Aghada Juvenile GAA News - By Juvenile PRO Donal Walsh

Hi folks, I hope everyone is enjoying this fine spell of good weather we are having. Unfortunately, last weekend saw the Cork minor hurlers exit the championship at the All-Ireland semi-final stage, our own Seán O’ Callaghan came on at half time and acquitted himself very well against an outstanding Galway team. It was great to see Seán line out in the Blood and Bandage colours of the rebel county, that was very well deserved for the amount of sacrifices and hard work he puts in to make it at this elite level. Hopefully this is only the beginning for this talented player who has given everyone in the club a real boost watching him represent Cork and Aghada with pride. As the now recently deceased pop legend Tina Turner sang on her greatest hit, You’re simply the Best!

The long hours spent.

The commitment, The sacrifices, When you finally achieve what you have striven for, It can feel absolutely great. But remember. The road to great success - Is often paved with smaller ones.

U16 Football League Erins Own 5-15 Aghada 4-7 Sunday morning in Caherlag we took on Erins Own where a win would have put us into the League final, but it wasn’t to be as we were minus a few players and the home side proved to be a strong powerful unit. On the day the game ebbed and flowed with only a few points in it for the majority of the encounter before the home side pulled clear in the final quarter. Jack Mulcahy buried a penalty and was unlucky the second time around when we were awarded a second one only for the goalkeeper to guess the right way and palm it around the post. The impressive Joe Connolly also got in on the goalscoring act as well as further green flags from Cian Moore and Dara O’ Conchubhair. Cillian Falvey was prominent throughout, while Eoghan Walsh, Cormac Walsh and Tom Walsh- no relation were involved in some good moves that yielded fine scores. The u16 footballers now have a bit of a sabbatical as they will not be involved again until when championship comes around in October, so keeping the players ticking over at u14 and u17 level will be the priority over the summer months.

U12 Hurling League Aghada 3-6 Kiltha Óg 4-5 On a lovely Monday evening for hurling on the freshly cut main field in Rostellan, we locked horns with the Castlemartyr/ Dungourney amalgamation in a terrific game of hurling by two very even sides. We got off to a flyer with a fine goal from Darragh Callanan who caught a Jack Kelleher delivery to billow the net. The first half flew by and was nip and tuck with Finn Larkin bringing off a great save and solid all through between the sticks. Leon O’ Connor scored goal number 2 with a composed finish after being set up nicely by Darragh, but it was the away side who led at the break by 2 points, a lead they would hold until the finish. The second half was more or less along the same lines as the first with both sides giving it their all in a great battle for supremacy. Jack K with a good goal and a couple of nice points from frees and Leon with 2 good points from play were our scorers in chief with Bobby O’ Riordan, James Irwin and Gavin Conway to the forefront, but alas it was Kiltha who prevailed in a great advertisement for underage hurling. We wish Seán Day a speedy recovery as he picked up an injury during the game and we hope he can be back in action soon. Team Finn Larkin, Leon Joyce, Maidhc Collins, Gavin Conway, Seán Day, Bobby O’ Riordan, James Irwin, Jack Kelleher, Leon O’ Connor, Jake O’ Sullivan, Cormac Byrne, Conor O’ Reilly, James Kenny, Darragh Callanan, Harry Martin.

U12 Hurling League Blackrock (2) 8-7 Aghada 3-4 We travelled to Mahon to take on Blackrock in their own backyard last Monday night and came up against a very good Rockies side. We started well with a superb Cathal Lehane goal and a couple of points from ace midfielder Bobby Creedon but were soon pegged back by a quality Rockies team. We started well again in the 2nd half with Bobby now moved to the edge of the square bagging a few goals but once again we were overpowered as the Rockies hit some outstanding scores despite the great battling qualities by our side with Daniel O’ Neill in goals performing well and Eoin Rooney, Adam O’ Loughlin, Seán O’ Sullivan and Aaron Murphy hurling with authority.

U14 Hurling League final Lisgoold 1-11 Aghada 1-9 A brave and committed performance by our young lads came up just short against a fine Lisgoold side on their home patch last Tuesday evening. The low hanging glaring sun was in our defenders’ eyes in the first half but it was our boys who scorched into the lead with two points from play, the first a great move when Robbie Oosthuizen found Cathal Lowney who in turn fed David Murphy who fired over. The second from the stick of Matthew Condon after a clever Kaylan Cunningham pass. It was notable that we were creating and scoring some fine points and our opponents were relying on frees, in fact all six of their first half total came from placed balls. Full forward Jake Morrissey was unlucky to see his goalbound shot expertly turned around the post by the home keeper. Further points from Matthew and Eoin O’ Shea gave us a deserved interval lead of 7 points to 6. Finbarr Alcock was a colossus in the full back line clearing his lines time and time again, while outside him Dara O’ Brien was also getting on plenty of ball in the half back line. We started the second half in determined fashion with half time sub-Jack Kelleher shooting just over the crossbar and Jake after another piercing run seeing his shot end up in the side netting. We were then rocked on our heels as after that let off the home side moved up the field and after a defensive mix up the ball ended up in the back of our net. This had the desired effect of giving Lisgoold a boost as we went into our shell and the home side rattled off 4 unanswered points. Goalkeeper John Dorney brought off a superb save and Matthew steadied the ship with a hard worked score after tenacious play from Cathal Lowney. Matthew found the back of the net when he rifled home a 21-meter free and in a welter of excitement we searched for the winner, but the Lisgoold defense remained strong to hold out for the victory. Although we fell short the selectors will be very happy with the application and endeavor shown by the team as they head into championship action in the next few weeks, where hopefully they will be able to call on the services of ace centre forward Shay Rooney who missed this one with an ankle injury. Team & scorers John Dorney, Rossa White, Sam Morgan, Finbarr Alcock , Donncha Walsh, Kaylan Cunningham, Dara O’ Brien, Conor Charles, Cormac Cashman, Matthew Condon 1-6 0-3f, Eoin O’ Shea 0-1, Robbie Oosthuizen, Cathal Lowney, Jake Morrissey, David Murphy 0-1 subs Jack Kelleher 0-1, Eoin Kirrane, Jamie Sweeney, Rían O’ Brien, Tim O’ Hanlon, Marcus O’ Loughlin, Sam Ahern, Harry Burgoyne, Dara Crowley.

U17 Premier 1 Hurling League Sars 2-24 Aghada 2-15 A beautiful sunny evening in Riverstown with a slight breeze blowing across the field from the clubhouse side made for a fine game of hurling from two committed sides. In fairness Sars are an elite team who have won all before them and trying to get up to that standard is a challenge in itself, but our lads can be proud of their effort as they certainly played their part in an entertaining game. We started well with the first point of the game, a fine James Motherway strike and went on to lead 6 points to 5 after a lively opening quarter. Our points came from Samuel O’ Driscoll 2, James Hurley, Seán O’ Callaghan after a piercing run through the heart of the defense and Tomás Condon. Sars showed their class striking for a good goal and then drew a great save from our netminder James O’ Donnell. They then hit some well worked points to widen the gap but our lads worked hard to stay in contention as the industrious James H struck for a goal and also tagged on a couple of points to leave the half time score 1-14 v 1-8 in favour of the home side. We went toe to toe with the Glanmire boys in the second half with Ronan Devoy rock solid and Robert Dean sweeping up well around the half back line. More points followed from James H frees and play, Jude Devoy, Tomás and Samuel with a long-range Samuel goal sandwiched in between. There was no denying the class of the Sars boys, yet our lads can be proud of the commitment and resolve they showed while putting some quality scores and play together. Team & scorers James O’ Donell, Ronan Devoy, Seán Santos O’ Sullivan, Evan Crowley, David Wallace, Robert Dean, Colm O’ Donoghue, Seán O’ Callaghan 0-1, James Hurley 1-7 5f, Jude Devoy 0-1, Samuel O’ Driscoll 1-3 2f, Calum Roberts, James Motherway 0-1, Hugh Mulcahy, Tomás Condon 0-2 subs used Seán Corkery, Isaac Oosthuizen, Conor Baxx, Jack Linehan, Andrew Murphy, Cormac Walsh.

A big weekend ahead for Ger Sheehan selector and players Tomás Condon, James Hurley, Robert Dean and Samuel O’ Driscoll as they represent our club and Cork East in the All-Ireland final of the Celtic hurling League on Saturday against Dublin. The game is fixed for Birr in Offaly with a 13:30 throw in and will be live streamed on the GAA website.

Well done to all who are representing the club in the Football skills competition held in Pairc Uí Chaoimh recently and the best of luck to all who have qualified for the next stage as this competition is ongoing.

The Best of luck to Scoil Íosagáin, Aghada National School who are going in search of the double as they take on Dungourney NS in the final of the Sciath Na scol hurling in Pairc Uí Chaoimh next Tuesday at 12pm. They have already annexed the football crown so if successful an historic double would be on the cards that would create memories for a lifetime.

Fixtures Fri 26th U17 Football League Diarmuid O’ Murchu v Aghada 19:30 Crosshaven.

Sun 28th U12 Football League St Finbarrs v Aghada 17:30 St Finbarrs.

Tues 30th U14 Football Championship St Colmcilles v Aghada 19:30 Carrignavar.

Slán go fóill.

Be seen wear the Green
Ár nDícheall Go Deo.