Aghada GAA Juvenile News - By Juvenile PRO Donal Walsh
Hi folks, hope this Easter holiday finds you well and you have a visit from the Easter bunny, although Pat and John T would not be happy to see some rabbit holes on our fields even if they are full of chocolate eggs! The Lenten season is coming to an end and it’s a wonderful time of the year with warmer weather, Easter flowers and special Easter traditions with your family. Traditions need to be respected it’s part of growing up, our culture and who we are and while it’s easy to get caught up in Easter egg hunts, chocolate eggs and baskets full of goodies we could all take a reminder to step back and remember why we celebrate traditions in the first place and enjoy sharing the special occasions with our family, friends, and colleagues.
U16 Premier 2 Hurling Mallow 1-20 Aghada 3-8 A disappointing result away to Mallow in the league last Sunday morning, we never came close to hitting the heights we are capable of, playing second fiddle to the tenacious home side who were hell bent on reversing last year’s championship result between the two sides when we came out on top. We started in good fashion when centre forward Jude Devoy who was ever present throughout collected a Jack Dorney pass to billow the net. Points from play by Jack and Isaac Oosthuizen and 3 Jude frees left the half time score 1-11 to 1-5 in the home sides favour. The second half was much the same with Mallow on top although we did mange 2 more goals the first a well-executed penalty from Jude after Sam McAllister was fouled and he then completed his hat trick near the end with a composed finish. Jack Linehan and Jude from play and another Jude free completed our scoring.
U12 football C-3 league Aghada 8-3 Douglas 2-1 Goals galore for our U12 second team in Rostellan last Monday evening with our penchant for finding the net making a big difference on the scoreline in the end. The first half was a fairly even affair as we led 3-0 to 1-1, our goals coming from Rory Casey, Ronan Callanan and Mason Sheehan with the dynamic Bobby Creedon pulling the strings at midfield. First half goalkeeper M J relocated to the forward line in the second half and went on to make an immediate impact scoring a hat trick, the third a well taken shot from the penalty spot after he was fouled himself. His goalkeeping deputy Eoin Condon went on to make two super saves to deny the Douglas boys. Points from Cormac Byrne, Seán Walsh and James Connolly kept the scoreboard ticking over as full back line trio Dylan Crowley, Dara Kelleher and Aiden Murphy were solid all through. Alex Gill, Alex Day and Adam O’ Loughlin were impressive in the middle third, while up front full forward Gavin Conway’s ball winning ability was essential to our attacking threat. We rounded off the scoring with another cool Rory Casey finish and a blockbuster from the commanding Ronan Callanan.
U12 football league Youghal 8-6 Aghada 3-9 Our first U12 team were away to our seaside neighbours Youghal with the game taking place at exactly the same time as our second string were in action in Rostellan. The scoreline did not do our lads justice as for the first 40 minutes of this game there was nothing between the teams. The home side led at the break 1-4 to 1-3 with our goal coming from the boot of Jack Kelleher who was also very accurate from the placed ball. We went on to dominate the first ten minutes of the second half before a flurry of Youghal goals put an end to our chances. Fourteen scores to twelve was how it finished with the goals making the big difference on the final tally. We had some strong performances throughout with Luke Hickey, Cathal Grehan, James Irwin, and Conor O’ Reilly particularly prominent.
U14 football League Aghada 1-10 St Colmans 4-3 The old adage goals win matches came home to roost as the Cloyne/ Russell Rovers amalgamation found the net and the win in Rostellan on Wednesday evening. Straight from the throw in they went for goal but were denied by a brave block by tenacious corner back Rossa White. We had some good goal chances of our own but did not take them and we were also thankful to our supreme goalkeeper Cathal Lowney who brought off some breath-taking saves, as good as this scribe has ever seen at this level. The half time score was 0-3 v 1-2 in favour of the away side with some of our scores the result of free-flowing moves involving Kaylan Cunningham and Conor Padden with Matthew Condon and Robbie Oosthuizen finding the range from play and Eoghan O’ Shea hitting a well struck free. The second half saw us playing well with Matthew Condon shooting an array of points from different angles but every time we got close the away side would conjure up a goal. We did find the net with a fine Jake Morrisey effort but ran out of time. Plenty to ponder for the selectors and plenty of positives as well besides the defeat. Team & scorers Cathal Lowney, Seán O’ Reilly, Ciarán Cashman, Rossa White, Aiden Johnston, Kaylan Cunningham, Jake Morrissey 1-0, Evan Courtney, Hugh O’ Loingsigh 0-1, Conor Padden, Shay Rooney, Eoghan O’ Shea 0-1f, Conor Fleming, Matthew Condon 0-6 0-2f, Robbie Oosthuizen 0-1. subs used Jamie Sweeney, Donncha Walsh, Marcus O’ Loughlin, Cormac Cashman.
U18 football League Kiltha Og 1-7 Aghada 1-7 Honours even and a fair result after an absorbing contest in Dungourney on Wednesday evening. Both sides battled for supremacy and at the end of a low scoring first half we were deadlocked with the score 1-1 v 0-4 with the Dungourney and Castlemartyr amalgamation getting the goal. James Motherway scored 2 points, one a free with his right boot while on the opposite side James Hurley had 2 frees with his left boot a handy combination to have. Seán Corkery is increasing his growing reputation between the sticks with another composed display. James M hit a fine goal after the break being set up nicely by Joshua Halpin after a fine move. Good points by the impressive Conor Geary and a double from the influential John Walsh had us in the lead entering the final straight but Killtha struck for the equaliser and the points were shared.
County Scór success Eire Óg GAA pavilion in Ovens was the venue last Saturday night as Whitegate school were runners up in the Rince Foirne dancing and Aghada school were county winners in the quiz in a dramatic final to win a nerve-jangling tie breaker by the narrowest of margins. Whitegate were represented by Jessica, Soleil, Alannah, Niamh, Méabh H and Méamh M and Aghada by Isabelle O’ Connor, Eolann Deane, Seán Day, and Fionn Musgrave, well done to all involved and to all who helped in the preparation of the teams who brought such great success back to the parish.
The cork minor hurlers who have our own Seán O’ Callaghan as part of their panel are motoring along nicely with two wins from two to be sitting pretty in the Munster championship, the latest win against old foes Tipperary in Paírc Uí Chaoimh last Tuesday night and with more cracking games to come its exciting times in the Rebel camp.
Our u15 footballers are in Féile action this Saturday in a group that includes Mitchelstown and Fermoy a hard task but one they are well capable of overcoming. The boys have been training diligently and we wish the team and management the very best of luck. Also, many thanks to Eoin Murphy solicitors for a sponsorship donation to Féile 2023.
Aghada Cúl Camp will run from the 17th – 21st July this year. As always demand will be high for these places as there is a limit on numbers due to child coach ratio requirement. Booking is online only, and the portal will open early next week. Further information on this will be issued through the secretaries to the various groups. Thankyou for your understanding on this.
The 2023 Electric Ireland GAA Celtic Challenge gets underway on Saturday 8th April with 38 teams from 30 counties taking part in one of the most innovative developmental initiatives within the GAA calendar. The Celtic challenge is named after the original Juvenile Hurling Clubs known as “Celtic” and the Divisional trophies are named after six of the 14 civilians that were killed in Bloody Sunday. This is an U17 competition and the best of luck to James Hurley, Samuel O’ Driscoll, Tomás Condon, Robert Dean, Hugh Mulcahy and James Motherway who are all part of the extended panel and who will be representing Cork East this year. The first game is against Killkenny is in Aghavine the Fr O’ Neills sportsfield at 12pm Saturday, with further games in the coming weeks against Wexford and Waterford to come. We also have representation on the Cork u16 hurling panel this year with Jude Devoy, Colm O’ Donoghue and Isaac Oosthuizen flying the flag for the club and we wish them all the best of luck for the year ahead.
Fixtures
Friday 7th April U18 Hurling League Aghada v Carrigtwohill 19:00 Rostellan
Monday 10th April U12 Hurling League Aghada (2) V Douglas 17:15 Douglas
Monday 10th April U12 Hurling League Aghada v Youghal 18:30 Rostellan
Wed 12th April U14 Football League Aghada v Glenville 18:30 Rostellan
Wed 12th April U16 Football League Aghada v Lisgoold 18:30 Lisgoold
Be Seen wear the Green. Ár nDícheall Go Deo
Slán go fóill
