Glen Rovers launch new podcast

As clubs continue to sit it out during Covid-19, one Cork club has this week reached out to their members and friends with the launch of a podcast. ‘The Middle Field’ centres on Glen Rovers and St Nicks and all that goes with the club.

Famed in song and story, the northside club is very active on social media and keeping in touch with everybody who would have worn the club colours.

The podcast is the brainchild of one of the club’s former players, Eoghan Cronin, who is currently based in Abu Dhabi. He explained the concept behind the podcast: “The club is never far from my mind and I am always looking at different ideas to improve it on and off the field. With no games right now, I felt it would be the ideal time to get some of our members to tell their stories and their memories of the club.”

“This gave me the opportunity to create something from afar and hopefully people will get a small bit of enjoyment out of it. I reached out to Seanie McGrath and Tomás Mulcahy and they have been excellent and we hope to capture stories from all generations.”

The first series featured Tomás and Seanie and gave a flavour of what is to come as they both spoke about their early days in the club and also about their former mentors, some of who made lasting impressions.

Glen Rovers Chairman Derek Goggin expressed his delight at the venture: “The club is such a central part of our daily lives, that we are collectively struggling with not being able to go to the Glen field to watch training or a match and to meet lifelong friends. 'The Middle Pitch' is going to try to go some way to filling that void, by bringing the types of conversations that happen down in the club to the living rooms of our members and supporters.

“We have a fantastic schedule over the coming weeks and will be speaking to members young and old from all parts of the club. There is an absolute treasure trove of stories and characters in our club, so I for one am really looking forward to what’s to come.”

Des Cullinane, Chairman of St Nick’s, echoed Derek’s sentiments: “This is a joint venture and the aim is to reach out to all sections and age groups, it is a brilliant idea and we are really excited to be part of it with our sister club Glen Rovers.”

Club PRO Mary Newman also expressed her delight with the response: “The reaction has been very positive and the club are hoping that when we launch our new online lotto in the coming weeks, we will again be able to reach out to former players and members who may not now be as active in club affairs as they once were.”

County Championship

The Competition Control Committee of the Cork County Board is looking at a re-scheduling of its games programme, when they get the go ahead to resume. All, of course, within the guidelines and advice of the health authorities and Croke Park. It is clear, given the comments of GAA President John Horan, that club activity will resume before intercounty, and in this case, the Cork board is planning for that eventuality.

Everybody accepts that the format for the Cork championships due to be introduced this year will not happen, deferred I would think, until next year.

Instead it is understood, although not yet official, that the championships will ensure every club gets two games with the groupings that were decided at the start of the season.

That would mean 12 teams in each championship, with two divisional sides being included in the senior hurling and football competitions.

Scheduling will be tight and it will require co-operation from all, if and when games can be played. Of course the dual clubs will be hard pressed, but I am sure this would represent a far better option than no games at all.

It is expected that clubs will be advised of any proposals when they are finalised, changes would have to be approved by a full County Board meeting, which I am sure even in these extraordinary circumstances will be forthcoming.

As for the intercounty scene, it remains to be seen what will emerge, but at this stage it’s increasingly unlikely that the minor and under 21 championships will be played.

Tom O’Donoghue

Cork’s All-Ireland triumph over Kilkenny in 1966 is fondly remembered as one of the county’s sweetest, given that it ended a 12 year wait for the Liam McCarthy Cup to return to Leeside and the proceeding years were not good for the Rebel County.

A link with that team was severed last week with the passing of Tom O’Donoghue of Sarsfields GAA club who was full-back on that famous day.

Tom was a teak tough defender; he went on to win an NHL league medal and two Railway Cup medals with Munster.

In 2016, Sarsfields held a function in recognition of the 50th anniversary of that triumph and I the pleasure of meeting him as he enjoyed the company of many of the men that he battled with on that Sunday in September.

All credit to Sars’ and his 1966 colleagues, led by captain Gerald McCarthy who formed a guard of honour at the cemetery on his final journey.

Sincere sympathy to his family and friends.