JOHN A MURPHY SENIOR HURLING TOURNAMENT FINAL ABBEYSIDE V DUNGARVAN IN Dungarvan Club Grounds Friday June 14th at 7.30pm.
All roads lead to the Dungarvan club grounds this Friday evening for the John A Murphy senior hurling tournament final between local rivals Dungarvan and Abbeyside. With a skeleton fixture list on the club scene in the direct aftermath of our exit from both the inter County hurling and football championships, local gaels are being given the opportunity to taste some club action once again in advance of the commencement of the senior championship the following week.
This game doubles up as an important league game for both clubs. A win or a draw will see Abbeyside qualify for the league semi finals along with Tallow while the home side will have to win if they are to progress. This is an ideal game for both teams and the game will benefit two local organisations, St. John’s School and Heart By-Pass Rehab. Entry fee to the match, with the co operation and good will of both clubs is a modest £5.
There will be two entrances in operation at the venue. The usual entrance at the main gates will be open with parking available in the field and the new pedestrian entrance at the other end of the grounds will also facilitate patrons who can park in the old Century Homes car park.
Johnny Murphy was the life and the soul of Dungarvan GAA in years gone by and this will be the third staging of his memorial game, the previous two seeing Midleton and Wexford side Shelmaliers participating. Johnny was chairman of both the Western and County Boards in his day . A native of Cashel in Tipperary, he gave great service to the GAA in the Deise County as an administrator and a highly respected journalist since he arrived in the town in the late 1950’s. The organisers are delighted that his cup will be presented by his wife Eileen and that other family members will be present.
With club hurling forced to take a back seat to the inter County championships, the local scene requires games such as this and this should be a hour’s hurling worth seeing which, as a local derby, should tell us the current standing of both teams. Previously both clubs organised similar games which benefitted Dungarvan Hospital and the Sesame School in Whitestrand in the Village. As with the inter County games in Walsh Park, the stand will be unreserved. Refreshments will be served after the match.
There is no direct form between both teams recently ahead of this eagerly awaited game. The fact that Abbeyside contested the County final last year has them in a good place in the pecking order in the County while Dungarvan will be hoping to erase the memory of their disappointing exit to Passage in the 2018 quarter final sooner rather than later.
DUNGARVAN GAA JUNIOR FOOTBALL VICTORY SOCIAL IN 1973. Back Row : left to right : Noel Sheehan, Eddie Shehan, David Dwyer, John Meehan, Paul Lannon, John Fennell, Liam Simms, Liam Sandford, Jim Mullins, Bro. Cleary. Front Row : Left to right : Brighdin Ni Chriostoir, Michael Curran, John A.. Murphy, Mickey Tobin, Pat McGrath, Collette Simms.
