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CLYDA ROVERS HISTORY
The River Clyda which meanders through the parish of Mourneabbey on its way to join the River Blackwater, is
where the name Clyda Rovers came from.In the early days of the GAA the club played under the name
Mourneabbey.Records show that Mourneabbey contested a Junior Football County against Canovee in
1911.However on that occasion they lost.Success did not come to the Club again until the early 1950's when
hurling became strongest in the parish, with Clyda winning a number of novice titles in north Cork.It was in the
1950's when Mourneabbey became Clyda Rovers.In the 1960's the club won a number of novice football North
Cork titles, the win in 1967 in particular was a great boost to the club.Families such as the O' Mullanes, the
O'Sullivans, the Cronins were the backbone of the Club, those surnames would pop up again in future Clyda
teams.The late 70's saw Clyda make the jump to Junior A ranks and they were making a big impact, the 3 game
saga against Grange in 1978 the highlight of there time up.But when 1980 came we
saw the beginning of the Glory Years.
THE GLORY YEARS 1980-2000 (20 Years of Success)
The North Cork final in 1980 was where it all began.The very first North Cork Junior A title was won against
Ballyclough in Mallow.Like most GAA teams there were a number of Brothers playing, Tim and Connie O'
Callaghan, Dan and Jerry O' Sullivan, Noel and Jimmy Carey.That year saw Clyda reach the Junior A county final
against Kilmurry in Pairc Ui chaoimh, however ever thing that could go wrong did go wrong and Clyda were
beaten by a score line of Clyda Rovers 0-1 Kilmurry 1-4.Many People believed that Clyda could go on in future
years and win both the North Cork and the County.However good teams like Kilshannig and Mallow proved a
big obstacle.Indeed in 1985 Clyda lost the semi-final of the Junior North Cork to Kilshannig by just 1 piont
having lead for most of the match.Kilshannig went on to win the Junior A county that year.
1985 was the year that hurling got its chance and a first North Cork Junior A hurling title was won after a replay
against Kilworth.Clyda
bowed out in the County first round to Ballymartle, but it had been a very successful year all the same.
1986 was a year when an attempt at the North Cork junior A double was made.Clyda played Charleville in the
hurling at Buttevant.Clyda were beaten by 2 points.The Football team were more successful however, Clyda
winning the North Cork against Kildorrey by 3 points.The County run came unstuck however against Valley
Rovers in Coachford.
Still 1987 began where 1986 left off and Clyda again won the North Cork Junior A football Championship for
the 3rd time.however leading Lough Rivers by 5 points with 10 minutes to go it looked that Clyda rovers would
continue there run in the County Championship, but Lough Rovers had other ideas and 2 quick goals, and Clyda
were out.
The 3 in a row North Corks in Junior A football was achieved in 1988.Under the guidance of Pat O' Shea, father
to centre back Mick and former Kerry football selector. Clyda reached there second county final against Naomh
abhan from Ballyvourney. In a very close game Clyda came back from being 5 points down into the first half to
draw level with 10 minutes to go,however Naomh abhan pipped it in the end by 1 point 1-8 2-4.The team were
gutted after the game, they came so close to winning there first county title.
So Clyda had to regroup for 1989, prehaps the greatest year in the clubs history.
Clyda had failed before in 1986, for there quest in winning the Junior A North Cork double. 1989 changed that,
the first final was the hurling.On a beautiful summers day in castletownroche clyda played Shanballymore.It was a
great game of hurling from both teams and when the Clyda corner back Billy Barry was sent off it looked all over
for the Clyda men, but through to their nature they battled back and were level going into injury time.That was
when Timmy O' Callaghan had a free on the 65 to win the match.Timmy made no mistake and the first part of the
double was achieved.In the football Clyda faced rivals Kildorrey in Killavullen.A tough game of football followed,
but in the end history was made.Clyda had won the north Cork Junior A football title 4 times in a row 1986-89,
and the historic double was achieved.Other wins that year included the U21 B football title, Minor B football
title(Won for the first time) and the two North Cork league titles in both Junior A football and Hurling.But it was
in the county where the year was really made.
In the football Clyda faced Knocknagree in the first round.Despite a Mick O' Shea penalty Clyda were beaten by
3 points and the county finalists of 88 were out.It was however in the hurling where Clyda caused the greatest
surprise.Not given a chance against Middletons second team, Clyda played out of there skins in Castletownroche
to make the semi final of the junior A county.Under the guidance of Bill Mullane from Kanturk and Johnny looney,
Clyda's were hurling quite well.The semi final toke place in Kanturk where they faced Duhallow Champions Kilbrin,
Paudie Curtins two goals proved the difference and Clyda were now in the County Junior A hurling Final.There
opposition were Ballinascarthy from West Cork.A small club like Clyda they too were going for there first title.The
venue was Pairc Ui Chaoimh and everyone from Mourneabbey hoped and prayed that Clyda Could finaly win a
county.It was an epic match with Clyda leading for most of it but with 10 minutes to go Ballinascarthy goaled, it
looked like 88 all over again.But Clyda got a late free 50 yards out, and magnificent wing back Timmy O'
Callaghan stood up to take it.But cool as you like Timmy drew Clyda level, and the game ended in a draw Clyda
0-12 Ballinscarthy 2-6.Cloughduv was the venue for the replay, and if the first game was good then this was
even better.Down 6 points with 12 minutes left it look all over for Clyda.But the Clyda men were not going to
lose there second county in a row.Brendan Kelleher hit 3 inspiring points, to draw Clyda closer.Then super sub
Con O' sullivan drew clyda level.With Noel Carey, John Roche brillant in the backs Clyda swarmed forward.With
1 minute to go centre back Noel Carey gave a hand pass to Martin Hanlon, and Martin gave clyda the lead
.Ballinscarthy missed a late 65 to draw the game, and when Joe O' Leary the ref blew full time.There were scenes
of absoulte joy,Clyda had finaly won a County, and so 1989 came to an end Clydas greatest year.
For the first time ever in 1990 Clyda rovers had two teams in both hurling and football up intermidate.The hurlers
remarkabley drew Ballinascarthy in the first round.They had also decided to go up intermidate.It was'nt the classic
of the Junior Hurling final but the result was the same ,Clyda winning 3-3, to Ballinscarthys 0-9.They were
however beaten by inniscarra in the next round.The footballers lost to Kilmurry after a extra time in a replay.The
high point of the year in the club was the u21 hurlers winning the north Cork title for the first time.
1991 was a year that the Clyda intermidate footballers set out on trying to win some silverware.The 3 game saga
against Castletownbere was the highlight of the year.Clyda had to make 3 trips to Driomoleague before Clyda
finaly saw off the men from Beara.Clyda reached the semi final where they played Ballincollig in
Donoughmore.However Clyda did not play well enough and the loss of Mick O' shea with a broken leg sealed
Clyda's fate.However the year was not at a total loss as Clyda reached the intermidate League final against Nemo
Rangers.On a foggy day in Donoughmore Clyda won there first title.The hurlers however were beaten in the first
riund by St Finbarrs and a decision was made that they should regrade.The U21 footballers also brought back a
title to the club winning there 2nd title in 3 years.
1992 dawned with the draw for the championship pitting Clyda against near rivals Kilshannig.Kilshannig had
been Senior for a number of years and had failed to make an impact thus regrading to intermidate.What was built
as a classic never really was, but it was a tough championship encounter.Clyda in fairness were all over Kilshannig
and shot an amazing 19 wides over the hour.They also had the luxury of missing a second half penalty, but in the
end they came out winners 0-9 to 0-7.The next round Castlemartyr awaited.It toke Clyda two games to over
come the east cork men .A late fergal dorgan point the first day saving clyda from being knocked out .In the
replay a Robert Walsh goal proved vital in what in the end was an easy win 1-10 to 0-6. So in the quater final
Clyda faced another local derby against Mallow in Glantane.On that night Clyda never really got going and a
second half penalty proved the difference, Clyda losing 1-10 to 0-10.Mallow went onto win the county and
Clyda were left wondering how close they really were.
1993 was the year of the JuniorB and Under21 double.Under the guidance of John Lane, Eddie Walsh and Jimmy
Macglinchey Clyda had a very successful year.In the junior B championship Clyda had a 3 game marathon against
fermoy in shanballymore.In the end Clyda came out victors.They faced Rathluric in the final and the introduction
of Denis Corbett proved the difference, Clyda 4-8 to Rathluric 0-4.In the U21 championship the semi-final saw
Clyda face Doneraile.Doneraile had a fine side and were expected to overcome the Clyda challenge, however m
clyda reached yet another u21 final.Here they faced Buttevant and a close game ensued .But in the end Clyda
were champs by the slightest of margins 0-7 to 0-6.The junior Hurlers had no success being defeated by
Dromina.It was however in the intermidate championship where Clyda came so close to reaching the County
final.Leading Bantry Bules by a point with time up in the semi Final , history looked certain.However up steped
Kevin Harringhton to kick a 50 metre free over the Bar.In the replay Bantry outplayed Clyda and in the end came
out easy victors.They went on to win the title and two years later won the Senior title.
After the highs and lows of 1993 clyda people wondered what awaited them in 1994.An easy win over st
Micheals second team in the first round set up a second round game yet again with kilshannig.On a lovely Sunday
afternoon in Mallow Clyda toke on kilshannig, a place in the next round awaited.With 10 minutes to go it looked
like Clyda were on there way out.Down 3 points and time ticking away.But the never say die spirit of Clyda
Rovers came to the fore and a late Padraig Mullane point drew the game.The replay was played on an awful night
for football.Like 91 Clyda were all over Kilshannig and kicked a lot of wides.With 5 minutes to go the sides were
level 4 points a piece, but a late point by John Walsh saw Clyda take the lead by 0-5 to 0-4.Thats where the
score ended .Clyda had recorded a famous victory over the neighbours.In the semi final Clyda faced Urhan from
west Cork.Clyda won easily by 0-17 tp 0-9.For the first time in there history Clyda had reached a county
intermidate final.The parish was a wash with flags leading up to the final and hopes were high that Clyda could
overcome the Ballincollig side.Played before the Senior County ,22000 people attended the Park that day.Both
sides were even enough in the first quater.The Game however turned half way through the first half.Clyda early
on were denied a perfectly good goal by Tommy Macglinchey.Ref Eddie Murphy saying it was a square goal(It
would not be the Last time that Eddie Murphy would come in conflict with Clyda :see 1995)
Ballincollig got the first break indeed they got two.Two goals in the space of a few minutes and Clyda were
rocked.Clyda true to there nature did respond with a magnificent goal by Ger Lane.They were 3 down at the
break.It was however Ballincollig who took control in the second half and outplayed Clyda for long parts of the
game.A Mick shea penalty did close the gap to 3 with 5 minutes to go.But it was to be Ballincolligs day and Clyda
were beaten by 3 points 2-7 to 2-4.The question was asked would Clyda ever win a county in football? 1995
was the start of a new year in trying to bring back that covented title.
Well if the 94 county final heartbreak was hard to take , then 1995 was worse.The year started with a first round
game against Macroom.A tough game followed in Donoughmore with Clyda just coming out winners in the end
1-10 to 1-7.Clyda proceded to play good football over the summer and had made there 3rd semi final in a
row.There they faced Dohenys from West Cork.It would take two games to decide the outcome.The first game
proved to be a great game of football.Clyda leading for most of it, but Dohenys had taken a late lead heading for
injury time.But up stepped Captain Fantastic Cormac O' Sullivan and he drew the game.The second game was a
game which everyone agrees that Clyda blew.Dohenys were down to 14 men for most of the game and still
Clyda could not pull away from them.Like the first game they were down by a point with 30 seconds left.Clyda
were attacking looking to bring the game into injury time when Ref Eddie Murphy blew the full time whistle before
time.Clyda players and mentors converged on Murphy telling him that time was not up, but knowing him from 94
, his decision was final.Clyda were out.And like the last 4 years the team that beat Clyda went on to win the
county and Dohenys just did that.
Most teams would just fade away after coming so close to winning a county each year.But the never say die spirit
of this team was there to be seen.If clyda were to win the 96 championship they would have to overcome the
hard side of the draw starting off.The first round game against Valley Rovers was going to be a crunch one.Both
teams had been knocking on the door for the past few years.The game took place on a lovely Saturday night in
Blarney.It was a close game all through.Tit for tat scoring.But in the final 5 minutes Clyda pulled away , Tommy
Macglinchey scoring a vital fisted point near the end.
Macroom awaited in the quater final in Bouherbue.Everyone knew this was going to be a close run game and so it
proved.The first half was as tight as could be even up an extra man Macroom seemed to half the upper hand on
Clyda.A near miss at the start of the second half by Macroom on the Clyda goal spelled the danger signs.But 2
scores in the space of a minute changed the game totaly.A great goal by centre forward Tommy Mac and a point
by corner Forward John Walsh had clyda in a commanding position.When the final whistle went Clyda were
victors 1-10 to 0-11.Yet another semi final awaited Clyda this time against Millstreet.On a Saturday night in
Newmarket Clyda reached another intermidate final when they were by far the better team than
Millstreet.Attentions now turned toward s the final and a meeting with little known Carrigaline.But Clyda's
preperations were delt a massive blow when Tommy Macglinchey broke his leg in a North Cork Hurling
champioship game against fermoy.He was having a fantastic year and he would be a massive loss.But if there was
one man to replace him the selectors need have not looked very far as Jerry O' Sullivan was given one last
chance to win a county football medal.So September the 8th dawned a day never to be forgotten in the annuals
of Clyda Rovers GAA Club.The first half however did not go to plan as well as the team would have liked.0-5 to
0-2 up at half time, having kicked a lot of wides.The second half however saw Clyda take control and County
fianl success looked like it was finaly going to come.But Carrigaline got a penalty to bring the lead down to 4
points with 12 minutes to go.But Clyda responded through the brillance of Man of the Match Robert Walsh, and
ran out Winners 0-16 to 0-8.The scenes in the Park that day will never be forgotten by all Mourneabbey men,
women and children.Derry Cronin the captain finaly got hold of the intermidate county cup after a long wait.The
community Centre was packed to capacity that night as the parish welcomed home there heroes and a long night
was had in Derry Murphy's celebrating that fantastic county.Senior Football beckoned for 1997.
verse of Clyda Rovers victory song, to the air of The Boys of Killybegs, which was composed by a well known and respected female member of Mourneabbey parish.
“Remember 96 when Clyda did the trick,
And the County Cup at last, it was brought home,
For six years they trained and played, in the frost and in the rain,
Took the pressure and came back again for more,
But the Clyda men are tough, and they never would give up,
And they started every year with hope to win,
But this year they said enough, this losings getting rough,
They made out their programme and said lets winâ€
Would Clyda be able for Senior football? Well the first round draw would really tell us.Clyda had drawn
Beara.Clyda were'nt given a chance and who would blame people.Beara were one of the favourites for the
county.On a Sunday afternoon in Dunmanway Clyda Rovers played Beara in there very first championship game
up Senior.What followed was a brillant game of football.It was prehaps the greatest game Clyda ever played in
which they lost.For the first half Clyda were holding there own.The backs in particular magnificent.But a few
50-50 frees which went the way of the Beara men would in the end prove the difference.Early in the second half
Beara opened a 5 point lead and the writting looked on the wall for Clyda.But what a last 20 minutes did they
play.They scored 2 points in a row, and then John Walsh goaled to put clyda level.The tension was unbearable in
the summer sun and roared on by there huge following Clyda toke the lead.The shock of the championship looked
on.But Beara responded and when Ciaran O' Sullivan put them 1 point up going into injury time it look all
over.Despite clyda's best efforts Beara held on, and clyda were out.It was a heroic performance and what was
even more remarkable was that Beara went on to win the County final that year agaist Castlehaven.The only title
to come to the club in 97 was the division 3 North Cork league.
1998 and Clyda faced a second year up senior.The first round draw pitted us against Aghada.A great club from
East Cork.When looking back at the first game Clyda blew it bad.Up 5 points with 10 minutes to go.Heads
seemed to go and only for a late Thagh Mullane free Clyda would have been out.The second game was the
complete opposite Aghada were by far the better team but Clyda fought back in the second half to draw level
and extra time loomed.But heartbreak yet again for Clyda when Aghada scored a late goal to win the game.The
Junior B's under John Lane won a great Championship,the semi final win over Kilshannig the game of the year
prehaps for Clyda.They had revenge on Mitchelstown for 97 in the final as they came out easy winners.
1999 was indeed a historic one for all sorts of reasons.It was the year Clyda finaly won a round in the Senior
Championship, it was a year when the u21B title was won after a lapse of 6 years, but most of all it was the year
of the Minors.5 titles were won a magnificent achievement.In the football the North Cork league and
championship double was won, and the hurling league as well.But it was the county championship where the
Clyda minors gave non-stop entertainment.They reached the final of the championship where they played
Barryroe in Ringaskiddy.Barryroe were a good side and with 6 minutes to go it looked all over for Clyda down 6
points.But what followed was the stuff of dreams as 2 goals by Derek O' Brien and Dylan O' Shea had Clyda
level.That how the game finished and the teams would have to do it all again.The replay was just as dramatic.The
game finishing level over the 60 minutes.Extra time saw only the bear minimum between the teams.But when
Eddie O' Connor had the chance for a goal he duly obliged and Clyda lead in the second peroid of extra time.Full
time came and Clyda had won yet another county.The double was achieved 2 months later with a win over
Diarmuid Mathuna's.The senior draw was a bit kinder this time round and Clyda drew divisional team Seandun in
the first round.However this proved a tricky assignment and every time clyda got any sort of lead they left
Seandun in for goals.However Clyda went on to win by 2 points, and set up a crack at Duhallow in the next
round.Never before had Clyda had more of the play and yet they still lost.They kicked 21 wides against Duhallow
in Ballyclough and were beaten by 3 points.It was a very dissapointing night for supporters and players a like.The
u21 championship began in April with a first round game against hot favourites Killavullen.But a fantastic game
followed with Clyda winning by just 1 point.Liscarroll were easily accounted for in the semi final and so yet
another North Cork final awaited Clyda against Castletownroche.The game finished all square and there was yet
another replay.The replay was played on a Saturday with the pitch in Doneraile just about playable.Clyda opened a
4 point lead with 10 minutes to go with a goal by Gavin Carey.But Castletown responded with a goal.Clyda held
on for the final 5 minutes 1 point up.But the Whistle blew and Clyda were Champions yet again.
2000 can be reviewed in the page"Year 2000 in Review"NW.
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MOURNEABBEY PARISH
Mourneabbey(Mainstir na Mona) is a small parish 5 miles south of Mallow town on the Limerick-Cork road.With a population of Just under 1000 people, Mourneabbey is one
of the smallest parishes in Cloyne.Mourneabbey gets its name from the ABBEY.The ruins of the ABBEY are still visable today as you approach Mourneabbey community
Centre.Prehaps the most Known landmark is Barretts Castle which is visible from the N20 and the main Dublin Cork line.Indeed the Club Crest created this year by John
walsh has the castle as a feature.There are 2 roman catholic churches, Analeentha and Burnfort.In the grounds of these churches are the two national schools.As regards
public houses there are 3 in the parish , Derry and Doreen Murphys in Ballinamona, Steve and Mary Conway in Burnfort, and Gerry O' Mahony in Bottlehill.
ROLL OF HONOUR
If you want to review the year 2000 click on below link.
Clyda's greatest moments
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