced when I heard that a good Intermediate A team in Wexford had 5 goals scored within 12 minutes against one of the main Intermediate contenders from Carlow on the less Box Office practice match circuit. An early Mikey Bambrick goal was a false dawn for the men picking from a football orientated area of Old Leighlin, Ballinabranna and Leighlinbridge. A far cry from preventing an MLR 3 in a row back in 2008 when they still had the likes of Johnny Nevin in their ranks. A great idea to play Ballinkillen v St Mullins in McGrath park. It looked far more atmospheric than a humdrum group game in Dr. Cullen Park. Mouse Kavanaghâs absence aside that looked like an impressive performance from Ballinkillen and that alongside the return of Jack McCullagh and Paddy McDonnell to the Bagenalstown line-up gives hope of competitive semi-finals this year.
At least Myshall 2nd string had a good win on their neighbours home turf in Kildavin. KC U16âs hammered MLR by 18 points recently. I actually had to double-check that it wasnât MLRâs 2nd team. So that bodes well for their future but Carlow Town and Burren Rangers are better placed to be the next up to attempt the leap from intermediate to senior. Burren have a decent pick now and are competitive at underage level the last few years. Apparently the plan is to eventually expand to an 8 or potentially even 9 team senior championship which is ambitious.
St Martins started without an OâConnor in their 15 for the first time since Circa 2010 but still sent out a statement of intent in the Wexford senior hurling championship by beating Tom Mullalyâs St Anneâs in a disappointing affair (0-20 to 0-12). In fairness to the Martinâs they werenât exactly weakened by bringing in the likes of Ben Stafford who scored the winner in last years Leinster final against Ballyhale. I had Rathnure down as my pre-championship favourites after they won the league by 7 points against the Anneâs but they endured a near calamitous collapse against Glynn-Barntown before late scores from Sean Oâ Connor and AJ Redmond from his own half secured a 2 point win. They were up by 9 points with about 3 minutes of normal time remaining when G/B started throwing caution to the wind and wracked up 3 quick fire goals. Mark Fanning even landing a long-range free into the back of the net. Veteran John Leacy with a lovely swivel and finish to level it up before Rathnureâs late burst.
Faythe Harriers are under the management of long-term servant Brendan Mulligan who mustâve put up nearly 25 years of senior service as he was part of their 2001 winning senior team. Theyâre in a tough auld group and will need a response to last weeks narrow defeat to the Shels tonight when they face Naomh Ăanna. The Gorey men availed of 3 goals off a route one approach against Fethard last weekend. No Mikey Dwyer listed on the panel for the south county men.
In the other group Oylegate beat Ferns by a point with the promising Sean Rowley to the fore. The highlights inexplicably left out both goals. The Rapps could be a relegation candidate in the next few years as that golden generation led by Kevin Foley and Liam Ryan hit their 30âs. They should still have enough to escape the weaker looking Group B but started with a 5 point defeat against Oulart now managed by Rory Jacob. Murtha Doyle of Ear To The Ground fame with the crucial goal. Top three go straight to the quarter-finals with a prelim quarter-final between 4th and 5th from the opposite groups. Slightly more peril in the groups then last years âKilkenny systemâ. The Wexford Hurling podcast has a good championship preview last week featuring FOTF Ed Rowesome and Paul Carley.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn looking very good to bounce straight back-up to senior after a demolition of a young Askamore team. I didnât envisage a 23 point margin there at all. James Tonks, a veteran of the 2022 Ferns senior winning team now appears to be manager of Ballyfad after the split from Tara Rocks. They showed no-ill effects of losing a couple of players in the separation when they beat Blackwater by 8 points. The Jimmies 9 point half-time lead was just enough to stave off a second-half comeback by the Halfway and last years beaten finalists Cloughbawn overcame footballing stronghold Liam Mellows (Castletown). I noticed St James and Bunclody had 40 and 38 players listed on their panels. Lads probably not even getting a start on the 2nd team. Buffers Alley had a late goal from Wexford U20 vice-captain Niall Furlong to thank for a two point victory over Leinster Junior champions Davidstown-Courtnacuddy. Craanford beat Horeswood in the other intermediate game.
In the Intermediate A there was no adult championship debut for the prodigious Sean Oâ Brien in Cushinstowns comfortable win against newly promoted Marshalstown. Two years worth of minors to enter the senior stream this years following the decision to reverse the necessity to be U19 when making your adult bow. Monageer-Boolavogue and the Duffry Rovers should be strong contenders at that grade too and both won over the weekend. A strong looking group with Cushinstown in it too. Gusserane beat fellow New Ross district team Taghmon-Camross in the standout game from the other group.
The Harriers with two early goals against Naomh Ăanna tonight. 2-06 to 0-7. Lee Chin penalty and Connal Clancy.
7 Likes
is it four teams into the semis in the Carlow hurling again this year?
Seems excessive.
Would 1st straight into the final and 2nd v 3rd in a semi final be a better setup? Relegation playoff 5th v 6th.
It would bring an element of jeopardy into the group stages.
No relegation anyway. Itâs more teams they want in senior. Naomh BrĂd decided to go down themselves in 2024 and their first team didnât hurl at all that year. That idea of 2nd v 3rd in a semi-final would make it more cut throat alright. In recent years youâve had a spate of lads going away on holidays and shadow boxing between MLR and St Mullins as both were never at any risk of missing out on the top 4.
1 Like
Looking at that Imokilly team it wonât be around much longer.
Johnny Doyle on the sideline alongside Ronan Sweeney this evening for Portarlington
Kilmoyley, Lixnaw and Tralee Parnellâs all bow out of the Kerry hurling championship this weekend. Start of July and their hurling season over.
Kilmoyleys earliest exit in a long time Iâd say.
1 Like
Went up to Lismore this evening to watch Mount Sion minors take on Lismore. We won 5-18 to 1-12. There is a level of expectation in the club about this team. If they can stay within the guide rails a few of this team have huge potential. Most notably All Ireland minor winners, Bradley Penkert and Tommy Kennedy. Penkert was very good tonight.
As an aside Lismore must be one of the most picturesque club grounds in the country.
5 Likes