Aghada GAA Juvenile News.

Hi folks hope all is well, the inter county season ended last weekend with the staging of the ladies All Ireland football final, a special day for the LGFA with the hosting of the 50th final since its inception in 1974. The day was made extra special as the previous 49 winning captains were paraded to the crowd at half time when for some of those players it was their first-time setting foot on the hallowed Croke Park surface. The LGFA has certainly come on a long way with over 120,000 new members over the last two decades and a host of important sponsors like Lidl and TG4 giving the game great exposure. The humbling beginnings are highlighted even more by the fact that the cup that all the players are so eager to get their hands on was paid for by Brendan Martin the assistant treasurer in 1974. Finances were so scarce that he purchased the cup with his own money and the cup carries his name to this day. Also, the eight county teams who competed for the first Brendan Martin cup put up 10 punts each to buy a set of medals for the occasion. The LGFA is certainly on the crest of a wave with numbers on the rise as they continue to prosper in the modern era. This year’s final was won by Dublin with Hannah Tyrell the star of the show, one could not help but cast a mind back to the league encounter between Cork and Dublin when our own Sarah Leahy marked her out of the game but unfortunately for Sarah and her sister Rachael, they picked up injuries and missed the championship campaign. Hopefully they will be back to full fitness soon and along with their Rebel colleagues will be the ones getting their hands on the famous Brendan Martin cup next year.

U15 Hurling Challenge cup semi-final Ballinora 3-19 Aghada 3-5.

This game was played in Waterfall last Monday evening with the home side running out convincing winners in the end. We are lacking numbers on the age at this level and while we tried hard to compete you don’t get any concessions in that regard when it comes to premier 2 level hurling. A terrific tussle developed early on with both sides creating good chances we scored a cracking goal from Tom Walsh when he made a magnificent catch from a Jack Dorney pass and turned his marker smartly to strike a low precise shot into the bottom corner of the net giving the keeper no chance. Cian Moore and Cillian Byrne scored excellent points, but it was the home side who took over from there to the break and a goal on the stroke of half time put them 1-11 to 1-2 in front. The second half was more backs to the wall stuff with Eoghan Walsh and Will O’ Mahony defending astutely and confidently to repel many attacks. A few positional changes from the selectors paid dividends with Cillian Scanlon scoring from midfield and Jack Dorney getting a brace of goals when switched to full forward but it was Ballinora who were worthy winners on the night. Team & scorers Cormac Crowley, Eoghan Walsh, Cillian Scanlon 0-1, Will O’ Mahony, Cian Moore 0-1, Josh McCarthy, Kaylan Cunningham, Sam McAllister, Jack Mulcahy 0-1f, Cillian Byrne 0-1, Jack Dorney 2-0, Matthew Condon, Cillian Burke, Tom Walsh 1-1 Robbie Oosthuizen. Subs used Jamie Sweeney, Conor Charles, Rossa White,

U17 Hurling Championship Aghada 1-20 Ballincollig 3- 28

A disappointing first half for our lads where our opponents Ballincollig were in scintillating form, and we were second best in most areas of the field that gave us a mountain to climb in Rostellan last Wednesday evening. On a beautiful evening for hurling, we were not at the races and struggled to compete against a slicker Ballincollig unit. In fairness to our lads, they turned it around big time in the second half outscoring our opponents and were unlucky to concede a scrappy goal at the end. We scored 8 points in the first half through Callum Roberts, Colm O’ Donoghue, and Isaac Oosthuizen with 2 coming from Samuel O’ Driscoll and 3 from James Hurley. Hugh Mulcahy used his power and skill to great effect setting up some nice scores while Andrew Murphy and Evan Crowley, although kept busy, did very well in the cornerback positions. We started the second half in more determined fashion, competing well and putting our opponents under pressure as we upped the intensity. The increased work rate was typified by Jude Devoy now positioned at midfield who began to wrestle control of that area as he and Isaac hit a few lovely long- range points. James H and Samuel struck some more white flags and center back Seán O’ Callaghan saw a long-range effort nestle in the net, but the score of the game belonged to Colm O’Donoghue with a fine individual effort when he won a great ball and showed superb control before splitting the posts. The first half was nowhere near good enough as we left ourselves too much to do and we will need a significant improvement to overcome our next assignment against Midleton who had a terrific one-point win at home to Sars in the other game in the group. Team & scorers: James O’ Donell, Andrew Murphy, Ronan Devoy, Evan Crowley, Colm O’ Donoghue 0-2, Seán O’ Callaghan 1-0, David Wallace, James Hurley 0-10 0-6f, Isaac Oosthuizen 0-3, Jude Devoy 0-1, Samuel O’ Driscoll 0- 3, James Motherway, Seán O’Sullivan, Hugh Mulcahy, Callum Roberts 0-1. Subs used Seán Corkery, Jack Linehan, Conor Bakx, Cormac Walsh.

Well done to Sam McAllister who played in goals for the Rebel Óg u15 football development squad who lost out to Armagh in the final of the Dermot Earley Cup in Hawkfield Co. Kildare last weekend.

The best of luck to our adult footballers who play the next round of the championship in Cobh at 5pm on Saturday against city side Na Piarsiagh. After the hurlers narrow defeat against Lisgoold the last day, it is certainly time for the club to get back to winning ways and hopefully we can look forward to a big campaign yet in both codes. Please support if you can.

Best of luck to those involved in our club who are taking part in the Iron kids & Iron-man triathlon events in East Cork over the weekend, it takes fantastic commitment and endurance to take part in events like this and you all should be very proud of yourselves

Cork GAA are recruiting new referees and are putting on foundation level 1 courses in Mallow on the 11th and 18th September and in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on the 14th and 21st September 7pm to 9.30pm, course tutors will include All Ireland referees Conor Lane, Diarmuid Kirwan and Michael Collins and you must be 17 or over to do the course. The increasing volume of games from Juvenile to Adult cant take place without a qualified referee so if you are interested then this could be the time for you to make a difference. For specific enquiries about becoming a referee you can email refereerecruitment.cork@gaa.ie or contact our juvenile secretary Willie Wallace secretarybng.aghada.cork@gaa.ie

Fixtures.

Fri 18th U13 hurling championship Aghada v St Vincents 19:30 Rostellan.

Mon 21st U12 Football League Erins Own v Aghada 19:00 Caherlag.

Mon 21st U15 Football Championship Aghada v Carrigtwohill 19:00 Rostellan.

Tues 22nd U12 Football League Midleton v Aghada 19:00 Park South.

Wed 23rd U17 Football Championship St Colmcilles v Aghada 19;00 St Colmcilles.

Fri 25th U13 Football League St Colmans v Aghada 19:00 St Colmans.

Slán Go Fóill

Be seen wear the Green.