1951

In 1951, Paddy Abernethy captained the Castlemartyr team, when they retained the East Cork title and went on to win the First County Championship beating Cloughduv 6-5 to 2-7 at the Cork Athletic Grounds.

The campaign got under way with a 10-7 to 3-1 victory over Carrigtwohill’s second team in Midleton on the 15th July.

Midleton was again the venue with Liam Ahern (Dungourney) on the whistle when they beat O’Briens 8-4 to 3-7 in the semi final on the 5th August. Ted O Sullivan had just transferred back to the club from Killeagh.

There were delays within the division so Castlemartyr were then nominated to represent the division as reigning champions:

Castlemartyr 7-2 – Lough Rovers 3-4 First round in Midleton 23rd September.

Castlemartyr 3-6 – Newtownshandrum 2-1 Semi-final in Fermoy 14th October.

County Junior Final Castlemartyr 6-5 – Cloughduv 2-7 28th October

The final of County Junior Hurling Championship at the Athletic Grounds yesterday was a thriller and the standard of play was a credit to both teams. Play was much more even than the scoring would indicate. C Twomey and E Doyle added a point each for Cloughduv before Paddy Cooney replied with a point from a free. Jerome B Murphy added Cloghduv’s third point before but again Paddy Cooney replied with a like score before Ted O’Sullivan finished a fine Castlemartyr movement, in which the Dowling Brothers figured prominently, with a clever goal. Jerome Murphy and D O’Connor with a point each made it level pegging before E Doyle with a point from a free and D O’Connor with a spectacular point from far out regained the lead for Cloghduv. Shortly after a Cloughduv player was sent to the sideline by the referee and a brace of points from frees by Val Dowling left the scores level on half-time Cloughduv 0-7 Castlemartyr 1-4.

On resuming Jackie Whyte with a goal and a point by Paddy Abernethy put Castlemartyr ahead. Castlemartyr now got a great grip on the game, but the Cloughduv defence was giving a spirited display. Dominic Barry and Ted O’Sullivan with a goal each added to Castlemartyr’s tally before Tim Buckley replied with a goal for Cloughduv. Jackie Whyte and John O’Shea with a goal each completed the scoring for Castlemartyr before E Doyle replied with a goal for Cloughduv who battled hard to narrow the margin right to the end. Ted O’Sullivan had now won a medal in the County Minor, Senior and Junior Championship and also in these grades in the All-Ireland for Cork.

Castlemartyr: John Burke (goal), Raymond Nugent, Pakie Lawton, Anthony Brennan, Tom Dowling, Val Dowling, Michael Lawton, Alfie Smith, Paddy Cooney, Billy Finn, Paddy Abernethy (Captain – pictured), John O’Shea, Dominic Barry, Ted O’Sullivan, Jackie Whyte.

Cloughduv: W Buckley (goal), J Twomey, Tim Buckley, Jack B Murphy, J Murray, S McSweeney, C Twomey, T O’Sullivan, Dan O’Connor (Captain), D O’Sullivan, Jerome B Murphy, E Doyle, Denis O’Connor, John B Murphy, C Moynihan.

Mr B Barrett (St Finbarrs) refereed

At the conclusion of the game, Mr S O’Seaghdha Chairman Cork County Board presented the cup to Paddy Abernethy and congratulated both teams on their fine display of hurling.

After winning the county they then put the trophy on the line against Killeagh in Midleton on the 18th November in the East Cork final with the famous Cork hurler John Quirke of Blackrock as referee. This was a tense dour affair as so much at stake. The meeting of two close neighbours in an East Cork final that had the added bonus that the winner would be the official County Champions for 1951.

East Cork Grade “A” Junior Final 18th November 1951

Castlemartyr 1-6 – Killeagh 0-4

At Midleton Castlemartyr defeated Killeagh in the final of the A Grade Junior Hurling Championship of East Cork. It was a game which featured robust hurling and was on the part of Killeagh a determined challenge to the holders of the County Title. Had Killeagh better cohesion in the forward line the result may have gone the other way for it was in every sense a dour struggle throughout.

Joyce opened the scoring for Killeagh with appoint. Sullivan replied for Castlemartyr with a goal and O’Neill and O’Brien with points levelled matters. O’Brien gave Killeagh a point lead and Cooney again had the equaliser for Castlemartyr. Lawton and Cooney with points gave Castlemartyr a two point interval lead 1-3 to 0-4.

From a free in the early stages of the second half Cooney stretched the Castlemartyr lead which was increased when Finn scored similarly. A point to Abernethy closed out the scoring, with Killeagh all out to the end to get a goal which alluded them.Towards the end of the game tempers became frayed, but this did not deter from the intense excitement, which ended in one of the lowest scoring games played in East Cork for a number of years.

The CORK COUNTY JUNIOR CHAMPIONS

EAST CORK B GRADE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

The B Teams of Castlemartyr and Mogeely met in the first round where Mogeely emerged victorious on a 5-5 to 3-4 score played in Midleton 22nd July under ref Bertie Murphy. The game was a real thriller. A ding-dong struggle in the first half gave Mogeely the interval lead of 1-5 to 0-2. Castlemartyr turned the tables in the first quarter of the second half and took the lead but Mogeely fought back, recovered it and never relinquished it to the end.

Paddy Walsh was the Mogeely rep to the Board while Joseph Walsh continued to represent Castlemartyr. Donal Cronin Garrenjames took over a secretary of the Mogeely club when Thomas Mc Cusker had to leave the area to move to Sligo.

Mogeely then beat O’Briens 7-4 to 6-3 in Killeagh on August 19th

Mogeely enhanced their prospects of winning East Cork B. Grade hurling title by a hard earned victory over O’Brien’s at Killeagh. The game was a hard-fought, exciting tussle, and the standard of hurling was exceptionally high for teams in that grade. O’Brien’s turned over with the slender lead of two points, and excitement ran high in the second half as each team alternatively took the lead. During lost time, with Mogeely leading by a single point, an infringement in the goalmouth proved costly to O’Brien’s, as Motherway sent the resultant free to the net to clinch a worthy victory for Mogeely. Mr. D. Barry (Killeagh H.C.) refereed.

They then lost the area final to Gortroe 2-4 to 1-5 again in Killeagh on September 2nd. Gortroe, 2-4; Mogeely, 1-5

In the third round of the East Cork B Grade Hurling Championship, played at Killeagh, Gortroe defeated Mogeely after a keen game. The game was played in a grand sporting spirit the exchanges being clean and vigorous and a large crowd thoroughly enjoyed a game that would do credit to teams in a higher grade. First time striking was adopted by both teams, and the margin between the teams was small throughout the hour. Gortroe’s slender lead of two points at full time just about reflected their superiority.

 

Liam Dowling played for the Cork juniors in 1951