Rochestown Captain Mark Higgins collects the trophy from Seandún GAA Chairperson Mick Buckley.

Rochestown Captain David Sheehan collects the trophy from Seandún GAA Chairperson Mick Buckley.

Article printed in Irish Examiner – Thursday, November 23, 2017

To understand the changing heart of the GAA, it’s worth a trip to the Cork City Junior C Football League final.

Days after rural depopulation was discussed at the launch of the Cork GAA Strategic Plan, two urban clubs, equally struggling for numbers, meet in uncelebrated surrounds. Players comfortably outnumber spectators, even though hosts Rochestown bring only three subs, and Redmonds the one.

Whatever about their rivalry, the clubs have a mutual understanding of their shared plight. After close scares with folding, they rage against the dying of the light — a constant struggle to keep 15 togged out, which neither could manage in hurling. For Redmonds, once All-Ireland champions, that’s a bitter pill to swallow.

Whereas the Tower Street club’s past glories are recorded online, Rochestown are completely off the grid. Treasurer Nellie Murphy goes home to collect a 10-page folder documenting their highest peak — reaching the City Junior A hurling final in 1974.

“It’s realised that a nursery is vital to the continuation of the club,” reads one line. Four decades later, that underage system still isn’t possible — much like Redmonds.

Despite any perceived catchment areas, their cores aren’t places but groups of families, plus the friends they drag along. They’re squeezed out of the underage space by Douglas and Nemo Rangers, St Finbarr’s and Bishopstown, and Passage too.

“You’re in the middle of bigger clubs and you only get the leftovers,” says Rochestown president Tom Breen, who’s 44 years on the committee.

“We’ve 25 players, counting everyone, and a committee of about 10. (We’re) struggling on.”

Talking to volunteers around the field, a common thread is the high retirement age.

Rochestown chairman Michael Corkery played into his 40s and, like Breen, has been involved with the club for 44 years. His brother Gerard, the secretary, retired aged 43 after winning the C championship in 2006.

Murphy, a club history in human form, was a founding member in 1962. Her husband Seán played his last games of football and hurling aged 62.

On the Redmonds sideline, you ask manager Francis Holland, 61 now, when he retired. “Last week, believe it or not,” he laughs. “I actually started the semi-final — we’d just the bare 15.”

Between roars of “have a go off it!” for close-in frees, Holland reveals he’s been involved since he was an eight-year-old in the street leagues. Three years ago, he was asked to rebuild a football team, which includes his sons Dale and Nathan.

“It’s very hard to get young fellas around the area but we still put 15 out every game. We’ll struggle on and keep it going anyway.”

Opposition manager and RTÉ broadcaster Pat McAuliffe is similarly credited with reviving Rochestown’s fortunes from the brink of collapse. Like Holland, he played three games last year, aged 57, to make up the numbers and keep the show on the road.

Donal Collins remembers those bad times. In his Blackrock days, he won an All-Ireland minor hurling title in 1969. His brother Seán was Cork captain. It’s a much different landscape in Rochestown.

“We nearly folded about seven or eight years ago,” says Collins, in between fulfilling his umpiring duties.

“Pat hadn’t been involved in a long time but he heard that we were on the verge of closing and came on board. He mobilised us, got players in and he’s still with us. He was the motivating force behind us staying together.

“We’re a one-team club now but we’re still there anyway.”

The lack of young talent remains a constant worry.

Before rushing away to umpire at the opposite end, Michael, the older of the Corkery brothers, laughs: “My own young fella played with Passage. I wouldn’t mind people playing underage all the way up but he’s gone away now anyway, so he won’t be playing with them either.”

On the Redmonds’ sideline, Paddy O’Shea is introduced by Holland as the oldest member of the club. He laments the loss of South Parish schools, Sullivan’s Quay and the South Monastery, which deprived them of a feeder system.

“I felt very bad that my own two sons had to play with the Barr’s because Redmonds had no underage structure by the time they were coming along,” he says.

“It was a fright to see your own (with the Barr’s) when I was so dedicated to Redmonds.”

They weren’t half bad, either. Billy led the Barr’s to their last senior hurling title in 1993, while Pádraig, another county champion, was a selector with the blues’ county football finalists.

In another life, they could’ve been Redmonds men.

“I’d be very worried (about the future). It’s hard. A sign of the times,” continues O’Shea.

“The big clubs are getting bigger. The likes of Ballincollig, Sarsfields and Douglas — the population is there and they’re bound to have teams then.”

Fellow volunteer Eamon Fitzgibbon adds: “In the 50s, we had an A, B and C team but we’re lucky to scrape one team now because all around Redmonds area is apartments. Where I’m living, there’s only two of the old neighbours there.”

Inner-city northside clubs Fr O’Callaghan’s, Shandon Rovers and Gurranabraher have folded in recent years. A 2011 Irish Examiner article called Redmonds “Cork’s forgotten club”. An amalgamation with Ballyphehane didn’t last, which also ended any talks of Rochestown joining up with Ballinure.

“One or two clubs may have to amalgamate or restructure. That’s inevitable,” said Cork County Board’s senior administrator Diarmuid O’Donovan last week.

“If you look at our Junior C competition, there were 10 clubs involved. Six of those wouldn’t have much membership outside what’s on the field, and one of them had just one player in his 20s. The rest were older.” He continued: “Those may be the clubs that keep going because they’re really doing it for the love of the parish and of the GAA.”

That love was in evidence on Sunday, as Rochestown finally got one over 14-man Redmonds, 5-7 to 0-9.

Stephen Carroll was the four-goal hero, although McAuliffe took none of the credit for his switch to full-forward: “I had him as a centre-back and in midfield over the years. He kept on to me to give him a forward shirt and he scored 3-5 in the semi-final against Nemo and 4-2 today.”

Carroll joked he just wanted less running. That was done by Waterford United top-goalscorer Mark O’Sullivan, fresh from winning the Airtricity League First Division, alongside Paul Hartnett, from Killavullen, in midfield.

Michael Finn, a 42-year-old recruit from Nemo Rangers, belied his years to make two goalline blocks to help captain and goalie Rob Stuart keep a clean sheet.

The other goalscorer Killian McCarthy is a rare teenager in Rochestown colours. “That keeps us alive,” says McAuliffe. “A lot of people were thinking about where they’d go but this will give everyone a boost because the committee are unbelievable to keep it going.

“We’re always looking for players – give a shout out for that anyway,” adds Michael Corkery.

Every committee member remembers to thank Rochestown College for the use of their pitch and sports hall. Everybody. Always remembering the contribution of others.

The battle for survival will continue. For Redmonds, Jonathan Cramer, an ex-Cobh Ramblers player, played his last game ahead of a transfer to the Barr’s.

An exultant Gerard Corkery surmises: “It’s a constant struggle but it’s great.

“We lost four players at the start of the year but there’s three guys came up and turned out to be great players.

“The thankless jobs are the people going to the meetings. We’re only one team but all the work that’s needed… Nellie had a hip operation and the meeting was held up in her house. It’s an amazing set-up.”

Long may it prosper.

Runners up to Delaneys in the Junior A Championship.

Match Report

Excerpt from The Cork Examiner Monday 26/08/1974

Fourth time lucky for Delaneys

Delaneys 2-13, Rochestown 4-4

After three attempts in 1958, 1971 and 1972, Delanys finally managed to take the city junior hurling title in Ballinlough yesterday. Rochestown, who came into this final as the underdogs, have only themselves to blame for not capitalising on numerous chances and they were 0-2 to 1-8 down at half time.

Rochestown’s first goal came when Vincent McCarthy placed the ball neatly in the corner. That made it 2-11 to 1-2 for Delanys, who had a Roy Barry goal within seconds of the restart. Man of the match for them, Pat O’ Sullivan,added a further two quick points. But less than eight minutes after, an infringement on a Rochestown player gave them a real opportunity to open up the game and Murphy’s goal from the free made it 2-11 to 2-2.

A Delaneys point was followed again by a Rochestown goal, this time by Tom Collins who burst his way through from the 21. Murphy made it 2-12 to 3-3, when with seven minutes remaining, Collins was back again to goal for a second time in a similar move. Rochestown pressed hard and three times with a little luck, they night have goaled. The sides exchanged points with two minutes to go to leave the score at 2-13 to 4-4,

Scorers for Delaneys —N. Collins ( 1-0), R. Barry (1-0), P. O’Sullivan (0-8), E. Murphy ()-3), N. O’Flaherty and E. ©’Brien (0-1 each)

Scorers for Rochestown — T. Collins (2-0), W. Murphy (1-3), V. McCarthy (1-0), and D. McCarthy (0-1)

DELANY S: F. Kiely, D. Crowley, D. Kiely, D. Collins, N. O’Flaherty, D. Quinlan, G. Mitchell, E. Murphy, P. O’Connell, J. Barry, E. O’Brien, N. Collins, R. Barry, P. O’Sullivan and S. Healy.

ROCHESTOWN: s. Murphy, T. Mehigan, M. O’Donovan, T. De Pus, T. Fahy, W.J. Carroll, T. Collins, W. Murphy, D. McCarthy, M. Murphy, D. Murphy, V. McCarthy, C. Lombard, Tom Mehigan and J. Holland

Match Preview

Published in the Evening Echo Saturday 24/08/ 1974

Appropriate Time For Dan Hyde Cup

Rochestown or Delanys, whose home will adorn the Junior Hurling Championship Cup after tomorrow’s final? And what an appropriate time for the first presentation of the Dan Hyde Cup. A new cup for new champions.

Dan Hyde gave great service to the games in the city. He played with Blackrock, but spent the greater part of his career playing with Lough Rovers.

He also played and starred with the divisional selection, Sean-dun. He was an able hurler and a fine sportsman, The game meant so much to him and to his family that they thought it suitable to give a magnificent cup to the division to preserve his memory. His widow, Mrs. Hyde, will present the cup to tomorrow’s winners.

Even if there was not a new trophy, the final would be attractive in its
own right. Strictly junior clubs are delighted to see two of their own in action.

Even the senior clubs do not begrudge the occasion to the juniors. While the
Juniors of the big clubs try as hard as anybody else to win, and while the club name may draw the crowds, these clubs generally have their hours of glory in other grades, senior, minor or under- 21. Remember that after almost 50 years, the division is still known as “The Junior Board”. With the greatest respect and admiration for the larger clubs, I think it would have pleased Dan Hyde to know that tomorrows hero’s will be battling, one for the honour of the little village and the other for a place in the sun, away from the shadow of its senior neighbours.

Preparation on both sides has been intensive and there is tremendous interest in both localities, and indeed amongst the game’s followers as a whole.

Delanys have a slight edge in public opinion. Is this because of their three
previous final appearances, with tremendous improvement with each one?

But the knowing ones point to Rochestown’s spirit and their reluctance to yield, even when the odds are against them. They had their finest hour in the replay with Douglas, when they wiped out a half time lead, to which a goal had been quickly added, and they won as they liked.

The confidence they gained was apparent against the ‘Barrs in the semi
final. Delanys were impressive in scoring 21 points against the champions,
Blackrock and in the game against Bishopstown, last year’s finalists. Centre
field will decide the game. Will Pat O’Connell be employed by Delanys to
negative the threat by Weeshie Murphy? He seems the most likely choice for this task. If he is not successful, Rochestown will get a fine supply of the ball in the attack. If he is, how will the village fare without Weeshie to lay on the chances, besides getting a half dozen scores as well? Is Delanys half back line strong enough without O’ Connell? Will Pat O’ Sullivan be full forward again with the Dublin Hill club? Will the strong old-fashioned hurling of the Rochestown defense be too much of an obstacle

When I say old fashioned, I mean they realise that the ball must be cleared out of danger and that ground striking is often the surest way.

The backs understand the fundamentals of the game and this is. Hurling is in most of their bloods and a characteristic of the team as a whole and occasion like this does not come very day.

Rochestown have the moral advantage of a league win over Delanys in Kilbarry. True, the latter had a poor campaign early in the league, but were coming to their peak at the time. Each match is a new contest and one hop of the ball can decide the outcome. And it might. Both have the same strong points and large stars, and both clubs are dedicated. | expect some fine goalkeeping from Sean Murphy of Rochestown and Finbarr Kiely. Mick Donavan’s tussle with Pat O’Sullivan will be important, but I wonder will the village halfbacks, Tom Fahy, Willie Joe Carroll and bearded Tom Collins be too strong for Owen McCarthy, Jim Barry and Sean Healy. Donal O’ Mahony has been training and may make a return to Delanys team.

The B grade final is the curtain raiser and looks good enough to stand on its own feet. Fr. O’Callaghans are trying very hard to make a strong club in their area where there is an abundance of youthful talent. Success could help them, but Ballinure will not give ground easily. This is their fourth in a row B final and they hope for a win at last. St. Finbarrs, Redmonds and Douglas beat them over the past here years, and Ballinure are not getting younger. There is a good depth of hurling in them and they start slight favourites. Against Collins, Fr, O’Callaghan’s impressed me as likely finalists. Having come so far they would not give in easily.

All in all, it looks an attractive afternoon’s sport, with the Cork City Pipe Band to add to the spectacle and to the enjoyment. The admission charge for this fine bill is 25p with two gates in operation. Entrance can be obtained from the main Ballinlough Road as well as from Hettyfield Lane. For bus travellers, there will be a special service from the Statue from 2.30pm. Delany’s supporters will have transport from the grotto from 3 o’clock.

The regular Blackrock (alight Crab lane); Well Road (alight South Lodge); Douglas (alight Johnson and Perrotts) and the Ballinlough services will also convey patrons.