The Avondhu

Football cancelled for at least two weeks

Little did we know as we sent our notes to the newspapers on Monday week last that 24 hours later, we would receive an e-mail from the league hon secretary letting us know that all games planned for January 9th and 16th have been cancelled due to Covid-19, especially the latest variant (Omircon) which has gripped the country and clubs not wishing to put health and safety at risk.

Sean Sheehan’s e-mail to all the clubs stated when the clubs received their fixtures for last Sunday, clubs contacted the league committee explaining that there are very high numbers of players either who tested positive or were awaiting testing.

The league committee held an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening last and decided to postpone the league kick off in the interest of public health and safety.

There will be an emergency online delegate meeting on Tuesday next, 18th January to review the postponement and ask that all club delegates are present for this discussion, which will include the over 35’s and Junior leagues.

The leaguesSecretary will send out the meeting invite closer to the time, but is confirming that all fixtures are off until after the delegate meeting on 18th January.

Credit the committee on acting quickly in calling off the games and letting the clubs know in plenty of time to contact their players.

At the same time, the FAI National Cup competitions were still going ahead as planned but we were informed that many clubs still remaining in the competition - none from the WW/EC Junior League - were not happy and informed their leagues that they were totally unhappy, being forced into playing in the midst of the pandemic with so many players unable to play, because of having tested positive for the virus and also waiting PCR results.

However on Thursday, the FAI Competitions Department and provincial administrators met and arising from the meeting, all FAI National competitions due to take place in the coming weeks are being deferred to dates in February. These dates are to be confirmed to the clubs involved. The revised fixture dates should allow clubs and leagues to prepare better for the latter rounds of these competitions.

The Munster Football Association had made a decision earlier in the week to put back all MFA Cup competitions until February.

We spoke to three clubs at the weekend and all agreed that the WW/EC Junior League committee made the correct decision in calling off all games last Sunday and next Sunday. They also said the committee, by making the decision early in the week, gave the clubs plenty of notice. Every club and community is affected by the pandemic and let us be honest, sport, which we all love and especially our own league, has to be put in perspective at present to ensure that everyone is kept safe. It was pointed out to us that games, apart from Covid, would also have been cancelled because pitches are not playable at present after the rains of the past week. This break will allow pitches to dry out and hopefully, be ready for when the league games resume.

For the past 20 months or so we have written how we must all abide by the guidelines issued by the Department of Health. Listening to the health experts on the television last week, these same guidelines are still in place. We all know that we must wear masks, keep social distancing, wash our hands, all basic instructions, but still necessary if we want to keep everyone safe.

Back in November 2020 - it seems a life time ago - we wrote of a letter we received from one of our readers in the USA and we printed it in the notes. We will do so again next week, but we take a few lines from the letter this week regarding wearing a mask, “wearing a mask doesn’t make me weak, scared, stupid or even “controlled”. It makes me caring and responsible for those around me”.

So, we ask again this week, stay safe and look out for each other and hopefully we can get back writing and reporting on football games sooner rather than later.

SYMPATHY

Sincere sympathy to the Tobin and extended Tobin family, Rallinagoul Mor, Ring on the death of Richard Tobin last weekend. Sons Ciaran and Dylan play in the WW/EC Junior League with Kinsalebeg. Ar dheis Dé ar a anam.

SYMPATHY

The WW/EC Junior League sympathises with the sons and daughters and the extended Fitzgerald family on the death of Angela Fitzgerald, Glengarra, Lismore which occurred at the weekend. Sons Pat and Michael Fitzgerald have been involved in the league through the years. Pat was secretary of both Lismore AFC and the Red House League in the early days of the league and played with Lismore, while his brother Michael was Lismore goalkeeper for many years.

To all the family, sincere sympathy. Ar dheis Dé ar a hanam.

DELEGATE MEETING

As mentioned elsewhere in the notes, the WW/EC Junior League will hold a virtual delegate meeting next Tuesday, 18th January. The agenda will include the recommencement, hopefully, of the league and to discuss the cup competitions to be played, especially the Ned Barry Cup and the new cup competition, the Dungarvan Leader Cup.

League secretary, Sean Sheehan, asks us to mention that the starting date for the over 35 League is to be discussed. With Covid rife within communities at present, the committee are taking all necessary precautions regarding health and safety. The league secretary will be in touch with all the clubs during the week with the time of the delegate meeting.

REFEREES

‘No, not again’, this is going to be the reaction to reading this headline once again. Yes, we have been writing on the subject of referees, or the lack of referees, for many years and listened at delegate meetings month after month on the subject. We have no problem highlighting the serious problem that now exists within the WW/ EC Junior League of a shortage of referees.

In our notes last week, we mentioned that the league fixture secretary informed the clubs that were due to play last Sunday, that there were only two referees available to officiate at the four league games that were to take place. In consultation with the WW/EC Referees Society to ensure the games took place, it was decided to play two games in the morning and two games in the afternoon, meaning the two referees appointed were doubling up.

We are probably wasting our time writing and more than likely boring our readers with the same subject week after week – the lack of referees. We are aware the clubs have been notified of the refereeing situation, but we hear clubs are not responding and do not seem very interested in helping to solve a very serious problem at present, as it has become clear games are now in danger of not being played.

So, what is to be done one might ask? We can keep mentioning the problem here week after week, but realistically, it is up to the clubs to solve the problem. Maybe a way is for games to be cancelled instead of asking referees to double up to suit clubs who are not too worried while they have games to play. Cancelling games is negative we believe, but from what we hear, calling off games may be the only way to force clubs to help in recruiting referees. To continue this headline, keep reading each week!

BLAST FROM THE PAST

For the past two months, due to a lack of space in the notes, we have been unable to continue our look back or ‘Blast from the Past’ segment. We know that so many of our readers, especially past players, enjoy reading this segment. Last November we started to give a history of season 2015/16 and we commenced with the Liam Fitzgerald and the Kelly Kitchens Cups, but unfortunately we were unable to continue as we were back playing cup football and the reports and previews of the various games took up all the space.

BRIDEVIEW TAKE BOLGER CUP

So this week we continue season 2015/16 and start with the Tony Bolger Cup.

Twelve teams competed and the committee decided to have two groups of six, which gave teams plenty of games before the league itself commenced. Group 1 had Brideview, Inch, Kinsalebeg, Mogeely, Cappoquin and Lismore. Group 2 had Kilworth, Railway Ath., Valley Rgs, Abbey Tavern, Clashmore and Pinewood.

The Bolger Cup commenced 23rd August, 2015 and we look at some results from Group 1. Brideview defeated Inch at Tallow 3-1 with Dave McInerney scoring a hat-trick; Mogeely won away to Kinsalebeg; Cappoquin drew 1-1 at home to Lismore, with John Morrissey scoring for the home team and Dave Wildes for Lismore.

The following weekend Mogeely won at home against Brideview 3-0 with C Daly (2) and G Hegarty the scorers. Cappoquin drew at home 3-3 with Kinsalebeg. G Dalton, M Troy and an o.g. were the scorers for the home team. Lismore received a walk-over from Inch.

Mogeely continued their great start to the season when defeating Cappoquin at Railway Park 7-4. Inch and Kinsalebeg drew 2-2 at Sexton Park.

Then a shock result at Sexton Park, Inch defeated the group leaders Mogeely 3-1 with goals from D Savage, S Lyons and L Byrne. Kinsalebeg lost at home to Lismore 1-2 with Shane Bennett scoring both away goals. Cappoquin drew at home with Brideview, D Wilkinson and S Daly scoring for Cappoquin and D McInerney and M Curley for Brideview.

The middle of September saw a cracker of a local derby at Leonard Fraser Park when the points were shared in an a eight goal thriller between Brideview and Lismore. Brideview’s scorers were C Murphy (2) and a goal each from J O’Keeffe and M Curley - S Bennet (2) and a goal each from E Pollard and E O’Sullivan for Lismore.

Inch won away at Cappoquin 1-2, D Wilkinson scoring for the home team and L Byrne and E Budds for Inch.

Brideview scored 9 goals at home without reply against Kinsalebeg. M Curley, D McInerney and L McElroy 2 goals each and a goal each from C Murphy, E Hickey and K Casey.

The final group game saw 10 goals scored at Lismore, as the home team defeated Mogeely 6-4. Kenny Moore with 5 goals and F Daly scored for the winners. Lismore headed then the group with Mogeely runners-up.

In Group 2, Kilworth won at home to Railway 3-2 with goals from J McCarthy, J Ahearne and P Lynch.

Valley Rgs won the local derby with Abbey Tavern at Conna 3-2. A Carr, J Noonan and R Carr scored for the home team and D Quinn and S Quinn for the visitors. Clashmore lost at home to Pinewood 0-3.

Abbey Tavern and Pinewood drew 3-3 at Castlelyons - M Spillane with 2 goals and a goal from J Pratt for the home team. Darren Guiry scored a hat-trick for Pinewood. Railway defeated Clashmore 2-1 at the Danes Field - N O’Mahony and L O’Gorman for the home team, and P Prendergast for the visitors. Valley Rgs and Kilworth drew 3-3 at Conna - E Kenneally, S Mangan and A Carr scoring for Valley, with 2 goals from J Lane and a goal from J Aherne for Kilworth.

Clashmore and Abbey Tavern drew 1-1 at Pablo Park - P O’Rourke and J Pratt were the respective scorers.

A Stephen Carr goal was enough to give the points to Valley Rgs away to Railway. Pinewood had a big win at home to Kilworth 8-2. Darren Guiry had a hat-trick, with 2 goals from G Aherne and a goal each from G Guiry, C Guiry and an o.g. Paudie Lynch scored the Kilworth goals.

Valley won at home to Clashmore 3-2 - Rory Galvin 2 goals and Will O’Neill for Valley, while James Salmon scored both the Clashmore goals.

Kilworth lost at home to Abbey Tavern 3-4 - Paudie Lynch scored a hat-trick, while S Fenton scored 2 goals and a goal each from A Spillane and D Dooley for the winners.

Pinewood won 9-1 at home to Railway, with Keith Guiry scoring 5 times. M

Kearney scored for Railway. Valley and Pinewood drew 4-4 at Conna - Rory Galvin and Adrian Carr scored 2 goals each, D Meehan bagging a hat-trick and an o.g. for Pinewood.

In the two final group games, Clashmore lost at home to Kilworth 1-4 and Abbey Tavern won at home to Railway 4-0.

Pinewood and Valley Rgs finished level at the top of the group, but Pinewood went through as winners with a better goal difference.

The quarter-finals saw Valley lose at home to Brideview 1-3, A Carr scored for the home team, A Kearny (2) and a C Murphy goal for Brideview. Mogeely lost at home to Abbey Tavern 1-2, B O’Donovan and R Prendergast for the winners and an o.g. for the home team.

The two semi-finals were played on St. Patrick’s Day. The first resulted in Pinewood defeating Abbey Tavern 2-1, played at Ballymacarbry. K Guiry and D Guiry scored for the winners, M McCarthy for the losers.

In the other semi-final, Brideview beat Lismore 2-1, played at Lismore. J Roche scored for the home team and P O’Brien and E McElroy for Brideview.

The Tony Bolger Cup final was played at Cappoquin on 30th April, 2016. Brideview won on penalties (5-4), defeating Pinewood, the score being 2-2 aet. Brideview’s scorers were K Geary and C Murphy, while D Meehan and S Guiry scored for Pinewood.

Brideview - B Henley, S O’Sullivan, K Fraser, A Kearney, K Geary, E Hickey, C Murphy, R Grey, D McInerney, M Curley, J Murphy. Reserves - K Casey, T Daly, E McElroy, D Mulcahy, S Tobin.

Pinewood - T Barron, J Mulcahy, S Whelan, J Meehan, G Guiry, C Guiry, S Guiry, D Guiry, D Meehan, A Meehan, G Aherne. Reserves - C Hennessy, G Peters, M O’Grady.

Referee was Martin Reddy, assistants were Vinny Coonan and Dec Fogarty.

ABBEY TAKE PLATE FINAL

The Tony Bolger Plate Final was played at Leonard Fraser Park on 2nd June, 2016.

Lismore had qualified to meet Abbey Tavern in the final, but the Lismore team was withdrawn from the competition by the Lismore Club committee, and thus Valley Rgs came back into the final.

The game finished Abbey Tavern 2 Valley Rgs 1 - Abbey Tavern’s scorers were B O’Donovan and S O’Sullivan, while M Holmgaard scored for Valley Rgs.

Abbey Tavern - R Bukowski, K Higgins, M Hegarty, B O’Donovan, JJ Murphy, J Hogan, B Costigan, S O’Sullivan, M Healy, C Cotter, C Quill. Reserves - A Kirby, M McCarthy.

Valley Rgs - R O’Neill, R Carr, R McCurtain, S Cogan, E Kenneally, S Carr, M Holmgaard, W O’Neill, J Cashman, A Carr, J Noonan. Reserves - D Walsh, E Condon, J O’Donovan, K English, P Barry.

Referee was Dec Fogarty, assistants were Keith Hornibrook and Simon Drislane.

BRIDEVIEW WIN BARRY CUP

The Ned Barry Cup commenced on 8th May, 2016. There were eleven teams competing as the Lismore club committee had withdrawn the junior team from the WW/EC Junior League and as the draw had been previously made, Mogeely were given a walkover. While the decision was understandable, it was a disappointment as the Ned Barry Cup was commemorating a founder of the Lismore club in 1955 and the cup was presented to the league by the Lismore club.

Inch and Valley Rgs drew 2-2 at Sexton Park aet. Inch won 7-6 on penalties. Valley’s scorers were R Galvin and M Holmgaard. Pinewood had a big win at home to Clashmore 8-0 victory - Darren Guiry with a hat-trick and Keith Guiry with 2 goals the highlights

Brideview B won at home against Cappoquin 3-2 - S Tobin, D McInerney and J Beecher scored for Brideview, while Cappoquin’s scorers were S Lambden and J Morrissey.

The quarter-finals were played on 22nd May. Inch lost at home to Railway 1-2. Leonard Byrne for the home team and E McGrath and S Cullinane for Railway.

There was a local club derby in Tallow with Brideview A defeating Brideview B 2-0, both goals scored by C Murphy.

Pinewood won at home to Mogeely 5-2 - S Guiry with 2 goals, and a goal each from D Guiry, G Guiry and C Guiry.

Kilworth won at home 4-0 against Abbey Tavern with 2 goals from J McCarthy and a goal each from T Twomey and P Lynch.

The two semi-finals were played on 29th May. Railway Ath. defeated Pinewood 4-0 at Cappoquin with 2 goals from N O’Mahony, along with goals from Keith O’Sullivan and L O’Gorman.

At Conna, Brideview A defeated Kilworth 3-1 with C Murphy scoring 2 goals and a goal from M Curley. While A Condon scored for Kilworth.

The Ned Barry Cup final, sponsored by the Red House Bar in Lismore, was between Brideview A and Railway Ath and was played at the Danes Field on Sunday, 12th June, 2016. It finished Brideview 2 Railway 1 - J Kearney and S O’Sullivan scored for the winners and A O’Sullivan for the runners-up.

Brideview A - Seanie Barry, T Daly, K Fraser, K Casey, B Henley, J Murphy, C Murphy, E Hickey, J Kearney, R Grey, S O’Sullivan. Reserves -M O’Brien, JP Grey, W Henley.

Railway Ath - S Cullinane, Keith O’Sullivan, A O’Dwyer, I Cliffe, B Dwyer, Chris O’Gorman, A O’Sullivan, E McGrath, Cailean O’Gorman, Killian O’Sullivan, N O’Mahony. Reserves - J Coffey, E Flynn, L O’Gorman, C Devine, D Smith, S Coolbear, S Lynch.

Referee was Vinny Coonan, assistants Dec Fogarty and Keith Hornibrook.

The Man of the Match award was won by Chris Murphy from Brideview A.

OTHER RESULTS

A few results from the FAI Junior Cup and the Munster Junior Cup.

In the FAI Junior Cup, Abbey Tavern won at home against Lismore 5-2 aet. D O’Keeffe 2 goals, JJ Murphy, M Spillane and B English scored for the winners and Kenny

Moore with 2 goals for Lismore.

At Ballymac, Pinewood defeated Valley Rgs 5-2. Darren Guiry with 2 goals and a goal each from D Meehan, G Guiry and K Guiry for the home team; A Carr and M Mulcahy scored for the losers.

Kilworth defeated Ballinroad with a Seanie Shanahan goal at Kilworth. Railway lost at home to Waterford Bohemians 1-4 at the Danes Field - K O’Sullivan scored for Railway.

In the next round, Pinewood lost away to Tramore AFC 5-0. Kilworth won away to Waterford Bohemians 1-4 - the Kilworth goal scorers were G Heskin, P Lynch, J Lane and A Condon. Abbey Tavern lost away to St. Josephs 2-1, with A Spillane scoring for the visitors.

In the next round, Tramore AFC at home defeated Kilworth 8-4 - P Lynch with 2 goals and B Allen and G Heskin a goal each for Kilworth.

In the Munster Junior Cup, Valley Rgs lost away to Abbeyside with S Carr on the score sheet, Mogeely travelled to Dunmore and the game ended 2-2 aet - L Deane and J Clifford scored for the visitors. Dunmore won the penalty shoot-out 5-3. Dungarvan defeated Railway Ath at Dungarvan 7-2 with Keith O’Sullivan and Killian O’Sullivan scoring for Railway.

2 goals from Shane Bennett saw Lismore defeat Pinewood at Lismore and in a cracker of a cup tie at Tallow, the home side lost 3-4 to Tycor - M Curley, D Mulcahy and D McInerney scored for the home side.

In the 2nd round, Tramore defeated Lismore at Tramore 6-1. Kenny Moore scored for Lismore from the penalty spot. At Castlelyons, Abbey Tavern defeated Abbeyside 3-1 with goals from M Spillane, D O’Keeffe and J Pratt.

In the 3rd round played at Carriganore, Carrick Utd defeated Abbey Tavern 7-0.

In the Keane Jewellers Champion Cup, Brideview lost at home 0-4 to Douglas Hall.

Next week we will look back at the league games of 2015/16.

SPORT

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2022-01-13T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-13T08:00:00.0000000Z

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The Avondhu (Ireland)