1954

Courcey Rovers  w/o  Clonakilty 

SOUTH-WEST JUNIOR A HURLING DRAWS

While 25 teams entered the Junior A football draws, only eleven entered the hurling. Again the first-round losers in the hurling would form the junior B championship. Draws – Courcey Rovers v Barryroe; Kilbrittain v Ballineen; St. Finbarr’s, Bantry v St. Aidan’s, Darrara; Kilmeen v Clonakilty; Dohenys v Bandon; O’Donovan Rossa a bye.

Junior B final, Ballineen beat St. Finbarr’s, Bantry, by 4-9 to 4-4, in Sam Maguire Park.

SOUTH-WEST CONVENTION

The SW Convention was held in St. Fachtna’s High School, Skibbereen in January, 1955. In his report, rúnaí, Gus Keohane, said of the Junior A hurling championship – “The junior hurling final between Courcey Rovers and Clonakilty was not played. Early in the year it was fixed for Bandon but Clonakilty would not play at that venue. The Board could not very well alter its decision and the fixture was allowed to stand for Bandon. Clonakilty offered to play at any other venue in the division but would not go to Bandon, so their opponents got a walk-over. The non-playing of the final constituted a serious financial loss to the Board.”

       Clonakilty’s refusal to play in Bandon had to do with the senior football championship game played in the Bogs, Bandon, between Clon and Garda. The game was refereed by Seán Crowley. Even though Clonakilty won by two points, incidents near the end of the game resulted in an investigation by the Co. Board and a number of Clonakilty players were reprimanded, one, Tadhgo Crowley, being suspended for three months. As a result he missed the county final, which was lost to St. Nick’s. The Co. Board ordered a replay of the Clon v Garda game, in Macroom, which Clonakilty won well. The whole affair created very bad feeling between the Clonakilty and Bandon clubs and Clon, subsequently, refused to play the hurling final in Bandon, as arranged earlier in the season.  

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COUNTY JUNIOR HURLING FINAL 1954

Castlemagner 3-8,  Ballinhassig 4-4  in Cork Athletic Grounds.

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Mick Mackey

"Ah, bitter death, our hero you have claimed,

And rent the heart of every hurling man

With savage grief, but still the glorious name

Of Mackey will defy your rapacious hand!

For young men with great dreams have stood,

Flushed and proud to have seen him in his day

Scattering his foes

with powerful ease like Shannon's flood,

Or bounding deer-like through their ranks away. 

'Twas sad so great a spirit should be confined

Though in one great body, but now at last set free

To stride Colossus-like the fields of time - 

Forever young, the fearless hurling Cavalier. 

Your memory will be forever green, o noble soul - 

Go now, the Master awaits you at the final goal!"

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