Bride Rovers continue to develop their Rathcormac base 

BRIDE ROVERS have certainly not rested on their laurels during 2020.

The pandemic might have halted a lot of playing activity but behind the scenes, a dedicated band of club members have continued to work tirelessly in developing their home base in Rathcormac.

There have been a number of significant recent advances.

The seating area which caters for 150 people is the obvious eye-catcher, but the enhanced entrance area and the removal of the grass bank on the roadside of the pitch have opened up a different landscape.

Ground officer Denis Ahern has been the driving force behind the work which also included a number of other significant improvements.

Progress is also advancing fast on the second playing pitch which has seen €50,000 invested on levelling, reseeding and the erection of perimeter fencing following the purchase of the three-acre site.

Longer-term the development committee, under the guidance of chairman Richie O’Regan, are drawing up plans for the major refurbishment of the club’s complex. New dressing rooms and a gymnasium are the primary targets.

As for the events on the field, secretary Daniel Lane’s report to the virtual AGM graphically illustrated the curtailment which Covid 19 put on matches.

In 2018, Bride Rovers played 50 competitive games in league and championship, In 2019 that figure increased by four, but last year in total the club played just 14 games. 

Of these, four were in the senior A hurling championship, which saw them eliminated by 1-14 to 0-11 by Newcestown in the quarter-final. Earlier in the group phase, Rovers had beaten Ballymartle and Kilworth but lost to Fr O’Neill’s. 

When games resume the club will straight back into competitive action in East Cork as they are listed to meet Erin’s Own in the semi-final of the U21 football championship on the opening weekend of activity in the Imokilly barony.

There was a vote of confidence for the existing officers at the virtual AGM with an unchanged look to the top table. This means the main officers are again chairman - Ger Lane, vice chairman - Pa O’Driscoll, secretary - Daniel Lane, assistant secretary - Mike Carey, treasurer - Liam Barry, assistant treasurer - Aiden Dorgan and PRO - John Arnold.

Finally, the virtual format may have taken some of the cut and thrust from club meetings around the county, but the value of modern technology was certainly seen at it’s best at the Bride Rovers AGM. It meant that legendary player Fr Seanie Barry was able to partake in the gathering for the first time in over 40 years as he joined his colleagues via zoom from his base in Kenya where he has been serving as a priest for many years.