JOIN THE KILWORTH COMMUNITY GYM TODAY
The eagerly awaited state of the art Kilworth Community Gym which is located upstairs in the new Kilworth GAA dressing room complex is now open offering the newest and most innovative facilities with cutting edge equipment guaranteed to enhance your workout. The Community Gym boasts an array of brand new equipment such as free and machine weights including a leg extension machine, leg press machine, lying leg curl machine, cable machine, squat cages, and bicycles to name a few which will benefit all members in achieving their fitness goals. Introductory membership rates for a limited time only are Monthly €30, Yearly €330, Student/OAP Monthly €20, and Student/OAP Yearly €220 with the gym opening hours of Monday – Sunday 5am to 10pm. Note: A €20 joining/rejoining fee applies to all memberships for induction. Check out the Kilworth Community Gym social media pages for available induction slots or contact KilworthCommunityGym@gmail.com for more information.
WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO
There was no winner of last week’s lotto jackpot of €2,400 held on Monday January 12th. The numbers drawn were: 07, 14, 23, & 26. The lucky dip winner of €50 was Hannah Kenny c/o Yearly. The lucky dip winners of €25 each were Bernie O’Brien c/o Online, Collette Boland c/o Online, & Noel Lombard c/o Yearly. The jackpot prize on Monday January 19th is €2,600.
Tickets cost just €2 each or three lines for €5 and they are available online, in the local business outlets, or from your usual local sellers. As always, we would like to thank you for your ongoing support. Míle Buíochas!
VOTES OF SYMPATHY
Kilworth GAA club would like to extend its sincere sympathy to the Allen families Rochestown/Curraghagalla on the passing of Tom Allen. Tom played hurling and football with Kilworth in his youth and was a member of the Kilworth U14 B north Cork football championship winning side of 1970 that secured the juvenile club’s first ever football title.
The club would also like to extend its deepest sympathies to the Sliney/Ronan/Lyons families, Curraghagalla, Kilworth/Mitchelstown, and the Bane families, Dublin/Fermoy following their recent bereavements.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse.
MAIN CLUB SPONSORS: Mike Walsh Pharmacy, The Village Inn, Aherne’s Pub, KDC Ltd., Kilally Stables, Mitchelstown Dental Clinic, Joe & Trish Bonner, and Centra Kilworth.
THROWBACK THURSDAY
1995 Junior B Football North Cork Champions & County Finalists
1995 was a memorable year for Kilworth Gaels at both adult and juvenile levels as within the Avondhu division many league and championship finals were contested with silverware brought back to home turf on a total of four occasions after eleven North Cork finals and two County finals were contested across both codes at U12, U14, U15, Minor, U21, and Junior A & B levels. The wins celebrated included the U15BHC with Kilworth beating Kildorrery 4-3 to 1-11 at Mitchelstown, the MAFC with Kilworth beating Ballyclough 4-9 to 0-7 at Killavullen, the JAHC with Kilworth beating Charleville 3-14 to 1-09 at Killavullen, and as for this particular throwback, Kilworth beat Awbeg Rangers (Buttevant) 0-13 to 0-7 in the JBFC (1) which was played at Kildorrery.
With just four links remaining from the 1985 Kilworth team comprising of selector Jim McCarthy, alongside panel members John Gallagher, Liam Magnier and Colm Carey, who on Sunday August 25th at the newly opened Killavullen venue won the north Cork final against Liscarroll and were subsequently runners up three months later in the county final at Mallow to Kilbrin, Kilworth started their 1995 north Cork league style championship campaign with an impressive 3-12 to 0-5 first round victory over Dromina on Friday May 19th at Shanballymore before comfortably seeing off Liscarroll 3-18 to 0-4 in their second round fixture seven days later at the same venue. Interestingly, this panel also included five minor players in Elton Pierce, Alan Carey, William Twomey, John Paul McCarthy, and William O’Donoghue who would all go on to contest the minor A football county final a few months later against Inniscarra.
Overseen by Meath native Ciarán Hynes, alongside fellow selectors Jim McCarthy, Tom Pierce, Ollie Sheehan, and Liam Kenny, Kilworth made it three from three on Sunday evening June 11th at Fermoy, when they had a rather easier than expected 14 point win over Ballyhooly. Leading by 1-10 to 0-1 at the interval Kilworth further increased their lead upon the resumption and at the final whistle were comfortable winners on a scoreline of 1-22 to 3-2 with the accuracy of wing forward Sean Carey clocking up a whopping 1-14 from play and frees.
A short three weeks later Kilworth saw off the challenge of Churchtown side, Burton Rovers 0-17 to 1-10 in their fourth round tie which would be their toughest game in the North Cork campaign, and once again followed up with another victory on Saturday evening July 22nd as they comfortably saw off the challenge of Ballyclough at Castletownroche. After dominating play throughout the field Kilworth enjoying an interval lead of 0-8 to 1-2 before running out convincing winners 2-18 to 2-4 with Ballyclough’s two goals coming from penalties. Kilworth scorers on the day were Sean Carey 1-8, Ger McCarthy 1-4, Elton Pierce 0-3, Brian Carey 0-2, and captain Aidan Hyland 0-1.
Next up in this two group league format style championship was a local derby clash against Grange on Saturday July 29th at Araglen and although it was of no real significance with both teams having already qualified for a semi-final spot, Grange came out on top on a final scoreline of 1-10 to 0-9 with all of the Kilworth points coming the boots of the Carey brothers, poachers Sean and Brian.
On Sunday August 13th, following a 6 point win over Rathluírc Rovers which was played in Araglen as the curtain raiser for the JAFC semi-final clash of Fermoy and Mitchelstown, Kilworth booked their place in the north Cork championship final. In this very entertaining semi-final Kilworth kept their cool throughout and took their scorers very well. Three first half goals from the opposition left Kilworth behind by 3-1 to 0-6 after 20 minutes played but further scorers including an Elton Pierce goal before the interval left just two points separating the teams. In the second half, Kilworth with the advantage of a breeze were well on top at midfield and scored a further 1-1 inside the opening 6 minutes to go 2-10 to 3-2 ahead. Further scores from Elton, Sean Carey, and Stephen Donnellan ensured Kilworth finished the strongest side as they registered an impressive 3-15 to 4-6 victory over the western divisional side who had earlier in the season taken the football league crown.
On Sunday morning September 24th at Kildorrery, Kilworth recorded their fifth JBFC (1) title, and the clubs first ever junior championship double, when playing under slippery conditions following heavy rainfall they gallantly beat Buttevant side Awbeg Rangers 0-13 to 0-7. In a contest which Kilworth dominated from the start, including kicking nine wides in the opening 11 minutes, the teams were still level at 0-1 apiece at the quarter mark. Scores from Elton Pierce, Sean Carey, and Brian Carey settled Kilworth and by the interval Kilworth held a 4 point advantage, 0-6 to 0-2. Buttevant however appeared a transformed side after the water break and by the three quarter stage they had reduced the deficit to a mere point, 0-8 to 0-7. After words of wisdom were politely issued from the sideline by Kilworth’s head coach Ciarán Hynes, Kilworth settled and with further white flags raised from efforts by Elton, Donal Kenneally, Aidan Hyland, and Ger McCarthy, Kilworth held a 6 point advantage at the full time whistle. After the game Aidan Hyland accepted the cup from the north Cork board Chairman, Milford’s John Dillon, as he joined the list of winning Kilworth football captains, John Carey (RIP) 1964, Lar Flynn (RIP) 1972, Martin Howard 1981, and Ger Griffin 1985. Interestingly, for eleven members of this squad, it would be their second north Cork medal in just a few weeks as they captured the north Cork junior A hurling title against Charleville by 11 points a few weeks prior for which Kilworth’s Sean Carey received the Man of the Match award for his outstanding display.
Having now qualified for the county series Kilworth were back in action two weeks later when they faced Imokilly side Dungourney in the quarter final on Sunday 8th October. Played in Fermoy the opening half was a tight affair with the sides level on 3 points apiece at the break. Kilworth however excelled upon the restart and after 17 minutes their first goal came through a Sean Carey converted penalty, which was shortly followed by a Donal Keneally three pointer after some good passing movements from substitute Liam Kenny and full forward Ger McCarthy which saw Kilworth finish the game with a 10 point victory, 2-8 to 0-4.
Four weeks later on Sunday November 5th, Kilworth travelled to Rathcormac to contest the city divisional champions Ballinure in the county semi-final. After leading 1-4 to 0-3 at the break, the North Cork side ran riot in the second half, chalking up 1-6 without reply, and although the city side managed two goals late in the game, it really only served to make the scoreline a little bit more respectable. Best on the day for Kilworth were Brian Sheedy, vice-captain John Kiersey, William Twomey, Kieran O’Donoghue, and Sean Carey with the goals coming from the boots of Garry Harrington and Donal Kenneally as they once again advanced through to the county final after a ten year absence on a final scoreline of 2-12 to 2-5.
With a repeat of the 1985 county final showpiece now no longer on the cards as Diarmuid Ó Mathúna’s convincingly beat Kilbrin 2-7 to 0-6 in the opposite semi-final, Kilworth faced a stern test against the south west champions in the season finale on Sunday November 12th at Bishopstown. In a game that had a thirteen point swing, which saw Kilworth go from 8 points ahead after just six minutes to eventually lose the game by a 5 point margin, Kilworth after a whirlwind start lead comfortably before Ó Mathúna’s got their first score on the 15 minute mark and by the half time whistle the Carbery champions had reduced the deficit to just 2 points. Aided by a strong breeze upon the restart Ó Mathúna’s started their revival and by the three quarter mark they creeped into a 1-8 to 2-3 lead which would unfortunately never be relinquished. Kilworth to their credit didn’t go down without a fight and managed to raise the siege in an effort to pull the game out of the fire but some solid goalkeeping and defending from the opposition ensured the silverware went westbound at the full time whistle with the final score reading, Kilworth 2-5, Diarmuid Ó Mathúna’s 2-10.
Players who represented Kilworth throughout the 1995 Junior B football league and championship campaign consisted of Alan Carey, Brian Sheedy, John Tobin, John Paul McCarthy, Michael O’Brien, Kieran O’Donoghue, Ollie Sheehan, Colm Carey, Aidan Hyland (captain), Donal Kenneally, Stephen Donnellan, Sean Carey, Elton Pierce, Ger McCarthy, Brian Carey, William Twomey, James McCarthy, Garry Harrington, John Kiersey (vice-captain), Liam Kenny, Noel Gowen, Martin Shanahan, Michael Riordan, Liam Magnier, John Gallagher, Brian Clancy, Dave Gill, John Sheehan, and William O’Donoghue.
In what was a great year for the club, 1995 saw every adult team bar one contest their respective divisional final, club President Bill Magnier (RIP) was the north Cork board hall of fame award recipient, Willie Walsh was chosen to adjudicate the All-Ireland Scór finals, William O’Donoghue was part of Cork’s All-Ireland Minor hurling success, and Kilworth native Liz Sweetnam won an All-Ireland Ladies Junior football medal with Cork. A reunion is being held to celebrate the achievements of the 1995 football team alongside the 1991, 1993, & 1995 hurling teams in Aherne’s Bar Kilworth this coming Saturday night January 24th. Please spread the word to everyone of this upcoming event!
Pictured alongside club officials, mentors, and supporters is the victorious Kilworth football team of 1995 who won the North Cork Junior B (1) Football Championship and contested the County Final.
