Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Castlelyons 2-20 Blackrock 0-14.

We headed for Lisgoold on Saturday evening in good form and facing a Blackrock team in the PIHC who had won the IHC and League in 2019, they had won a couple of County U21 titles and are loaded with players.  Blackrock who had a big win over Erin’s Own in the SHC at the weekend were down a few players.  Before the game we had got good wishes from Robbie Feeney, Sydney, Philip Mahon, Abu Dhabi, Darragh Lawlor and Aidan O Sullivan in Boston and, of course Shane Moroney in the Lebanon with the Irish Army.  These are five good men all invaluable to our panel but unfortunately overseas.    Our lads have made a great effort in tough times training alone and coming together over the last few weeks so one could say we were ready for the evening.

Lisgoold was in pristine condition with ideal weather and just a slight breeze down towards the village end. From the throw in our lads were hungry for ball but the Rockies were up for it too and made the early attacks.  Colm Spillane lining out at centre forward had a great point from play and then got in to take a pass from his brother Anthony and plant a cracking goal. However, the Rockies kept in touch and we were just two points up at the short whistle on a score 1-9 to 0-10 and still anybody’s game. During that first half we were severely tested, but the back line of Jamie O Leary, Colm Barry and Tom Carroll stood up well.  Leo Sexton back again in the Castlelyons colours had a great game all through while Colm O Neill’s strength on the ball was vital and, of course Neill O Leary covered the D picking up and clearing out good ball.  I like the tenacious play of Keith O Leary and Eoin Maye during this first half too and, indeed, Ronan O Regan who covered back well in that first half.

We started the second half with some strong hurling and two minutes into the game Anthony Spillane won a great ball and parted sweetly to Dave Morrison.  Dave was suddenly in the clear and billowed the net for a great goal that put us on our way.  Barry Murphy, who had had a strong first half pointed as did Mike Spillane and Mike continued to put over a few frees with aplomb in the second half.  We had a few weary legs and injuries as Bryan Carroll came on in the backs and with Alan Fenton and Leon Doocey coming on in the forwards.  Fenton and Doocey announced their arrival with good points.  The Doocey score came from a great solo into a scorable position and clipping the ball off the hurley over the ball from distance.  The last time this writer witnessed such a score it was D J Carey against Clare many years ago and they are still talking about it, but Leon did the same Sunday evening. Anthony Spillane showing a great return to form after injury put the game beyond the Rockies with a great goal with five minutes left on the clock. Referee Justin Murphy had a full crew of linesmen and umpires with him and had a good game.  When he blew the long whistle, we were winners 3-20 to 0-14.  Well done to all.

Team: Jack Barry, Jamie O'Leary, Colm Barry, Tom Carroll, Leo Sexton, Niall O'Leary (0-1), Colm O'Neill, Keith O'Leary (0-1), Eoin Maye (0-1), Barry Murphy (0-2), Colm Spillane (1-7), Ronan O'Regan, Dave Morrison (1-0), Anthony Spillane (1-1), Mike Spillane (0-5, 4f). Subs: Alan Fenton (0-1) Leon Doocey (0-1), Cian O'Leary and, Bryan Carroll.

Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Championship on Saturday 8th August  

Our next outing in the Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Championship on Saturday 8th August Overall at the Clyda Rovers grounds in Mourne Abbey against Blarney. This will be a lot a tougher test. Blarney are almost evens favorites to win out the championship, they blew away Inniscarra 1-20 to 0-12 at the weekend and, of course, were unlucky to be beaten by All Ireland finalists Fr O Neills last year so we have it all to do here.  They have a lot of big players like Mark Coleman, Joe Jordan, Shan Barrett, and Joe O Leary plus men around the middle who will score at will if give any bit of space.  We will certainly be up against it, but our lads have a positive attitude and when they soften out again this week and management sit down and set out their stall hopefully, we will be in there with a fighting chance. Castlelyons Abú.

East Cork Junior B Hurling Championship versus St Catherines on Sunday 9^th August.

At the time of going to print we are down to play St Catherines in the East Cork Junior B Hurling Championship in the Rathcormac venue on Sunday 9^th August at 7.30pm.  We lost a few players to the Intermediate team recently and have a few injuries.  However, we have the numbers and the lads are training well.  Catherines have a good side this year and will pose a stiff challenge.  Hoping we will get the support for this local derby as it helps.

Castlelyons GAA Weekly Lotto Draw.

Our weekly lotto is on this Tuesday 4^th August due to Bank Holiday Monday in the Community Centre at 9.30pm for a Jackpot is €20,000.  Hence the result of the Draw was not available at time of going to press but will be published on Twitter, Facebook and next week’s Avondhu.

Our Games in the face of the Pandemic.

There was a huge selection of championship games over the weekend as Cork’s blue riband hurling competition took centre stage in a leaner and meaner set up.  We must give credit here to county secretary Kevin O Donovan and, leas chathaoirleach Marc Sheehan and his committee who set up the scene.  Maybe the matchups were not great in some games to date but when the format beds down I expect it will really benefit Cork hurling.  There is a wish that referees should ease on the whistle and it would benefit the Cork game as we look at the Kilkenny model and try to emulate it.  But why then the continous roaring by some spectators at referees for frees during the game.  Surely it mitigates against this wish as they seem all the louder among the small crowds so please leave it to the man with the whistle.   

This writer was in five venues over the weekend, comprising of two Stadiums, a town venue and two rural venues.  Standing under a stand in Páirc Uí Chaoimh where thousands strode in 2019 was eerie to say the least.  The place that can house 45,000 and just 200 were clicked through the turnstile.  We only had a few tickets available in Castlelyons for the Lisgoold game and the meeting before hand on providing a plan for distributing just the nine tickets available to us when the players, mentors and officials were catered for was lively.  However, it was good to see that our followers have many contacts as we certainly outnumbered the opposition at our own game on Sunday evening and provided a great bualadh bos.

Up to this weekend the argument for an increase in numbers was coherent. However, with the number of cases over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday up to 168 compared to just 65 the three previous days there is serious cause for concern.  It is noted that Laois and Tipperary now have clubs affected and Waterford soccer. Furthermore, the international scene is extremely volatile.  The mantra at times is that Covid is some other place and nothing got to do with us, but it has as these GAA clubs are in rural areas too. Best available advice is that it must tackled at community level, and this means locally by physical distancing, washing hands regularly, wearing a face covering where appropriate, especially avoiding crowds, and doing all we can to protect each other. Honoring this advice in the breach rather than observance will get us nowhere. Tabhair aire.

Rebel Óg East Games.

A look at the Rebel Óg games show that Castlelyons are doing reasonably well.  After a hard earned one-point win in the local derby our minor hurlers now face Mayfield this week and are in good form.  Our Under 14 footballers were comprehensively beaten by Glenville and were beaten again by St Colman’s in the hurling but unlucky t be beaten by Fr O Neills by just one point 1-10 to 1-9.  We are lacking a bit of strength both physically and in numbers here, but our managers are working hard with all available. Meanwhile the Under12 team are doing very well in the Division 2A with exceptionally good wins over Carrigtwohill and St Colmcilles.  Then the Under12 footballers were down early in East cork on Bank Holiday Monday to play Fr O Neills in the came away with yet another victory.

Castlelyons Main Sponsor: ZEUS Packaging Group.