Doing it in chronological order brings justice to the whole scenario. Cork beating Clare in round one of the provincial U20 football championship. While the equivalent hurlers are still without a win. Losing to an already defeated Tipperary in the second round of the Munster U20 hurling championship. Division 4 league form ruthlessly exposed in the opening games of the respective provincial championships. Cork too strong for winners Limerick. So in a fortnight’s time fancied Kerry come to town. A step up required. Just for good measure Wexford were beaten by Laois in the Leinster Senior football championship.

The focus shifted to what was always going to be the weekend’s highlight. In fairness both teams lining out as selected. No late defections. Even though one thought the named Brian Hayes wouldn’t make it. Tipperary were ahead for the first and only time at 0-05 to 0-04 following a Sam O’Farrell point on 10 minutes. But from then were out-thought, out-paced and most importantly outscored by a phenomenal 3-12 to 0-07 with pre match favourites Cork under fair pressure to land a trophy, especially in front of a sold out home attendance fuelled by difficult to fathom 2/9 bookmakers odds. But now to the good on a half time scoreline standing at 3-16 to 0-12.

Following three unanswered points with Tim O’Mahony and Diarmuid Healy among the scorers before full forward Alan Connolly pounced for the first goal. Ciaran Joyce quickly added a point. Making it 1-12 to 0-08 to 23 minutes. Only four minutes later Darragh Fitzgibbon struck for a second. Patrick Horgan quickly adding a pointed free. Now 2-14 to 0-10 to 28 minutes. Midfielder Ethan Twomey bagging the third on 34. Cork in a good place. You would have to say standards dipped on the change of ends as both teams emptied out their respective benches. Cork deserving winners with the destination of the title long decided before the end of an anti-climactic second half.

A first national trophy in 20 years. While last league win was over Waterford at Thurles in May of 1998. Since then Cork have been beaten in 4 All-Ireland finals and 5 national hurling league finals. You see the Rebels were getting to them all right. But found it difficult to get over the line. Last Sunday’s win now should have them in a proper frame of mind heading for bannerland. Winning league titles in recent years didn’t do any harm to Limerick and Clare when one reflects on their subsequent championship aspirations. Let’s hope that continues now.

Reflecting on two weeks’ time Kerry are in town on the Saturday. Off to Ennis the day after. Then it’s Tipp again in Cork on Sunday, April 27th. Three weeks later it’s away to Limerick. Finishing up at home to the Decie county on Sunday, May 25th. Let the games begin!

Club action on the field of play

Round 3 division 4 Red FM County Hurling League

Kildorrery 0-16 St Catherines 0-15

Second visit to the venue in four evenings with the Saints going down to a first loss of the campaign following this round 3 county hurling league tie played under the lights at Kildorrery on Friday evening last at 8pm. Peter O’Brien was the central payer finishing with a tally of 11 points, 8 from placed balls, 7 in the opening half. Sean O’Donoghue on the frees for the Saints with Kevin Barry pointing a trio of unanswered points in a glorious 2 minute spell to the 10th minute with the teams together on a half time score standing at 0-10 each. Still together at 0-12 each and 0-13 all to the end of the third quarter when mainly through aforementioned O’Brien it was the home team edging it by the slimmest of margins at the end with the Saints only narrowly off target with a few late frees.

Scorers: S O’Donoghue (0-05 frees), R Galvin (0-04 frees), K Barry (0-03), M Mulcahy, E Condon and E Davis (free) (0-01 each). Kildorrery scorers: P O’Brien (0-08 frees) (0-11), L Keating (0-02), C Harrington, K Hurley and R Hurley (0-01 each).

St Catherine’s team: E Davis, E O’Driscoll, E O’Riordan, K Neville, K O’Donoghue, C Hegarty, C Pietropaolo, S Cotter, M Mulcahy, B Mulcahy, E Condon, K Barry, D O’Connell, D Mangan, S O’Donoghue. Subs: K Wallace for C Pietropaolo (second half), R O’Connell and R Galvin for D Mangan and B Mulcahy (both 40’), C McCarthy for K Neville (50’), C Leamy for D O’Connell (55’). Referee: David Twomey (Shanballymore).

Juvenile Club

This week’s juvenile section starts with round 2 division 2 Rebel Óg North Minor Hurling League

St Catherines 3-16 Clyda Rovers 2-13

Both teams just feeling their way through the opening exchanges of this Minor hurling league tie played in sunny conditions at Ballynoe on Wednesday evening, April 2nd last. With the home team shading it just at 1-03 to 1-02 to 7 minutes. With Gearoid Sheehan and Alan Cotter doing the bulk of the scoring in a lead stretching to 1-10 to 1-04 to 23 minutes. Trimmed back marginally with the Saints still to the good and ahead on a half time scoreline standing at 1-11 to 1-08.

But what a start they would make on the turnover. Thomas Dee, who caught some terrific ball through the game flashed in his second goal just 2 minutes in. Two minutes later Shane O’Donoghue, out towards the corner but playing at full forward, charged through, clearly one thing on his mind, before sending an unstoppable drive to the roof of the Clyda net. John Temple and Sean Walsh adding points and it was 3-13 to 1-08 now 8 minutes into the second half. In fairness the opposition had their moments. But the Saints were able to tag on a further 3 unanswered points before Clyda’s best player Harry O’Rourke goaled coming up to the finish. St Catherine’s were due to play their round 3 fixture in Killavullen last evening, Wednesday, April 9th. Heading up there with 3 points accumulated from two league matches played.

Scorers: G Sheehan (0-06 frees) (0-01 “65”) (0-10), T Dee (2-00), S O’Donoghue (1-00), A Cotter (0-03), J Temple, L Moore and S Walsh (free) (0-01 each). Clyda Rovers scorers: H O’Rourke (0-06 frees) (1-08), C Cooney (1-01), C O’Mullane (0-01 free) (0-01 “65”) (0-02), C O’Sullivan and R O’Connor (0-01 each).

St Catherine’s team: C Higgins, C Murray, J Kenneally, C O’Driscoll, R Hickey, S Walsh, T Clancy, C Hickey, L Moore, A Cotter, J Temple, K O’Donoghue, T Dee, S O’Donoghue, G Sheehan. Subs: S McCarthy, E O’Mahony and L Kilmartin for R Hickey, S O’Donoghue and T Dee (all 54’). Referee: Barry Day (Aghada).

Round 2 division 2 Rebel Óg North U16 Hurling league

Kildorrery 1-11 St Catherines 3-12

When a game is played between two largely even and well-matched teams, it is generally labelled a good match. So this U16 tie played in sunny Kildorrery on Monday evening, March 31st was a good match. For the Saints, Sean O’Keeffe trustworthy between the posts, one point-blank stop coming up to the finish could easily have determined the end result. Team captain Sean Walsh hurled an ocean of ball. Midfield cousins Alan Cotter and Kenneth O’Connell almost telepathic in their laying off and passing of the ball, that’s called reading the play. Then there was the work rate of Ronan Hickey and Tadg Walsh upfront. Likewise Jack Walsh, Tom Hickey and Adam White for the opposition who led 0-03 to 0-02 after 7 minutes. With the Saints turning it around to lead 1-04 to 0-04 at the end of the opening quarter. By half time it was 2-08 to 0-07. A scoreline of 2-09 to 0-11 to 45 minutes shows you how close things were. Both teams resorting to the bench and it was one of those subs, Jack Cunneen with the vital and probably match winning third goal on 56 minutes. Especially as aforementioned Hickey goaled for Kildorrery virtually from the puck out. See what I mean. Good match!

Scorers: A Cotter (0-01 free) (1-05), T Walsh (1-04), J Cunneen (1-00), R Hickey, K O’Connell and S Walsh (free) (0-01 each). Kildorrery scorers: T Hickey (1-04), J Walsh (0-03 frees) (0-06) and A White (0-01).

St Catherine’s team: S O’Keeffe, S O’Riordan, B O’Connor, C McCarthy, E Dillon, S Walsh (team captain), S McCarthy, A Cotter, K O’Connell, A Burke, R Hickey, C Higgins, T Walsh, E O’Mahony, R O’Donoghue. Subs: N Keane, J Cunneen and T Morrison for E Dillon, E O’Mahony and A Burke (all second half), S Moore for C McCarthy (38’), D Temple for R O’Donoghue (55’). Also J Coughlan and C Fitzgerald. Referee: Davy Farrell (Mitchelstown).

Round 3 division 2 Rebel Óg North U16 Hurling League

St Catherines 4-12 St Kevins 3-09

Finishing out the week as we started with this eventual hard-earned win over St Kevins in this round 3 encounter at a sunny yet breezy Ballynoe early on Sunday morning last. With that stiffish breeze at their backs and with Ronan Hickey and Eoghan O’Mahony the goalscorers and Alan Cotter planting a goal from a placed ball on 11 minutes was enough to see the Saints in a daunting lead and ahead on a half time scoreline of 3-11 to 0-03. But St Kevins, a combination of Ballyclough and Milford and playing their first match at a venue for 8 years, dominated the third quarter at the end of which had trimmed the deficit to 3-12 to 2-06 on 45 minutes. Indeed the Saints couldn’t be sure of the win until quick thinking captain Sean Walsh goaled a free on 58 minutes. Then and only then!

There’s a switch now for a couple of weeks. Reverting to football. So far so good.

Scorers: A Cotter (1-00 free) (0-01 “65”) (1-04), K O’Connell (0-04), R Hickey, E O’Mahony and S Walsh (free) (1-00 each), T Walsh, (0-03) and C Higgins (0-01). St Kevin’s scorers: C O’Brien (1-02 frees) (0-01 “65”) (1-04), R Daly (0-01 free) (1-03), L Hodgins (1-01) and F O’Shea (0-01).

St Catherine’s team: S O’Keeffe, N Keane, B O’Connor, C McCarthy, E Dillon, S Walsh (captain), S McCarthy, A Cotter, C Higgins, T Walsh, R Hickey, K O’Connell, R O’Donoghue, E O’Mahony. Subs: T Morrison for R O’Donoghue (second half), A Burke for C McCarthy (39’), J Cunneen for S McCarthy (58’). Also: D Temple and C Fitzgerald. Referee: Michael Carey (Bride Rovers).

Round 2 division 2 Rebel Óg East U14 Hurling League

St Catherines 6-13 Lisgoold 2-03

Situated up in Kildorrery for aforementioned county hurling league tie when the news came through of a reassuring win over Lisgoold at Ballynoe. Proving a right confidence booster for round 2 in Cloyne this weekend. See fixtures.

Scorers: K O’Connell (3-08), S O’Keeffe (1-02), D Temple (1-01), D Kenneally (1-00), N Keane (0-02).

St Catherine’s team: P O’Sullivan, J Mulkerrins, G Leahy, S Maguire, C Fitzgerald, S Moore (team captain), Z Pyne, K O’Connell, N Keane, T Shiels, S O’Keeffe, O Sheehan, B Coakley, D Temple, J Bryan. Subs: L O’Keeffe, O O’Farrell and A Coakley for B Coakley, J Bryan and T Shiels (all second half), O Feeney, R Molloy and D Kenneally for Cian Fitzgerald, S Maguire and Z Pyne (all 45’). Referee: Donie Daly (Youghal).

What’s coming up

Friday, April 11th round 3 division 2 U14 hurling league v St Colmans in Cloyne at 6.30pm. Sunday, April 13th at Ballynoe, round 4 division 2 Junior football league v Bride Rovers at 2.30pm. Monday, April 14th at Ballynoe, round 3 division 2 U16 football league v Whitechurch at 7pm. Monday, April 14th at Cloyne, round 1 division 1 U12 hurling league v St Colmans at 7pm. Wednesday, April 16th at Kilworth, round 2 division 2 U14 football league v Kilworth/Araglin Óg at 7pm.

Scor na bPáistí

Sadly no joy for Stephanie Carr, eliminated at county semi-final stage of rince sean nós on Sunday afternoon, March 30th last. Well done to Stephanie who for the third year in a row was involved at this stage of the competition. Winning it outright in 2023. Doing her school, club and division proud.

Rebels’ Bounty

Well it’s back but sadly no return for the club this time around with the opening 3 draws of Rebels’ Bounty taking centre stage on the evening of Monday, March 31st. Major €20,000 prizes going to Ger Fitzgerald, Na Piarsaigh in the January draw, February winner being Declan O’Sullivan of Ballyhooly, with the March draw won by Laochra Óg, and to think in a month’s time (April) we’ll do it all again.

Club lotto draw

After the first of two visits to Kildorrery during the week it was into the clubrooms in Ballynoe for the weekly lotto draw on Monday night, March 31st last. Numbers drawn were 1, 6, 9 and 22 and there was no winner. €30 consolation winners were Kaye Moroney, Conna, Máirtín Ó Caoimh, Baile Nua, Josephine Hurley c/o HOC, Conna, Jake Buckley, Rathdrum, Ballynoe and Darra Mulcahy c/o Denis O’Neill, Ballynoe. Most recent draw for a €2,400 jackpot was down for Monday night last, April 7th. We’ll be back.

St Catherine’s GAA Club sponsors

T&A Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, Ballynoe, are sponsors of St Catherine’s GAA Club. Mulcahy Steel are sponsors of St Catherine’s Juvenile GAA Club.