Castlelyons face Cloyne in East Cork Football Final this Friday in Killeagh at 8.18 pm

Castlelyons play Cloyne in the East Cork Junior A Football Final in Killeagh on Friday 2nd September, 2016 at 8.15 pm. We have qualified for this final the hard way as our first two games in the championship went to extra time. We were all square with Glenville at full time in the first round back in March and took it in the extra time.  The highlight of that was a ‘monster’ kick from outfield by Steven Hickey that set us on the road to victory by two points in a titanic struggle.

Then in the next round in April we played Glenbower Rovers in Dungourney and had prepared fairly well.  Our management outfit of Donal O Leary, James Moroney and Maurice Carroll set up the team in line with all modern football thinking and we were really competitive.  Darragh Lawlor and Tom Carroll done very well as did Michael Spillane. However, on the run in we relinquished a five-point lead to leave it 1-6 to 0-9 on time and it was game on for Glenbower as the referee, James Birmingham, signaled extra time.  Again we showed tremendous fighting quality with all the lads upping their game and Anto Spillane moving up the gears.  Aidan O Sullivan blasted a mighty goal to seal victory and send us into the semi-final on the score 1-11 to 1-9.

More recently we played Ballinacurra in the semi-final and were a little rusty as we went in at half time behind on a score 2-2 to 0-6. There was a marked improvement in second half play as we played some great football to win 3-14 to 2-4

There is no doubt but Castlelyons are delivering on the promise shown in 2014 County Junior B title by now making the final of the East Cork Junior A Championship. This is so welcome as the promise shown in winning some prestigious underage hurling competitions in recent years is still awaited.  Donal O Leary is the Manager with James Moroney and Maurice Carroll selectors and Colm Crowley is the Coach and they have done great work this year. We have lost Darragh Lawlor, USA, Aidan O Sullivan and Brian Carroll both injured and these boys will be missed.  However, the lads are training well and showing good form with Cian O Leary and Colm Barry teak tough in the backs, Shane Moroney grafting well in the middle, Alan Fenton taking his chances well and Shane O Sullivan playing with confidence and, indeed, overall we have a committed even outfit that can take it.  

Cloyne, all experienced warriors, are going really well this season as they are also in the PIHC semi-final versus Fermoy and in the East Cork Junior B Hurling Final.   They have won this particular competition many times before including the County.  We got to see them defeat Carrignabhfear in the recent semi-final in Castlelyons so it gave us a chance to plan our own game and get the match-ups right for the final.  They have some very strong players in the O Sullivan’s, the Cahills and Killian Cronin.  In fact, this Cloyne team would be a little more mature than our outfit so we must concentrate from the start.  This game promises to be the proverbial cracker.  We will be going all out for this one so folks Killeagh is the place to be on Friday evening and we would appreciate you support. Castlelyons Abú.

Castlelyons only other East Cork Junior A Football Final appearance back in 1969.

Castlelyons after winning the East Cork Junior B title in 1968 made it to the final of the Junior A Championship in 1969.  We defeated Youghal 0-10 to 2-2 in the semi-final and faced Midleton in the final.  Midleton were going very well in football at this time and were back boned by some big hardy men namely Paddy Fitzgerald, an All-Ireland Senior Hurling medal winner in 1966, Ned Moran who had won a Leinster Senior Medal with Kildare some time previous.  Ned came to Cork as a Plant Hire man and even done work in the Castlelyons area but worked out of Midleton. Ollie O Keeffe, Tom Cotter and Tony O Donoghue.  Then at full forward was well known former referee Billy Cody.

Castlelyons lined out as follows Dick O Brien, Steve Randles, Tom Joe Riordan, Tom McAuliffe (Ballyarra), Florence Waters, Donal McCarthy, Jim Ronayne, Matt Hegarty, Tom McAuliffe (Ballytransa), Pat Crowley, John Joe Crowley, Paddy O Leary, Gerry Barry, Denis Finn and Tom Quirke with Subs: -  Kevin Kenny, N Quirke.  The game was played in the old pitch in Castlemartyr and Castlelyons done well against the hill in the first half.  However, Midleton took over in the second half to runout clear winners on a score of 2-12 to 1-3.  At this time there were no big squad sessions or bollards to dance around.  Dick O Brien did do some training with the team and he said “it was mostly running, sit ups and press ups” but they were naturally fit at that time.  Thanks to Dave Hegarty who was more of a hurling man at that time for supplying me with some of the detail above.  This was Castlelyons sole East Cork Final appearance at A Grade level and our present team have an opportunity to better this on Friday evening by becoming the first Castlelyons team to win such a title and write their way into the annals of history.

Congratulations to Darragh Lawlor.

Congrats to hurling and football star, Darragh Lawlor, who left us earlier this year for the USA and is now based in Boston where he shortly takes up a most prestigious Internship Program in Strength and Conditioning with Harvard University.   Darragh has already secured a Degree in Sports, Science and Health in Dublin City University.  We wish him the best in his studies and hope he will be back again in the Castlelyons colours before long.

Inter-County Hurling Saturday sees an U15 Hurling Cup nestling in Castlelyons

The now familiar Inter County Hurling Tournament Saturday was held on the 27^th August and what a day it was for the Cork Rebel Óg Squads as they contested all seven Finals and won four.  The signs are very good as the U17 team, many who could feature in next year’s county minor team made the final in the Mallow tournament and were just pipped by Killkenny on a score of 1-9 to 0-11.  Our own Barry Murphy played and done well in these games.  He has also played with the Rebel Óg football squad earlier in the year and is another Castlelyons man for the future.

The U15 B Squad hit for the home of the Magpies and Anthony Daly in Clarecastle, Co. Clare and defeated Limerick and Kerry in the qualifiers before having a resounding 2-11 to 0-7 victory over Tipperary in the Final.  Our lads, Jack Kenny and James Kearney, both played in all these games and did very well with Jack Kenny captaining the team.  Congratulations and well done to all three lads and it’s a great honor to have this Inter-County U15 Cup nestling in Castlelyons for a while.  Well done to the Castlelyons mentors, who have trained the boys and the Rebel Óg trainers who have honed their skills and, of course to their parents who take them to training and give them so much encouragement.

An analysis of representation is interesting and shows Imokilly Hurling Clubs going very well as we had ten from this Division on the twenty-one strong panel in U17 and eleven in the twenty-one strong U15B Panel showing a representation of fifty percent on each Panel which is outstanding. This is exceptional especially when one compares the stats with the sprawling City Division, Seandún, who had three on the U17’s and six on the U15B’s.  Well done to Imokilly Clubs and it is so important to keep winning the hearts and minds of young players especially in the highly populated city area too for the sake of Cork hurling.

Cork Clubs August Draw

Well done to Sergeant Michaela Moroney, Henry Street Limerick who joined the Cork GAA Clubs Draw with us and won a €100 Voucher for O Flynn’s in the August Draw.  We may not have won any of the big prizes in the 2015/16 Draw but we did win some very nice prizes.

East Cork Junior B 2 Hurling

We have four games played to date in this League with just two points from two wins.  We have four more games to play and every effort must be made to play the games rather than incur fines.  It is imperative that we have a functional second team in hurling if we are to keep developing hurling in Castlelyons.  So please could all players give every assistance to their mentors in fielding teams for these games.

Big Camogie Win for Castlelyons Junior Camogie Team.

Our Castlelyons Junior Camogie team qualified for the final of the Junior C Championship by means of a whopping 9-9 to 1-7 win over Blarney in Church Road last Sunday. They now meet Ballinora in the Final again in Church Road next Saturday.  They already played and defeated Ballinora in the League Final but this will be a tough one and it’s all Ballinora Roads to Church Road on Saturday with much deserved support.

Its Castlelyons v St Catherines in Rebel Óg East A Grade Hurling Final.

We play St Catherines in the Rebel Óg A Grade Hurling Final on Saturday 3^rd September at 6 pm.  Then venue and the referee have to be decided and were not announced at tonight’s (Tuesday) Rebel Óg meeting.  This promises to be a cracking game as both sides are doing very well this year especially in the League.  When the teams met in the League St Catherines shaded it on a score 3-12 to 1-2 as Castlelyons conceded an unfortunate goal which had taken a deflection.  There are a lot of good hurlers on both sides with the likes of Eoin Wallace, Kieran Neville, Eoin Davis Rory Galvin and Tom O Donnell well able to lift and lead out the Cats.  We have a lot of quality players in the O Leary Twins, Keith O Leary O Leary, Barry Murphy and all the lads are able to produce quality hurling when tested.  It is interesting that whoever wins on Saturday both teams will go forward to the County Championship.  So keep it going lads and best of luck.  Castlelyons Abu.

Weekly Lotto Draw on 29.8.16. 

This draw was held in the Community Centre tonight.  The numbers drawn were 1,4,11 and 31.  There was No Winner.  There were eight Lucky Dip Winners of €20 each as follows: -

1. O & E Sheedy. 
2. Seanie Cotter. 
3. Elaine Murphy. 
4. Edel Martin. 
5. Noreen Moroney. 
6. John Barrett. 
7. Bridie Milward. 
8. Alan O Regan. 

The next Draw will be held on Monday 5th September in the Abbey Tavern at 9.15 pm.  They Jackpot is now €4, 000.  Thanks for your support and you continue to purchase tickets from the usual outlets or, of course, play our Lotto Online.  Please advise your friends about our Lotto. 

Votes of Sympathy.

At our last Club Meeting votes of sympathy were extended to the Corcoran family and Barry family, Carrigmore, Conna on recent bereavements. Solas na bhFlaitheas ar a nainmeacha go léir.

Club Main Sponsor; Zeus Packaging Group