Adult Hurling & Football Match Reports - Round 1

 

Our intermediate hurlers kicked off their Division 6 RedFM league campaign on Sunday morning in Rostellan, going toe-to-toe with near neighbours Cloyne in an entertaining and fiercely contested battle. Despite a strong first-half performance, our lads ultimately fell short as Cloyne’s experience saw them pull away in the latter stages.

From the outset, it was clear that the Aghada lads were up for the challenge, displaying sharp touches and great intensity across the field. Their efforts ensured that the game remained on a knife-edge throughout the opening period. The home side registered some fine scores, keeping pace with Cloyne at every turn. However, a couple of late first-half points from the visitors saw them edge in front by the narrowest of margins at the interval.

Trailing by just a single point, Aghada stormed into the second half with renewed energy, throwing everything they had at their opponents. The exchanges were physical and full-blooded, with both sides refusing to yield an inch. However, as the game entered its final quarter, Cloyne’s experience began to tell. A succession of well-taken scores allowed them to build a cushion, and despite Aghada’s relentless efforts, the visitors managed to close out the game with a comfortable margin. Late on Cloyne were awarded a penalty and it looked like they would further increase their lead, however, our goalkeeper, John Walsh had other ideas as he produced a stunning save to keep the ball out of the net! 

Despite the defeat, there were plenty of positives for Aghada to take from the performance, not least the fantastic support from the home crowd. It was heartening to see the car park filled to the brim, a testament to the community's support of the club. 

The match also marked the intermediate debuts of several young players, with James Hurley, Hugh Mulcahy, Ronan Devoy, Samuel O’Driscoll, and Cian Hegarty all making their first appearances at this level. Their performances will undoubtedly give Aghada a solid platform to build upon as the season progresses.

While the result didn’t go our way this time, the determination and spirit shown by the team suggest that brighter days lie ahead. Next up for Aghada is another tough encounter against Mallow in the Football League on Sunday.

Our Junior B hurlers got their league campaign off to a flying start on Monday night in Rostellan, securing a resounding victory over a strong Carrigtwohill side. In what was a thrilling contest, goals proved to be the difference, as Aghada found the net an incredible nine times to claim our first victory of the year.

Facing a Carrigtwohill outfit that has been highly competitive at junior level in recent seasons, Aghada fielded a youthful and energetic side eager to make their mark. Right from the throw-in, the home side showed their attacking intent, taking the game to their opponents with relentless pressure and sharp finishing.

The floodgates opened as Aghada’s forwards capitalised on every opportunity, delivering a devastating goal-scoring display that left our opponents chasing the game. Jamie O'Hanlon was in fine form, bagging a hat trick of goals.

Alongside O’Hanlon, Ronan Devoy, James Hurley, Jordan Halpin, and David Wallace all produced standout performances, ensuring that our lads maintained control throughout the contest. Their hard work and skill helped the team to a dominant victory, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting season ahead.

With the first win of the year secured, hopes are high that this result will be the first of many for our adult teams in 2025. The Junior B hurlers are up and running, and all eyes will be on their next outing as they look to build on this impressive start.

Our Premier Intermediate footballers kicked off their league campaign with a spirited performance against Rockchapel last Sunday, falling to a narrow one-point defeat in what was a highly competitive and entertaining contest. A big crowd turned out to witness the new Gaelic football rules in action on the forest pitch, which certainly added to the occasion.

Rockchapel came out of the traps quickly, racing into an early six-point lead inside the opening 20 minutes. With Aghada struggling to find their rhythm, it looked like it could be a long afternoon, but the lads dug in and responded brilliantly. A run of five unanswered points, with Diarmuid Phelan, Tim Hartnett, Cian Hegarty, and Seamus Moloney all contributing, saw the deficit cut to just one at halftime.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Rockchapel starting strongly once more to re-establish their lead. However, Aghada showed great resilience, battling back once again to reduce the gap to a single point. The game’s decisive moment came when Aghada, pushing hard for an equalizer, were caught out with only two defenders back. This led to a tap-over free for Rockchapel, who soon after extended their advantage to four points, seemingly putting the game beyond reach.

Just when all hope seemed lost, David Wallace – making his Premier Intermediate debut – stepped up with a brilliant goal to reignite our chances. Unfortunately, time was against us, and the final whistle blew with Aghada agonisingly short by just a single point.

Despite the loss, this was a strong showing from Aghada in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive Division 3 league. There were promising performances all over the pitch, with James Motherway and David Wallace impressing on their debuts at this level from the bench. Best on the day for Aghada were Diarmuid Phelan, and Tim Hartnett. Next up is a massive challenge against senior side Mallow, where our lads will be hoping to build on this performance and secure their first points of the campaign.

Our Junior footballers opened their league campaign in Rostellan on Sunday in what proved to be a challenging outing against a formidable Dungourney side. This fixture took place immediately after our Premier Intermediate footballers had faced Rockchapel, with several first-team substitutes togging out once more to bolster the ranks. Fielding a youthful team against a Dungourney outfit who only recently raced to Junior B football glory– and featuring several of their Premier Intermediate hurlers – it was always going to be a tough test.

Dungourney came out with intent and showcased their physicality and experience from the outset. They were clinical in attack, punishing Aghada with six well-taken goals that ultimately proved the decisive factor in the contest. Despite the difficult challenge, there were bright moments for Aghada, with several young players stepping up to the mark.

James Hurley was a standout performer, registering four points, including a sublime two-point score in the second half that was the pick of the bunch. His former minor football teammate James Motherway added three points, capping off his performance with a well-struck two-pointer free with the last kick of the game. Jordan Halpin also made his mark with a powerful first-half point, while goalkeeper John Walsh showed his attacking instincts by getting forward to land a fine two-point score from play.

Our lads will be very disappointed with their opening performance and will hope to improve ahead of their next game against Glenville on Friday night, which will certainly be another tough test for our young lads. While the result was a tough one, this game provided valuable experience for our young players as they continue their development at the junior level. The team will take plenty of lessons from this outing and look to build on the positives as they move forward in the league campaign under the guidance of Bainisteoir John O'Connor.