The Cork Senior Football team to play Louth in Division 2 Round 6 of the Allianz Football League has been announced

The Cork Senior Football team to play Louth in Division 2 Round 6 of the Allianz Football League has been announced

  1. Micheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers)
  2. Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty)
  3. Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree)
  4. Tommy Walsh (Kanturk)
  5. Luke Fahy (Ballincollig)
  6. Rory Maguire (Castlehaven)
  7. Matty Taylor (Mallow)
  8. Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg)
  9. Ian Maguire (St Finbarrs)
  10. Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree)
  11. Sean Powter (Douglas)
  12. Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues)
  13. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven) Captain
  14. Chris Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire)
  15. Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers)
  16. Chris Kelly (Éire Óg)
  17. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)
  18. Sean Meehan (Kiskeam)
  19. Paul Ring (Aghabullogue)
  20. Cian Kiely (Ballincollig)
  21. Shane Merritt (Mallow)
  22. Paul Walsh (Kanturk)
  23. Killian O’Hanlon (Killshannig)
  24. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
  25. Fionn Herlihy (Dohenys)
  26. Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers)

The Cork Senior Hurling Team to play Clare in Round 5 of Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League has been announced

The Cork Senior Hurling Team to play Clare in Round 5 of Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League has been announced

  1. Ger Collins (Ballinhassig)
  2. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons) Captain
  3. Daire O’Leary (Watergrasshill)
  4. Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers)
  5. Cathal Cormack (Blackrock)
  6. Robert Downey (Glen Rovers)
  7. Cormac O’Brien (Newtownshandrum)
  8. Brian Roche (Bride Rovers)
  9. Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr’s)
  10. Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neills)
  11. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
  12. Brian Hayes (St Finbarr’s)
  13. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
  14. Padraig Power (Blarney)
  15. Jack O’ Connor (Sarsfields)
  16. Gavin Connolly (Blackrock)
  17. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
  18. Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neills)
  19. Brian O’Sullivan (Kanturk)
  20. Sam Quirke (Midleton)
  21. Darragh Flynn (Ballygiblin)
  22. Conor Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
  23. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
  24. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
  25. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
  26. Cormac Beausang (Midleton)

Hamilton High School Bandon still punching above their weight

In attendance at the Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Captains Call at Croke Park in Dublin were, from left, James Mahon and Evan O’Shea of Colaiste Naomh Cormac, Conor O’Sullivan and Evan O’Shea of Hamilton High School.

By John Harrington GAA.ie

Hamilton High School, Bandon, have a proud tradition of punching above their weight when it comes to Post Primary Schools GAA.

They’re a relatively small school of around 400 boys, and yet manage to consistently compete for top honours in both Gaelic football and hurling, winning provincial and All-Ireland honours in both.

They’re located in an area of Cork more traditionally know as a power-base of Gaelic football, but the school has always given equal billing to hurling and reaped the benefits of that approach as their presence in Saturday’s Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Senior ‘B’ Hurling Final attests to.

“We’re very much a dual school,” says Tiernan O’Driscoll, joint manager of the team that will play Coláiste Naomh Cormac from Offaly in Saturday’s Final.

“I suppose we’d be considered one of the best teams in West Cork in hurling. We feel it’s our duty to promote hurling and represent West Cork.

“It can be challenging to combine both codes, there’s no doubt about that. But, to be fair, we work well with the coaches of the football squad and our local clubs and find a way.

“The clubs are great in that respect. They help us out a lot in terms of releasing players for crucial games.

“I think it’s important for young fellas to experience a wide range of sports. Different sports can complement each other. Basketball is huge in Kerry and that obviously benefits their football.

“I think it can only be positive that they’re involved in different codes, different sports. They can bring all the positive aspects from those different sports to whatever they’re playing that day.

“When you come into Hammies you know it’s a very football and hurling oriented school. A lot of fellas would know that from their club backgrounds. They would know that and they want to excel at that.”

Hamilton High School have showed both class and grit on the way to this Final, overcoming Castletroy College after a ferocious battle in the Munster Final and then getting the better of Holy Rosary College of Mountbellew in the All-Ireland semi-final.

They’re up against another quality outfit now in Saturday’s Final in a Coláiste Naomh Cormac team that includes a number of the Offaly team that reached last year’s All-Ireland Minor Final, including Player of the Year, Adam SCreeney.

“There are some quality players there, there’s no doubt about that, but we’ll relish it,” says O’Driscoll.

“Obviously we want to play the best teams and if you get to an All-Ireland Final then you’re going to be playing the best team in your grade.

“So the lads are really looking forward to it and on the day they’re going to give it their best game. That’s all you can really ask for.”

Saturday, March 18

Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Paddy Buggy Cup (Senior ‘B’ Hurling) Final

Hamilton High School Bandon v Coláiste Naomh Cormac, Kilmallock, 2pm.

Rebels Bounty Draw will close in two weeks.

 

Just two weeks remain in the lead-up to the 2023 Rebels’ Bounty Draw. This season’s draw will be the third year that Rebels’ Bounty Draw has taken place.

Rebels’ Bounty has raised nearly €4 million for clubs during the first two years of the draw. During this time, there have been 720 different winners. These winners have shared €1 million worth of cash prizes. An amazing top prize of €100,000 was awarded to both December winners in 2021 and 2022. 

On March 30th, the draws for January February, and March will take place, on this day the draw will close at 2pm and after this time, no more entries to Rebels’ Bounty 2023 will be possible. 

Don’t miss out or wait until the last minute, Support your Club and Support your local Community.

Join today at www.gaacork.ie/rebelsbounty.

Mitchelstown CBS hope to end stellar year on a high

By John Harrington for GAA.ie

It’s always a good sign of a school if a former pupil returns to it as a teacher.

At the photo-call for the Masita Post Primary Schools All-Ireland Football and Hurling Finals, it was notable that many of the team mentors were former pupils themselves.

Most likely a combination of happy memories and a grá for Gaelic games as well as professional ambition drew them back to their old Alma Mater

Mitchelstown CBS teacher, Jason Walsh, was one of them, and there’s a nice circularity to his story.

He played on the Mitchelstown CBS team that won a Corn Risteard Ui Mhathuna Munster Senior Hurling ‘C’ title in 2004, and has now coached them to the first title in the grade since then 19 years later.

He’s not the only connection to that 2004 success. Willie Duggan was the manager back then and is also manager of this year’s team.

“Willie is leaving a real legacy,” says Walsh. “He’s done so much for the school, hurling-wise.

“There wasn’t even a hurling team until Willie set it up. I’d say it was back in the 1990s when he set up hurling in the school on his own and he’s been driving it ever since, fair play to him.

“There were days in my time hurling in the school when he’d be going to matches on his own with no help. He was the only teacher doing hurling and football at the time in the school. It’s a testament to him that he’s still doing it and still loves it.

“Being a former pupil and player and now being a teacher in the school and coaching the teams, of course it means a lot to me. It’s great to see the school doing well and around the community everyone is talking about it.

“You’re going to club matches at the weekend and fellas are asking you about it and talking to you about it so it’s great. It’s a real rural community so it’s very tight-knit, and even though it’s three different counties they really do have a love for the school, the clubs that are feeding into it. It’s exciting.”

It’s been a year of high achievement for Mitchelstown CBS who draw their pupils from Cork, Tipperary, and Limerick.

Not only have they reached an All-Ireland Hurling Final, they were also unfortunate to lose the Munster Senior ‘B’ football final to Abbey CBS.

They’ve had a hectic fixture schedule, but Walsh is happy they’re coming into Saturday’s All-Ireland Final against St. Mary’s Magherafelt in good shape, both physically and mentally.

“We’re going well to be fair,” he says. “It’s hard to get through playing Munster football and Munster hurling and getting to two finals and keep all the boys injury free but they are. They’re all in good nick and fit and ready for action.

“There’s a huge crossover between our football and hurling teams. You’d be talking 12 of the starters would be playing for both teams.

“It’s been an exciting year for us. Sometimes it can work to your advantage when you’re playing week in and week out but it can also take it’s toll on the body but thankfully our lads have done very well, we’re happy out with them.

“I actually think that losing the Munster football final might stand to them too. It’s tough to lose a Munster Final and I think they were a little bit nervous the last day at the start of the All-Ireland Hurling semi-final, they didn’t want to lose again, and the fear of losing can sometimes inhibit you.

“But, no, they seem to be mentally strong after losing the football. They’re mad to get down training again and push on again for the final.

“It would be great to get over the line and win it, especially as we’ve lost a good few finals in the last few years between football and hurling so it would be nice to bring some silverware to the school again.

“We won the Senior ‘C’ football a few years back as well in 2016 so it would be nice to go on now and also win a Senior ‘C’ hurling title.”

Saturday, March 18

Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Michael Cusack Cup (Senior Hurling ‘C’) Final

Mitchelstown CBS v St. Mary’s Magherafelt, GAA Centre of Excellence, Abbottstown, 2pm.