Aghada GAA Juvenile News - by Juvenile PRO Donal Walsh

Hi folks, hope this newsletter finds you well. The road to success is often paved with smaller ones, how often have we heard that before. In 2019 we were lucky enough as a club to host Slaughtneil a thriving GAA club, at the heart of the community in south Derry, to our parish during the football Féile held in Cork that year. Last week on a family trip up the country we happened to meet a family from Slaughtneil who re-called fondly their time spent in Aghada during that time. Derry won the All-Ireland minor football final a few weeks ago and from the team who stayed in our parish 5 of them were on the Derry panel not only that the captain of the team Fionn McEldowney stayed in our house that weekend. The distance from Aghada to Slaughtneil might be as long as the queue for Coldplay tickets but the GAA has a great way of bringing people together. Maybe it was by chance, destiny, luck or faith that brought us together with Slaughtneil but they are certainly a Club that continue to inspire on and off the field. Success for any club does not happen overnight or in an instant, it needs to be long term and sustained. If each small success is enjoyed and celebrated, confidence grows and as everyone knows- success breeds success.

Minor football Championship Midleton 0-5 Aghada 0-14. Our supporters travelled in numbers and enjoyed a fine win over the home side last week in Clonmult memorial park. The team played a nice brand of football and were the better team throughout. Dara O’ Conchubhair at wing back gave a marvelous display turning over countless balls and setting up numerous attacks. James Hurley was our scorer in chief kicking six brilliant points helped greatly by our hardworking midfield duo Samuel O’ Driscoll and David Wallace. Captain and center back Tomás Condon led by example marshalling the defense well in a composed display. We led at half time by 9 points to 3 and were thankful to goalkeeper Seán Corkery who made a few fine stops when called into action and one in particular proved crucial just after the break to keep the magpies at bay. We held our composure and kept our lead intact with Evan Crowley, one of our standout performers immense in the corner back position. We are now looking in a strong position in our group with 2 wins from 2 and up next is St Michaels in Rostellan next Wednesday. Panel and scorers. Seán Corkery, Evan Crowley, Ronan Devoy, Cian Murphy, Conor Bakx, Tomás Condon, Dara O’ Conchubhair, Samuel O’ Driscoll 0-2, David Wallace, Andrew Murphy, Robert Dean 0-1, James O’ Donnell, Seán O’ Callaghan 0-1, James Motherway 0-4, James Hurley 0-6, Finn Berry, Cillian Falvey, Colm White.

U13 Hurling League Watergrasshill 3-8 Aghada 2-4 Two high balls into the square late into the second half were not dealt with and ended up in the back of our net and turned this game on its head in favour of the home side from the Hill. We led at half time by 1-3 to 0-5 with points from Rían O’ Brien and 2 from Dara O’ Brien along with a cracking goal from full forward Cathal Lowney who put the ball on the hurl and ran through for a super goal. The second half we kept our noses in front with a couple of more points from Dara and a poacher’s goal from Sam Ahern. The game then took a turn for the worse from our point of view with the concession of the 2 avoidable and dubious goals and despite Leon O’ Connor who put in a stylish cameo upon his introduction there was no way back and it was the hill who claimed the win. Team & scorers Dara Kelleher, Dylan Kearns, Finbarr Alcock, Eoghan Kirrane, Donncha Walsh, David Murphy, James Irwin, Cormac Cashman, Jack Kelleher, Sam Ahern 0-1, Dara O’ Brien 0-4f Marcus O’ Loughlin, Jake O’ Sullivan, Cathal Lowney 1-0,Rían O’Brien 0-1 Subs used Dara Callanan, Leon O’ Connor, Ben Duggan.

U15 football championship Aghada 1-14 Glenville 4-7 For the second game in a row, we gave ourselves a mountain to climb after falling behind with the concession of goals proving to be our downfall, we once again mounted a brave and spirited comeback and even took the lead, only to be hit with another sucker punch of a goal at the death. We started well playing some nice, controlled football into the stiff Rostellan breeze and struck some

fine points from Jack Mulcahy, Tom Walsh and Sam McAllister but still found ourselves 8 points in arrears at half time as the away side poached 3 goals in clinical fashion. The second half comeback was spurned into action after the arrival of Jack Dorney who blasted home a goal on his introduction after a quick dash to the venue from Cork airport. We kicked points from Jack Mull and Josh McCarthy to level proceedings with 5 minutes to go and then in a welter of excitement we took the lead from the boot of the ice cool Matthew Condon but alas our hopes were dashed with that late Glenville goal, and we now head into our final group game with St Colmans as a place in the shield competition awaits.

U12 Hurling League Cobh 1-4 Aghada 3-11. Played in Cobh last Monday night we had the strong wind blowing in from the habour at our backs in the first half and the lads made full use of it to score 3-6 in the opening half. The healthy lead the boys built up was the result of good teamwork with Jack Kelleher, Conor O’ Neill and Cormac Byrne to the fore in the impressive first half showing. The second period was not as productive as the home side were now the ones with the aid of the elements. Our scoring prowess dropped off but not our work ethic and the team were unyielding as we were driven home by superb performances from Seán Day, Lorcan Evans and Conor O’ Reilly. Panel Dara Kelleher, Cormac Byrne, Maidhc Collins, Conor O’ Neill, Seán Day, James Irwin, Finn Larkin, Jack Kelleher, Lorcan Evans, Leon Joyce, Bobby O’ Riordan, Leon O’ Connor, James Kenny, Jake O’ Sullivan, Conor O’ Reilly, MJ Duggan, Luca Hurley, Harry Martin.

U15 P2 Hurling championship Blackrock 2-23 Aghada 2-11. For long periods of this Premier 2 hurling championship encounter we were well in contention until the last quarter when the more clinical Rockies pulled clear in their home patch of Church Road. Tom Walsh was our main threat up front causing the Rockies rearguard all kinds of problems with an array of beautiful scores, top of the pile was a sublime sideline cut from 40 yards. Jack Mulcahy and Jake Morrissey also contributed on the scoreboard and with Cormac Crowley soundness personified between the sticks, there was only a goal between the sides at half time 13 points to 1-7 in favour of the hosts our goal a quality finish from Tom who showed great confidence to belt home a 21 yard free. We almost levelled the game on the resumption when Tom shot narrowly wide and with Kaylan Cunningham and Will O’ Mahony excelling in defense we kept the Rockies at bay. Eventually the bigger resources of the home side began to tell as they certainly had a lot more players than us on the age and by the end of the game, we had to call on a few u13 players to fill some positions, still we have some good quality in the side, and they are mixing it with good opposition.

U17 P1 Hurling Championship Sarsfield 2-25 Aghada 0-15. The scoreline does not do justice to the brave and committed performance of our lads although there is no doubting Sars were the better team on the night. Both sides were missing some regulars, 4 starters in our case and there can be no denying the bigger numbers and quality that Sars possess would be the envy of most clubs in the country as they can absorb the losses in personnel with ease and the fact, we lost Seán Santos O’ Sullivan and Robert Dean to injury in the first half also did not help our cause. Our first score was a thing of beauty when a sublime Crossfield ball from Seán O’ Callaghan found Isaac Oosthuizen and he fired over the bar to raise the white flag. James Hurley was a ball of energy in the middle third hitting points from play and frees from various angles and distances. Tomás Condon hit a nice point after good work from Hugh Mulcahy and Jude Devoy grabbed a long puck out from James O’ Donnell to also split the posts. Ronan Devoy was a colossus at full back clearing a world of ball while also having the enviable task of marking the home sides danger man the Cork Minor full forward Barry O’ Flynn, while Andrew Murphy hurled well upon his introduction. This is a quality Sars side, and no one said it would be easy and with more big games in the group to look forward to the lads will relish the battles ahead as they mix it with the best the

county has to offer. Team & scorers James O’ Donnell, Evan Crowley, Ronan Devoy, David Wallace, Robert Dean, Seán O’ Callaghan 0-1, Seán O’ Sullivan, James Hurley 0-8 0-4f, Isaac Oosthuizen 0-1, Jude Devoy 0-1, Hugh Mulcahy, James Motherway, Jack Lenihan, Tomás Condon 0-3, Callum Roberts 0-1 subs used Andrew Murphy, Cormac Walsh, Tom Walsh.

Well done to the East Cork u17 Celtic league winners who were recently honoured with the Rebel Óg June monthly award and to our own contingent who were involved in the success Ger Sheehan selector and players Tomás Condon, Samuel O’ Driscoll, Robert Dean and James Hurley.

Well done to our u10 players who played the summer league series this year that culminated in the final’s day in Pairc Uí Chaoimh last Saturday where we had 18 players togged out and they all received medals from Cork u20 All Ireland winning hurler Adam O’ Sullivan. Well done to the mentors and parents who facilitated the boys involvement in the tournament.

The Best of Luck to all involved with Cork Camogie as they go in search of All Ireland honours and try and bring back the O’Duffy cup to the Leeside for the first time since 2018 and especially good luck to the girls from the club Aoife, Ali, Hannah and Amy, Rebels Abú

Fixures.

Sun 6th U12 Football G2 Aghada V Carrigtwohill 11:30 Rostellan

Mon 7th U15 Football Championship St. Colemans V Aghada 19:00 St. Colemans

Wed 9th U17 Football Championship Aghada V St. Michaels 19:00 Rostellan

Fri 11th U13 Football League Aghada V St Vincents 19:00 Rostellan

Sat 12th U15 Football league Aghada V Glanmire 13:00 Rostellan