Castlelyons versus Courcey Rovers in PIHC next Saturday evening.

We play Courcey Rover in the PIHC in Blarney on Saturday evening.  Courceys after a narrow defeat by Valley Rovers are favourites and are laced with so many fine hurlers including their goalie M White, K Maloney Vince Hurley, the three Lordans, G Moloney, S Nyhan and C Daly they have reason to be. 

Even their Coach Diarmuid Fahy conceded in the Irish Examiner that a lot of good came out of that last championship game that they can take with them so he is chuffed about their chances and they are going well in the League so really they expect to win. 

It is accepted that we had so much injury against Inniscarra that it must have affected the team camp before and during the game.  We are still stripped of quality players but we have learned to cope and drive on.  We do have former Minor and U21 lads that played at a high level and now is their hour to answer the call. 

Our county minor star and county captain Niall O Leary did not play against Inniscarra due to injury but will surely be anxious to line out for us if he is to lead Cork in the next round of the minors shortly. So hopefully he will be in good order again.

Our Manager Mick Spillane has been a man apart on and off the field for the Club and has earned a mighty reputation of leading out spirited and hardworking Castlelyons teams.  This is what we need from the start on Saturday evening. We must not allow easy clearances by the opposition, be skin tight in the marking and our chances will come. 

So the best of luck to our players, management and back room team.  Don’t forget please - Blarney on Saturday evening 18.6.16 at 7.30 pm – please support us. Castlelyons Abú.

Challenges versus Ballyduff Upper and Blarney

We are currently on the scenic route in the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship and we travelled once more down by the Blackwater to Ballyduff on a beautiful summer evening to take on the locals in a challenge. We were short so many due to injury and in fairness Ballyduff were in a bad state too due to injuries but this was still a very entertaining game laced with patches of good hurling.

We banged in a few good goals as lots of the lads got on the scoreboard in a high scoring game and won by a few points.  Overall this was a very satisfactory challenge.

Our second game was on Monday night when we travelled to Blarney to have a run out on the Pitch before the Courcey Rovers game and the locals obliged us with a challenge game on the night.  It was good to see Anto Spillane put in fifteen minutes hurling and hopefully he will be able to play the next night and Alan Fenton played well.

It was good to see young Jack Barry get a game and he showed up very well thus giving an option in the forwards and he will be challenging for a place in the starting championship fifteen.

Discussion on state of Cork Hurling.

Following the recent speech by the Cork Coaching Officer Kevin O Donovan on the state of Cork hurling and his call for Directors of Hurling and Football and the general agreement of the County Board Meeting to go back to Clubs and discuss the state of hurling and views they may have.  There was a full discussion at our last meeting and a number of matters will be brought to notice of the County Board.  Hopefully, Cork hurlers will take off again meanwhile and we could have a flying summer.  County chairman Ger Lane outlined that our county teams need encouragement and support rather than criticism and this is true but our club matters relate to different issues.

Death of Cork Hurling Legend John Horgan – Our Coach in 2001.

Castlelyons had a serious Senior team in 2001 as we had great success at Junior and Intermediate level. This was, of course, after great work by most dedicated clubmen, selectors and other coaches.  I remember early that year we were looking for a coach and we secured the services of the late John Horgan.  His presence alone cut dedication.  Ned Fitzgerald was the Manager that year, with Ger Barry (RIP) and Donal O Connell Selectors and what a year we had.  Oh, lest I forget our Physio was John Allen who later went on to an outstanding coaching career.

We done really well in the League, played good challenges, beat Ballincollig in the first round and then Muskerry.  We had two mighty games with Na Piarsaigh before suffering defeat to Blackrock after a gamely display in our first and only senior county semi-final.  The training and coaching was straight forward stuff and there were no bollards around the place at the time.  There was an emphasis on manly tough hurling such as win your own ball, playing angles and getting the slioter to the man in best position as John Horgan had a great hurling brain and was well able to impart his knowledge.  Always a calm man he left us as quietly as he came but he left a great legacy and rose a confidence in our players that has remained in many of them to the present time in both work and play.

John Horgan was always a good friend of Castlelyons and I got to know him very well as he worked in the City and I was there for many years.  He always spoke fondly of our Club and had that unique “grá” for hurling.  A Cork hurling legend who won every trophy available with Cork and a hero to so many.  We wish to offer our sympathies to his wife Elizabeth, daughters Gillian. Laraine, Debbie and Ashleigh, grand children and family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dhílis.

Weekly Lotto

This week’s Lotto Draw took place on Monday night.  The Numbers drawn were 5, 11, 20 and 22.  There was no winner.  There were eight Lucky Dip winners as follows: -

1. Joy Dahill. 
2. Fitzgerald Family. 
3. Luke Healy. 
4. Kay Murphy. 
5. LNAP Hegarty. 
6. Eileen Gleeson. 
7. Edel Martin
8. The interesting A.N. Other. 

Next Week’s Jackpot is €10, 000

Next Draw will be on Monday June 20^th in the Abbey Tavern. Thanks for your support and you can continue to play Lotto Online or purchase tickets from the usual outlets.

Players Injury Insurance Scheme.

There was a discussion at our last on Insurance cover and the Players Injury Scheme at out last meeting and there were some queries as to detail on cover for the players particularly physio.  It is often difficult to answer impromptu questions on such matters without having the booklet as the “devil is in the detail” and we all know that even then there are differing views which can wind up in legal wrangles in the absence of understanding.

The Scheme provides benefit to male members playing Hurling, Gaelic Football and Handball and our Club is registered under this scheme.  It is funded entirely from Club and GAA funds.  There is no legal obligation on the GAA to provide such a Scheme.  Risk is an inherent factor in sport.  When members voluntarily take part in club activities, they accept the risks that such participation may bring.  The Scheme does not seek to compensate fully for injury but to supplement other Schemes such as Personal Accident or Health Insurance.  The Scheme only provides cover for unrecoverable losses up to the limit specified under the Scheme.

Ultimately, the responsibility to ensure that adequate cover is in place lies with the individual member.  The Scheme is administered by Willis Insurance for the GAA.  Full information on the Scheme is available from the GAA website www.gaa.ie by following the popular links icon “Player Injury Scheme”. Our club’s most common claims made under the Scheme are for medical and dental expenses and in this regard it is important to know that only post-operative physio is covered. The Scheme also covers claims for loss of wages, supplementary hospital benefit and permanent disability.  Our Club Insurance Officer is Mr James Maye and he has given full details to all team managers who should discuss same with the players.

Club Draw.

Our annual Club Draw will be launched shortly.  This year there will be lots of great prizes and tickets will cost just €5.

Request for Coaches for our U6 beginners.

The good news is that there are now over 70 Under 6 year olds coming to the pitch anxious to play hurling and in a few years hopefully take on the likes of Kilkenny but firstly they need some coaching so Elaine Murphy of the Juvenile Club has asked for some assistance from the U21 team to help them out.

Campa Samhraidh available to Castlelyons

Campa Samhraidh CLCG Coiste Contae Chorcaí comhpháirteach le Gael-Taca Cork GAA Summer Camp in Partnership with Gael-Taca Iománaíocht & Camógaíocht (Hurling and Camogie) sa Charraig Dhubh (Blackrock GAA Grounds) Monday 6th to Friday 10th July, 2015 Times: - 10 am to 2.30 pm Daily

I had a number of queries on this las year and it is available to students between the ages of 13 and 15 years of age, who are active members of their clubs on a first come first served basis as the numbers are limited.  Application must be through local club secretary. The student must be registered with his/her GAA/Camogie club

Complete the application form (also available from your local club secretary or download from the Cork GAA Website and pass together with a deposit of €30 to Club Secretary Michael Barrett.

Deis iontach do bhuachaillí agus do chailíní feabhas a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge.

Votes of Sympathy.

At our last Club Meeting votes of sympathy were extended to the Fitzgerald, O Sullivan, Collins and Horgan families on recent bereavements. Solas na bhFlaitheas ar a nainmeacha go léir.

Castlelyons GAA Main sponsors: ZEUS Packaging Group.