On Thursday evening last, Eire Óg and Inniscarra won the 72nd monthy Rebel Og Awards in the Clayton Hotel Sliversprings. 

DECEMBER 2017 WINNERS

Éire Óg

Premier Minor Football County Champions & County League Winners 2017

and

Inniscarra 

Premier Minor 2 Hurling Champions & County League Winners 2017

ÉIRE ÓG FOOTBALLERS and INNISCARRA HURLERS, who won the 2017 County Championships and County Leagues, are the joint November 2017 winners of the Rebel Óg Monthly Awards sponsored by the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cummins Sports (Award Sponsors) with RedFM and The Evening Echo (Media Partners).  They follow November Winners,  Bride Rovers U16 and Minor Hurlers, who won the County Championships, October Winners Bandon,  September Winners, Cork Minor Hurlers, August winners Cork U17 Hurlers, July Winners Ballinora Juvenile GAA Club,  quartet of June Winners, Féile na nGael Champions Sarsfields, Na Piarsaigh, Cuchullains and St. Kevin’s.  January 2017 winners were Kiltha Óg, February Winners St. Colman’s College Fermoy, March winners Stephen O’Rourke and Niall Delany from Mallow, winners of the All-Ireland U17 Handball Championship, April Winners, Carbery Scór and the May 2017 Winners St. Francis College Rochestown, winners of the Simcox Cup.  2016 winners were Na Piarsaigh Minor Hurlers, Cork Ladies Minor Football Team, Sarsfield U14 Camogie Team, Glen Rovers U14 Hurlers, Mizen Rovers, Mitchelstown CBS, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál Blarney, Kilmurry Footballers, Buttevant Underage GAA Club and Mitchelstown Footballers and Ballygiblin Hurlers, Kilshannig Hurling Teams and Mallow Juvenile GAA Club.  2015 winners were Ahán Gaels, Midleton U15 Footballers, Cork’s Eimear Scally, Aghabullogue U16 Hurlers, Cork U15 Development Squad, Douglas U14 Footballers, St. Finbarrs U14 Hurlers, Christian Brothers Cork, Coláiste Chríost Rí, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh (Camogie) Sacred Heart Clonakilty (Camogie) and Ilen Rovers.

INNISCARRA MINOR HURLERS created history when they were crowned Cork County Premier 2 Champions for the very first time on 11th September last in Pairc Ui Rinn, defeating a gallant Blackrock team in the Final. 

The Inniscarra campaign started in Blarney in July against Mallow when after a close encounter, late goals helped Inniscarra to come out on top. They then faced Blackrock in Caherlag where a great start against a very strong wind set them up for a comfortable victory.

The next round was at the Mardyke on 6th September for the County Semi-Final v St Finbarr’s. Level with 10 minutes to go, a strong finishing burst scoring 7 points without reply got Inniscarra over the line in some style. They then faced Blackrock again in the Final on 11th September and after a very competitive game were thrilled to come out on top with a 3 point victory. Anyone involved in sport will tell you that’s it is not easy to beat any opposition twice in the same year in the same competition so Liam Kennedy’s charges were well motivated to get their revenge but on the night Inniscarra just edged past Blackrock in the last ten minutes  in a very sporting and exciting encounter. Interestingly, all 3 Premier Level Minor Hurling Finals this year were repeat pairings of earlier rounds but thankfully Inniscarra did enough to uphold the form of their earlier match against Blackrock in Caherlag giving Inniscarra a Historic Victory (the other 2 County Finals saw a reverse of earlier round results).

Inniscarra progressed to the County League Final on 25th November v Shandrum in Cloughduv and again after a good competitive hour of Hurling they emerged victorious by 4 points.  

Team Management for the Minor Hurlers in 2017: Daire Holland, Seanie O’Mahony and Eugene O’Sullivan (Coach), Medical Rita Cronin 

Path to Final 

Inniscarra 3-10; Mallow 0-10 

Inniscarra 6-14; Blackrock 1-15 

Semi Final Inniscarra 0-25; St Finbarrs 2-12 

County Final Inniscarra 0-12; Blackrock 0-9 
County League Final 25th November

Inniscarra 3-5; Shandrum 0-10 
Whilst it is the Minor Team that are being recognised today for their achievements, there are a lot of reasons for their success. Don Hennessy would have coached all these lads in National schools when they were starting off in his role as School Liaison Coach. Inniscarra have a very hard working Juvenile Club under the Guidance of Chairman Leo Murphy, Secretary Margaret O’Connell and Club na nÓg Chairperson Kevin Keohane who are all keeping up the good work and good practice that has been handed on from previous Officers and continuing to promote CLCG to the youth within the Parish. Inniscarra currently cater for nearly 300 boys from Under 6 to Under 18 so the challenges are big but the effort and willingness to meet these challenges is thankfully much bigger. Club Chairman Michael O’ Driscoll and Club Secretary Enda Linehan are very proactive in promoting and supporting every team within the Club and are hugely involved in all aspects of making sure that the Club runs as smoothly as possible.
It is without doubt the most exciting time ever to be involved in Inniscarra GAA Club. Since the Minor County Success on 11th September, the Under 21 Hurlers captured the A County defeating Fermoy in the Final for our first ever victory   In addition the Under 16 Hurlers won the Premier 2 Hurling League defeating Shandrum in the Final. Inniscarra’s Under 15 Hurlers are also in the Premier 2 League Final. The Under 13’s won P2 Hurling League and Autumn Hurling League, Under 12’s  won P1 Football League.
Under 8’s to Under 11’s all participate in Rebel Og Blitzes and the Inniscarra Club is extremely proactive in Both Player & Coach Pathway 
Inniscarra had 3 County Winning Minor Hurlers on the Cork Under 17 Panel this year who won a great Munster and All Ireland Hurling Series so to Con O’ Leary, Liam Ryan and Owen McCarthy and the rest of the Cork Under 17 Team under John Considine and his Management, the club extend their heartiest congratulations.
We sincerely thank Rebel Og for this award. It is something that we as a Club are extremely proud to get and it is genuinely appreciated. We look forward with huge anticipation to all matters CLCG in 2018
SCARRA ABÚ
ÉIRE OG’S Journey to Premier 1 League and championship success started in September with a comprehensive over St. Finbarrs (1-18 to 1-12). A win over Nemo Rangers in the Quarter Final (1-13 to 1-10) led to the Semi-final v Carrigaline (1-14 to 0-8). Facing Douglas in the Final was a challenge and success was achieved after a tough competitive battle with both teams neck and neck until the final Whistle. (2-8 to 1-12).

Captained by James O’Sullivan and Vice-Captain Shane Quigley, this group have played together since U13 P2 league success in 2012, Championship losses v Carrigaline at U14 P1 and vs Nemo Rangers at U16 P1 bonded these young men into achieving a historic Double success in 2017, a first for Éire Óg at this level.

We hope to see much more of them in the Future. Congratulations also to their Manager Alan O’Regan & mentors Damien Lordan, John O’Shea & Vincy O’Connell.