St Catherine's Notes (27th Feb)
- Feb 27,2025
Football currently dominates
Well now you have me at a disadvantage as the decider was down for Monday night last. As this week we bring you a report on the 13-a-side Mulcahy Steel East Cork U21 C Football Championship semi-final against Fr O’Neills played under the lights in miserable conditions at Ballynoe on Monday night, February 17th last at 8pm. We can also give you the full schedule of games from division 2 of the East Cork Junior Football League. Starting this weekend at home to Cloyne. That and much more. So off you go. Read on.
Semi-final Mulcahy Steel East Cork U21 C Football Championship
Imperative in view of the conditions for the Saints to hit the ground running when the divisional U21 C football championship semi-final went ahead under the lights at a wet and windy Ballynoe on Monday night, February 17thlast.
Sean O’Donoghue with a delightful, timely flick giving them the start required. Kyle Wallace quickly adding a well taken point and it was 1-01 without reply inside 2 minutes and no one was complaining.
Fr O’Neills had a few strong players and with Rory O’Neill among the scorers showed us they were here to play. Halving the deficit at 1-01 to 0-02 to 13 minutes. Although creating chances, all weren’t availed of before the crucial score of the hour unfolded. A sweeping upfield move, involving Kian O’Donoghue and Diarmuid O’Connell finished with Sean O’Donoghue adding his and the Saints’ second goal. Thus establishing a 2-02 to 0-02 lead after 19 minutes. If anything, the wind intensified and with team captain Denis Temple and hardworking Conor Hayes among others adding points, would settle for a half time lead of 2-07 to 0-02.
Diarmuid O’Connell pointed a duo of third quarter frees. Scores if any were more crucial than what went before and with time moving on and the opposition now making no real inroads, largely reliant on the place kicking duties of very good hurling goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan, Catherines remained in that dominant role. Ciaran Leamy, Ben O’Connor allied to a few surging Evan O’Driscoll defence-splitting runs all helped to keep O’Neills back the field and Catherines place in the decider against Cobh, conquerors of Castlelyons on the other side, was secured.
Scorers: S O’Donoghue (2-01), D O’Connell (0-02 frees) (0-05), K Wallace, D Temple and C Hayes (0-01 each). Fr O’Neills scorers: P O’Sullivan (0-03 frees), R O’Neill and J Finn (0-01 each).
St Catherine’s team: T Dee, C Leamy, B O’Connor, C McCarthy, E O’Driscoll, D O’Donovan, C Hayes, K Wallace, S Cotter, K O’Donoghue, D Temple (team captain), D O’Connell, S O’Donoghue. Subs: T Barry and A O’Donnell for S Cotter and D Temple (both second half), C Pietropaolo for D O’Donovan (43’), J Hickey and G O’Callaghan McCarthy for S O’Donoghue and C McCarthy (both 59’). Also C Murray, G Sheehan and C Hickey. Referee: James Daly (Youghal).
This season’s Junior Football League fixtures
We try and inform you as quickly as we can with what’s relevant to the new playing season. Going up a notch again now with round 1 of a newly revamped division 2 of the East Cork Junior Football League. Scheduled to start against Cloyne at Ballynoe on this coming Saturday evening, March 1stand is timed for 4pm. First away match is down for Dungourney a fortnight later and Killeagh v Glenbower Rovers which is on the master plan for the final weekend of the month. Back to Ballynoe for the visit of Bride Rovers circa weekend April 12th/13th. Then there’s the trip to Rostellan facing Aghada on the last weekend of April. Only home game for May is against Glenville. While around the middle of June will see the group conclude with a trip to Carrig na bhFear. Round about then the round robin stages of the confined county junior B football championship should also be over. We take a look at the fixtures for division 3 of the East Cork Junior Hurling League when addressing you next time.
National Leagues
Although four points have thus far been accumulated, Cork are still struggling in division 2 of the National Football League. Glass half empty. Losing (3-16 to 1-15) against Monaghan at Inniskeane in last Saturday’s fast forwarded round 4 clash. No luck either for Cork who face Kilkenny this upcoming weekend, when losing out by 4 points to Tipperary in round 4 of the National Hurling League in Thurles later the same evening.
Step it up for St Catherines – Finale
It started after Christmas early in the new year. Launch was in the clubgrounds on the morning of Saturday, January 11th. Now six weeks later we returned, placed alongside of the Saints Café which Marion and Sarah had again conveniently opened as we awaited the revelations from Step It Up for St Catherines.
Best team overall with a magnificent total of 11.6 million points was the green team for whom Pat Clancy, Matt McAuliffe and Dee Milburn, who was invited to collect the prize, were the top three walkers. In second place with a total of just under 11 million points between steps and classes were the blues for whom Ger Sheehan, Agnes Hurley and Irene Kenneally were tops. Third were the white team (9.7 million), top three being John O’Meara, Fiona Sheehan and Laura Ahern. Joining us live from Australia. Fourth (8.7 million) were the red team for whom Fiona Higgins, Anne O’Gorman and Ciara O’Neill were the top three walkers. Most individual steps (1.61 million) gathered up by Matt McAuliffe. Second was Pat Clancy (1.41 million) and in third place overall was the aforementioned Laura Ahern (981,000 steps).
Earlier in glorious springlike conditions chairman Ed Galvin thanked the Step It Up committee. They being Elaine Fitzgerald, Brian Davis (stats), Marion Morrison, Shane Fitzgerald, Marie Clancy, Niamh Pyne, Mags Fitzgerald, Jennifer Galvin (website), Ann Galvin, Colette Steel, Lorraine O’Sullivan and Martina O’Connor. Coaches being Junior Sheehan, Annette Fitzgerald, Des Ryan, Graham O’Neill, Jenny Quirke, Linda O’Keeffe and family, Aisling Collins, Alan Sands and Finola Neville. Thanks also to Kevin Hayes, chairman of Ballynoe Community Council for the use of the hall. Ed concluded by adding that a lot was learned, and next year’s event will be bigger and better.
Lotto returns
Maybe a bit wet around the ears! After the football match but within ten minutes we were in the clubrooms, Ballynoe for the weekly lotto draw on Monday night, February 17th. Numbers drawn were 1, 6, 9 and 21 and there was no jackpot winner. Consolation winners were Angela O’Donoghue, online, Michael A Leahy, Corrin View House, Glenreigh, Ballynoe, Batt O’Connell c/o Kals Conna, Nuala Tobin, Rathdrum, Ballynoe and Sean Cronin c/o Fisherman’s Rest, Conna. Most recent draw with a jackpot standing at €13,800 was scheduled for Monday night just gone, February 24th.
Commiserations
We sympathise with family members on the recent sad passing of Patricia Flynn, Coole, Fermoy. Requiem Mass in Coolagown church last Thursday. Burial afterwards in Aghern churchyard. Pat was a sister of the late Dick Morrison, then president of St Catherine’s GAA Club who passed away in January 2022. Conna also saw the passing of resident Mary Scanlan. Commiserations to the Wallace family, Ballynoe on a sad recent bereavement. Ar dheis Dé go raibh siad.
The Arts
As you can well imagine weatherwise and a large part of the weekend was confined to indoor activity. Headed up the street for The Handyman on Friday night last. They poured through the doors in their droves. Biggest ever attendance in Ballynoe for a Fit Up production Geoff Gould told us. As for the hugely talented Seamus O’Rourke, a Leitrim Minor footballer back in the day, presents to us in his own inimitable style a hilariously funny yet poignant, poetic look at small town life in rural Ireland. Now it’s over. Gone. But that’s the way to have it. Send ‘em off on a high. Always wanting more. Will the Blood in the Alley Theatre Company be back?
Fixtures for upcoming weekend
Saturday, March 1st at Ballynoe, round 1 division 2 East Cork Junior Football League v Cloyne at 4pm. Sunday, March 2nd round 2 division 2 Rebel Óg East U16 Football League in Mayfield at 2pm.
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.
