Cobh

<h2><span style="color: rgb(184,49,47);">Pirate<strong>s Rugby</strong></span></h2>
<p><strong>Our u12s hosted a blitz on Saturday  with Cork Constitution FC , Clonakilty RFC and Crosshaven Rugby Football Club visiting the Paddocks. Some great rugby was played and more importantly loads of fun was had.</strong></p>
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<h2><span style="color: rgb(184,49,47);"><strong>Pirates defeat Kanturk in a brilliant game</strong></span></h2>
<h3><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Pirates 18s finished their initial group phase of the pan Munster league on Saturday, welcoming Kanturk Rugby Club to the Paddocks. From the kick off Pirates pushed hard moving the ball, and with only 4 minutes on the clock Chris Ruxton used every blade of grass to cross in the corner to open the scoreline. Kanturk however retaliated from the restart , breaking the line up the middle to cross under the posts,  7-5 in favour of the visitors. Mid way through  the first half a Pirates scrum allowed out half Saul Kahn to skip both centers and feed Aaron Quirke on a straight line to cross under the posts. Jack Worral added to put Pirates 12-7 in front. Ruxton was to cross again on the 28th minute in the same corner to advance the lead to 17-7. Just on the stroke of half time a quick penalty, Pirates to once again attacked the Newtown end,  with the ball spilling loose. Casey Whelan was the first to react gathering the ball and cutting back against the drift defense allowing Kahn an easy conversion to leave the half time score 24-7. Soon after the restart Kanturk were to reply with a similar try to their first, a break up the center getting them 7 points closer to Pirates. With some wind in their sails a visiting scrum released the Kanturk center partnership to again offer an easy conversion 24 - 21 and all to play for with less than 10 minutes to go. The equalising opportunity arose soon after,  Pirates penalised for a high tackle to bring the teams level with 7 minutes remaining. Kanturk were not happy with the prospect of a draw and continued to attack the Newtown corner,  strong tackling from Aaron Quirke, Tadgh McKeown and Rìan McGrath in succession prevented the try being conceded. A trade mark intercept by Jack Worral with 30 meters to cover provide the final blow to the visitors, Kahn popping over the 2 point additional lead. The final 2 minutes saw Kanturk press hard , with try saving tackles from Casey Whelan, Sean Banim and Saul Kahn. Pirates finish the pool phase unbeaten, the next phase commencing after Christmas. Some friendly fixtures and the South Munster Cup await in the coming weeks. Best of luck to Kanturk with the rest of their season.</strong></span></h3>
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<h3><span style="color: rgb(184,49,47);">U18s observing a minutes silence for the late Joe Kelleher before their Munster League game v Kanturk RFC on Saturday.</span></h3>
<h2><span style="color: rgb(44,130,201);"><strong>Friday night rugby</strong></span></h2>
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<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Pirates 16s graced the Paddock again this week, for Friday night rugby. The opposition in the pool finale fixture being MIDLETON RFC . The now recurring large attendance were treated to another display of running rugby with both sides eager to move the ball. Pirates took a 14-0 lead with tries in quick succession by Oskar Olszewski stretching his legs followed by a strong crash ball courtesy of his center partner Matthew Perryman. The pack worked tirelessly even without possession with Shane OFlaherty turning over 3 balls in nearly as many minutes. Brandon Joy was on par with his goal kicking adding his 3rd of the half following Oskars 2nd try of the night, a strong run down the wing cutting in under the post much to Joy's delight! </strong></span></p>
<h3><span style="color: rgb(41,105,176);"><strong>HT Pirates 21-0. </strong></span></h3>
<h3><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>The 3rd quarter was contested between the 22s with both sides battling for position. Entering the final quarter Ryan Abrahamson gathered a loose ball and took flight,  breaking numerous tackles to touch down under the post to the joy of the large home crowd at the clubhouse end. Brandon Joy continued his spree of conversions to make it 28-0. In the final minutes Pirates were not giving up on the pressure with some great pick and drives into the clubhouse corner with Keelan Manley causing the visiting defence some issues. A driving  maul into the same corner was judged to be held up over the line. The resulting drop off lead to the final attack,  with Oskar creating some space from a lateral attack before straightening up to cross the line. Not the easiest of conversions for Joy, but the clean sweep was achieved for the score on the final whistle 35-0 to Pirates. Thanks to Bobby Anglim for officiating the fixture. Best of luck to Midelton in the remainder of the competition.</strong></span></h3>
<h2><span style="color: rgb(184,49,47);"><strong>Soccer</strong></span></h2>
<h2><span style="color: rgb(184,49,47);"><strong>Springfield Ramblers</strong></span></h2>
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<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Congrats to our three senior woman players who won awards last night at the Cobh Ramblers FC awards Friday night.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Louise Burke- Senior Woman's player of the year. Constantly solid throughout the whole season in the centre back position also getting on the scoresheet on 5 occasions.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Aoife O'Brien- Senior Woman's Top Goalscorer- Not often your CDM wins top goalscorer two seasons in a row. A machine in centre mid with consistent performances week after week.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Aisling O'Riordan- Senior junior player of the year. This was Aisling first year on a pitch. She more suited to the tennis courts in Rushbrooke. What a season she had tho.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Finally a special mention to Jim and Mark Farrell on their award. One that was definitely well deserved. This two have put Cobh back on the map again in terms of football. Thanks for all yer hard work lads and well done to all of you on your awards last night.  </strong></span></p>
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<img src="https://d2hz75cbudexsj.cloudfront.net/insideAppNews/images/a41357cf-a95a-4335-88f6-5892a05be16c.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>
<p><img src="https://d2hz75cbudexsj.cloudfront.net/insideAppNews/images/995a8c9b-9afc-4542-ac0c-77430a76856e.jpg" alt="undefined" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/><span style="color: rgb(61,142,185);"><strong>The last time we stood on the Ramblers clubhouse podium by way of inducting another player to the Cobh Ramblers Hall of Fame, was back in November 2019, when the inductee was arguably the finest left-back to don the Claret &amp; Blue, the late George Wilshaw. In keeping with a defensive formation, but switching to the opposite side, in 2021 we honoured arguably the best right back to play for Cobh Ramblers, Packie Kelly.</strong></span></p>
<h3>In sport the word arguably is invariably included, because depending on your age bracket, opinions will vary. In the case of Packie Kelly, it is fair to say that we will not see his likes again. A local, loyal and faithful servant who amassed the quite staggering total of 435 (3 goals) senior games played, from a debut game in the mud of Belgium Park, then home to Monaghan United, on 15th February, 1987, to the calling of time for his final appearance at home to Dundalk on 12th May, 2001.</h3>
<h3>In my lifetime and for those of the generations that followed, that record number of games will stand the test of time and remain a salutary reminder to the name of the player who made them – Packie Kelly. A native son of Cobh, he also excelled at Gaelic football with medals won at both local and county level. But soccer was his chosen sport going forward, graduating from Springfield with League success at U16 and captaining what at the time was the last Springfield Youth team, to a League and Coca-Cola ‘Double’ in 1985.</h3>
<h3>The natural progression was to join Cobh Ramblers. Many hours of soul searching followed on from his LOI bow (alongside him that day on the bench in Monaghan and also making his debut was his first cousin, Michael McDonnell), because it would be a further three seasons before Packie would establish himself at that level, in the right full-back position that he would have copyright claims on thereafter. He has shared the same dressing room with countless players, focusing no doubt on their character and individual characteristics, clocking up the miles in the discomfort associated with all away bus trips, served under eight different managers. Packie himself, and Stephen O’Mahony, took the team for a two game duration, in between managers, in season 2000/01.</h3>
<h3>That any player could amass such playing statistics that amounted to an almost unbroken sequence of games played from season to season, owes so much to a supreme level of fitness and avoidance of any niggly or more serious injury. In that regard, Packie Kelly was blessed with good fortune. Along the way he has collected a number of individual awards, those that marked the ever-increasing milestone of games played, his Player of the Year awards, his Cobh Pirates award for soccer in March 1993, received from the then Tánaiste, Dick Spring. There were emotion filled days/nights along the way with promotion achieved in 1993, and a play-off victory over Finn Harps at the end of the following season to stay in the Premier Division. But his biggest regret still has to be that in the longevity of his playing career he had no senior winner’s medal in his possession. Two losing Munster Cup Finals, in 1994 and 2000, both to Cork City, and at national level the closest was perhaps the Shield Final loss over two legs to Home Farm in March 1998.</h3>
<h3>Upon leaving Cobh Ramblers he played a further 61 games (2 goals) for Cobh Wanderers before a final curtain call on a great playing career. For Packie Kelly then it was a case of impartin the knowledge he had acquired down the years in a coaching capacity. He first served as assistant manager to Eddie O’Halloran at U15/U18 level, and afterwards with Brian O’Rourke at Springfield Ramblers.</h3>
<h3>In Packie we are honouring one who persevered when he could have stepped away, and is the foremost example in this town as to what can be achieved when ability is allied to hard work and application. Footballers can make for splendid heroes, Packie Kelly has always been a symbol of all that is fine on the sporting field of endeavour. Tough but fair, popular with fans and playing colleagues alike, but who’s engagingly modest personality has invariably shunned the spotlight.</h3>
<h3><span style="color: rgb(41,105,176);">By Michael Geasley Thank You Michael for your brilliant article</span></h3>
<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Big win for Girls 13A  </strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Following on from there 6-0 victory over Kinsale 2 weeks ago at the Stephen Ireland astro. These girls followed it up today in the same venue with a 7 nil emphatic victory against Blarney. Looking to be a lucky venue for the girls Some great football was played against a determined Blarney Team whose keeper had a great game.  Goalscorers were Amy Nash 2, Rachel Barrett 2 ,Lily Quinlan,Clara Nash and Sarah Drumgoole.   Best for Springfield Ramblers were Rachel Barrett, Gamma Walsh, Lily Quinlan, Clara Nash and Amy Nash.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: rgb(184,49,47);"><strong>Ladies Football   </strong></span><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Victory for under 12 girls</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><strong>Cobh under12 girls  Gaelic football  team lined out against St.Colman’s in the East Cork Championship   Cobh started strongly and dominated at the start with a point in the first few seconds from Molly Verling. Great teamwork and passing into the forwards resulted in Cobh’s dominance in this quarter with a hat trick of goals between sisters Katie and Molly Verling. Points followed goals from our forwards and midfield. St Colman’s were denied a goal before the first ever break by a great save from Isla Taft. Back on the pitch with 13 players (ref decision given the very small pitch) and following a great pass into the forward line by Rachel Barrett, Katie Verling blasted it into the back of the net. Katie followed moments later with another great goal. St.Colman’s struggled to keep any possession and Cobh had points from Rachel Barrett, Isabelle O'Connell and Naoise Ryan, with only a one point reply from St Colman’s in this period. The second half saw Cobh switching out the team and playing players in new positions. St. Colman’s came back in with a fight and scored some lovely points and three goals in all, particularly aided by a strong midfielder at number 8. The last quarter saw the team switch out again with Cobh still giving players a chance to play in new positions. Emma Mc Dermot went into goals and made a great save denying St.Colman’s, their last shot on goal of the game. Cobh finished out the game with more points from Rachel Barrett, Naoise Ryan and Lily Curley Walsh and a great display of teamwork all over the pitch. </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: rgb(41,105,176);"><strong>Final Result: Cobh 7-15, St.Colman’s 3-6 Next game away to St Nicks next Saturday 20th November at 2pm. </strong></span></p>


Cobh News and Sport for the Weekend Starting Nov 12th

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