1931

Skibbereen  1-5   Kilbrittain 1-1 

August 30th   in Clonakilty

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WEST CORK HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

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Kilbrittain v Skibbereen

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SKIBBEREEN VICTORIOUS

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       Contesting every inch of ground, Kilbrittain, the holders of many West Cork Championships, relinquished the title on Sunday last to a faster and, on the whole, superior Skibbereen selection. The game was played at Clonakilty before a very large attendance. The margin in scores was five points, which might, on the run of the play, be taken as an accurate indication of the extent of the winners’ superiority. So close was the contest throughout that not until the latter stages of the second half did the western men definitely assert themselves and even within some minutes of the final whistle the issue looked uncertain, though Skibbereen had then taken the lead by 4 points.

      It was a game in which close tackling was one of the predominant features but withal the play was fast, polished up with many brilliant phases. Good old sol, with the exception of a few officials of the Clonakilty Club, who were about looking after gate arrangements, had the splendidly-prepared field all to himself when first we arrived on the scene of action, but then steadily came the stream of anxious enthusiasts through the turnstiles, and when the referee’s call to battle sounded, the arena presented a well-filled appearance. I afterwards learned that the gate receipts exceeded £21, which was very satisfactory. Along comes the supporters of the rival teams and included in the rush I noticed some of the prominent Board officials, Liam Deasy, Michael Moynihan and others.

      The bulk of the Skibbereen contingent arrived by special train but even this mode of conveyance did not seem to adequately cater for the travelling needs of the Western team’s supporters as the Carbery ‘Bus, I.O.C., bus and cars galore came in endless rotation from the Western stronghold.

       The game in every respect, was a very satisfactory finish to the year’s hurling championship. The teams fielded out as follows: -

          Kilbrittain  - Ed. Barrett (goal), C. Crowley, C. Harrington, D. Hallahan, T. Flood, J. Barrett, N. Mulhall, T. Murphy, D. O’Hea, M. Sullivan, K. Costello, D. O’Hea, E. O’Hea, J. Roche, P. Roche.

      Skibbereen – D. Crowley (goal), J. Donovan, P. Regan, J. Ronan, J. Casey, D. Hayes, D. Burke, J. McCarthy, D. Barry, P. McCarthy, G. McCarthy, J. Sullivan, D. Downing, M. Donovan, T. Hayes.

BEFORE THE TIE

     Mr. D. O’Donovan, the skipper of the Clonakilty football string, had the teams whistled up and ‘Proudly the Note,’ went the strains of the Clonakilty Band as the 30 stalwarts moved off on parade round the pitch. The rival colours presented a bold contrast to the eye but, at that, a pleasing one. The attire and general appearance of the youthful-looking Western selection was strikingly catchy. Yet, though important in itself in this little detail, appearance never made the man. The old familiar black and ambers looked equally trim and fit and the occupants of the pretty well-filled arena were held yet a few more seconds on the tip-toe of expectancy as the referee checked off the teams and attended to other preliminaries. The ‘Belgian’ took up his stand between the Skibbereen sticks and Ned Barrett, as cool as a December day, went towards the opposing fortress. The backs are in position; the referee gives the slogan; the first clash of the ashen blades are heard and away they go, hard at it, hammer and tongs.

THE PLAY

       I shall now endeavour to give a brief reflex of the passages of play, which were at all times exciting and, on occasions, brilliant. Skibbereen is away but Con Crowley, on the right wing, intercepts, and returns smartly. Skibbereen returned but only to record the first over of the game. The puck-out by Flood saw Ronan, the Skibbereen centre back, complete master of the situation. He intercepts and clears a fine ball. Mulhall returns and G. O’Hea sends wide. A rather poor goal puck gives Skibbereen territorial advantage. Mulhall again returns but Ronan is again the man on he spot to beat off the impending danger. Paddy McCarthy is quickly on the ball on the left wing forward, but his effort is beaten on the half line by Crowley, whose clearance initiated a sweeping onslaught on the Skibbereen fortress but there Dinny Crowley gives us one of the tit bits of the game with a spectacular save. There is nothing to choose between the teams and play at all stages is being fought out at a terrific pace. Ronan saves again for Skibbereen and a great ball is delivered by Jerome Casey in the Skibbereen lines. On the fall of the leather men and hurleys clash in desperate effort, and the little winged creature of the air is sent back like a swallow by ‘Pap’, who is one of the shining stalwarts on Kilbrittain’s last line.

      Mulhall and D. O’Hea are having mind and muscles, might and brawn behind each stroke of the stout camán at centre field. Hallahan and Barrett are doing great defence work for Kilbrittain and Jerome Casey, that ‘foxy’ youth from Skibbereen, is playing the game of his life. As cute as a fox he is, indeed, and knows his game from A to Z. Like bracing billows dashing headlong, the westerners are again in quest of a score but a sweeping avalanche of brawn and muscle once again failed in its object against an unpenetrable and rock-like resistance.

       Mulhall sends well into the Skibbereen lines with one of his many strong and dangerous pucks but Tom Hayes and John Donovan are two Trojans in this quarter and are doing solid work, come what may. Honan is up to this stage the most prominent and spectacular hurler on the Skibbereen team and his lengthy clearances are each time loudly applauded. Tackled in dangerous ground Crowley sends to touch and the puck is taken by Jerome Casey, who swings a fine ball into the Kilbrittain goalmouth. Another great clash of ashen blades and the elusive sphere is sent over. Ronan is slightly injured and, no doubt, the few minutes delay is acceptable to all, even to the interested attendance, most of whom are equally hard at it  with cheers of encouragement to their respective sides.

      Hello, 20 minutes now gone and still a scoreless register. Ronan resumes and the battle rages fast and furious. C. Harrington is playing a very reliable game in front of ‘Pap’ Roche, while Hallinan, on the other wing, beats his man on nearly every occasion. Right across the Kilbrittain goal goes the leather. Flood holds Downing and Barrett sends out of danger. Play swings to the other end like a flash and here Tom Hayes is having a tussle with his man. He is now assailed by a few others until Casey gets it from the ruck and back it goes. Gerald McCarthy gets well on the leather and his delivery goes to the front line where Barrett is severely tested but well he did his job. A temporary clearance sent the leather to Barry, who put right through for the opening score, a goal.

     The progress of the game showed that this consistent player is a most dangerous forward, with even the slightest opening. Nothing daunted, the eastern men showed by their subsequent efforts that they were not going to relinquish their title without a fight, and play waxed keen and fast, ‘with clashing ash and flying leather.’ Some minutes later Casey got an opening and registered a neat point. A ‘70’ puck taken by this player soon after was also sent over for a similar score, giving Skibbereen a five-point lead. However, the issue was still an open one, as shown in the ensuing passages when the Skibbereen net had a narrow shave from disaster. Crowley saved but before the ball was delivered out of danger, Sullivan (Kilbrittain) sent over the bar for the Eastern men’s first point. Just before the half time whistle, the same player reduced the difference in scores to a minimum when he beat the Skibbereen custodian at close quarters. The half time scores were –

SKIBBEREEN – 1 goal 2 points.

KILBRITTAIN – 1 goal 1 point.

      The second half opened with renewed vivacity. Like greyhounds on their quarry, each pair coursed and at every angle of the field an interesting duel was being staged. Paddy Regan is playing a sound game on the half back line and Barry is opening up some very dangerous moves on the Skibbereen forward line. Hallinan is minding his wing well, but Barry has another chance and this time is right over the sticks from a nice angle.  ‘Pap’ Roche is the next old reliable favourite to receive the plaudits of the gathering and his two fine clearanes in succession is a source of encouragement to his side. Skibbereen forwards are again in possession and his hefty defence in making its last great stand with Flood well in the picture. The onslaught is beaten off and D. O’Hea is bearing the brunt of the centre field tussles.

      Crowley, in the Skibbereen goal, is again tested by Sullivan, but the former saved and sent to touch. A free to Skibbereen was taken by Casey, whose puck fell short of the scoring area, but Burke finished the effort with a smart point. This player added Skibbereen’s fifth point towards the end of this half leaving the final scores: -

           SKIBBEREEN – 1 goal 5 points.

           KILBRITTAIN – 1 goal 1 point.

     Kilbrittain’s failure to raise a flag during the second half does not, perhaps, adequately reflect the standard of play served up during the second moiety. Yet, Kilbrittain were not unlucky in their scoring fortunes. The fact of their failure to break through on any occasion during the second half may, for the most part, be attributed to the sound defensive tactics on the part of the Skibbereen team. The full back, O’Donovan, did not shine, but, on the other hand, did smart reliable work and left very few openings. During the second half, however, he was somewhat inclined to move out a bit far from his position on the mark, a mistake which, invariably, gives speedy forwards a chance.

      There are a few other stone walls in the Skibbereen rearguard. Ronan is the outstanding man as a hurler and a hard worker. He takes it rough and smooth alike and plays the game in a fine sporting way. There are two others, Tom Hayes and Jerome Casey. Casey is a brilliant performer and Tom, a dour fighter and a strong link in an important position. A great man in a ruck, with a powerful ground stroke. He is rarely beaten at close quarters.

     I must candidly say that the forwards were not so impressive. I would almost say that a few were disappointing but it also must be considered that the opposing defence line is composed of some hard battlers, with long experience on the hurling field and whose tactics would prove an upsetting force to any forward string.

     Tom Flood, ‘Pap’ Roche and Hallinan were outstanding for Kilbrittain. Murphy and Barrett were also sound but Mulhall, in the centre field, was a pivot of Kilbrittain’s activities, especially during the opening half. During the second half, D. O’Hea was a prominent performer in midfield. The Kilbrittain forwards had some good tussles close in, but I could hardly say that there was any outstanding performer in this bunch. Sullivan made good use of his opportunities, E. O’Hea appeared dangerous at times, but he was well held by O’Donovan. Regan and Burke were two other prominent figures in the Skibbereen team.  

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COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Skibbereen met Shanballymore in the county semi-final in the Athletic Grounds on September 20^th and seemed to be in trouble at half time when their lighter side trailed by 1-3 to 0-2. With Crowley in goal and Donovan at full back outstanding, a great goal put them into the lead in the third quarter. It seemed in vain, however, when Shanballymore struck their second goal and looked certain winners. Downey became the Skibb hero when he burst through for the winning goal late in the game. Final score was 3-2 to 2-3 and others to do well were Hayes and Ronan. Skibb were through to their first-ever county hurling final.

COUNTY FINAL

“The Rockies, having disposed of Passage, will now cross camáns with Skibbereen in the final of the County Junior Hurling Championship. The locals are red-hot favourites and are likely to win the day.” (Skibbereen District Notes)   

      It was Skibbereen v Blackrock’s second team in the county final, played on November 8^th  in the Showgrounds in Clonakilty and the Skibbereen correspondent definitely got it very wrong as a top-class city side proved far too good on the day. In front of a crowd of 1,200, a record for a hurling game held in West Cork, on a fine afternoon Mons Hill P.P., Clonakilty threw in the sliotar and the first half was closely-fought but the Rockies proved much more dangerous in attack, registering 2-3, with Skibbereen failing to raise a flag.

      Downing, Regan and Barnett did well in the Skibb defence and a goal by McCarthy closed the gap on the restart but the Rockies soon asserted their authority again, adding a goal and two points, to a single point for Skibb.

     It finished 3-7 to 1-1, with the Skibb men fighting to the final whistle but outclassed on the day. Best for Skibb were Hayes, O’Donovan (capt..), Barnett and O’Leary in defence, McCarthy and Burke fought hard at midfield, but the forwards were well-held for the hour. But when all was said and done, the Skibb hero was ‘The Belgian’ in goal. – “D. Crowley, in his old position between the sticks, was, as usual, an outstanding performer. His fine saves and good clearances, were a spectacular feature during the second half.”

      Best for Blackrock were M. Leahy, E. Cotter, R. O’Connor, W. Cashman, D. Linehan and D. Coholan.

“The result of the hurling final caused disappointment locally. Our townies (?) were badly beaten but it was not the fault of the ‘Belgian’.” (Skibbereen District Notes)

Skibbereen – D. Crowley (goal), J. O’Donovan (capt..), T. Hayes, D. Downing, P. Regan, D. O’Leary, J. Barnett, D. Burke, G. McCarthy, M. Regan, P. McCarthy, J. Sullivan, T. McCarthy, M. Donovan.

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COUNTY JUNIOR HURLING FINAL 1931

Blackrock 3-7,  Skibbereen 1-1, November 8^th,   in Clonakilty. 

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Dear Old Skibbereen

O Father dear, I often hear you speak of Erin's Isle,
Her lofty scenes, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild.
They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell;
Oh why did you abandon it? The reason, to me tell.

O son, I loved my native land with energy and pride,
'Til a blight came o'er my crops, my sheep and cattle died.
My rent and taxes were too high, I could not them redeem
And that's the cruel reason why I left old Skibbereen.

O well do I remember the bleak December day,
The landlord and the sheriff came to drive us all away.
They set my roof on fire with cursed English spleen
And that's another reason why I left old Skibbereen.

Your mother too, God rest her soul, fell on the snowy ground,
She fainted in her anguish, seeing the desolation round.
She never rose, but passed away from life to mortal dream
And found a quiet grave, my boy, in dear old Skibbereen.

And you were only two years old and feeble was your frame,
I could not leave you with my friends, you bore your father's name.
I wrapped you in my cothamore at the dead of night unseen,
I heaved a sigh and bade good-bye to dear old Skibbereen.

O Father dear, the day may come when in answer to the call
Each Irishman, with feeling stern, will rally one and all.
I'll be the man to lead the van beneath the flag of green,
When loud and high, we'll raise the cry: "Revenge for Skibbereen!"