No longer the Bridesmaids - the story behind Rovers' return to the top tier

Bride Rovers knew they were close to winning the Co-op SuperStores SAHC and securing a return to the top tier of Cork hurling.

Equally, they knew that being close, even on a regular basis, was no guarantee of anything. Quarter-finalists in the first edition of the new second tier in 2020, they followed that with four semi-final appearances. Of course, it wasn’t just a case of the last four being an obstacle they couldn’t get over.

In 2023, the Rathcormac/Bartlemy side met Blarney in a pulsating tie where the sides couldn’t be separated across 80 minutes of hurling and a penalty shootout was required.

Rovers goalkeeper Cian Hogan was the hero in the shootout, saving three Blarney strikes to send them through to the final – or so it seemed. For a brief period late in the game, the East Cork side had had 16 players on the pitch and so a replay was ordered, which Blarney won convincingly.

“I suppose when [the replay was announced, it probably was a bit of an element of feeling sorry for ourselves,” says Hogan.

“We were on such a high, and then kind of being brought back down, still being a young team – obviously, it's a freak situation, I suppose. You can't really prepare for anything like that. “We were training well after that, but it was hard to perform to the level we did the game before that.”

In 2024, there was a sense – perhaps too much so – of familiarity as a promising campaign ended with another semi-final loss to Blarney.

The season was the first in Rovers colours for a new addition, Tipperary native Jamie Peters. The corner-back had amassed seven county senior football medals with Clonmel Commercials as well as a provincial club title and, after living in the area for the guts of a decade – training with the team and getting involved at under-age level – he transferred.

Bringing such a palmarès meant he was a valuable asset for a young side seeking to take the next steps.

“Anyone who sees me hurl wouldn't be saying I was having an impact on the pitch!” he laughs.

“I'd see them train, I'd watch them train, I'd train with them, and then you might get a championship result and it just wasn't mirroring up to what you were seeing.

“It was always going to happen, it was just a matter of...sometimes the battle between two ears is nearly tougher than one on the pitch.

“They've had a lot of knock-backs but I thought they were going to push on.”

Led by their manager Brian Murphy – “When you have someone like that leading you and guiding you, it's hard not to be inspired,” Hogan says – and coach Stephen Glasgow, Rovers won Division 3 of the RedFM Hurling League.

That they overcame Newcestown, a premier senior outfit, in the final after extra time was hugely satisfying, especially considering the championship group that lay ahead. Along with the last two beaten finalists in the grade – Blarney (2023 and 2024) and Courcey Rovers (2022) – they had the premier intermediate champions of the previous year, who had gone on to Munster and All-Ireland glory. In any circumstances, that would be challenging, but the fact that it was neighbours Watergrasshill added another element.

The group began with a double-header in Páirc Uí Rinn on the first weekend in August. The Hill overcame Courceys and Rovers then had to face their recent nemesis.

“We had the added bit of motivation after the no-show against Blarney last year,” Peters says, “we knew we were better than that.

“It suited us to be in a group like that rather than to be in a weaker group and come out flying.”

A seven-point win was the ideal start and then they had ten to spare on Courceys a fortnight later. It left them in a strong position facing into the last group game – but the path to success is never a straight one.

· See tomorrow’s Echo for the second part of the interview