A Great Year for Rosegreen

Tipperary G.A.A. Yearbook 2005, p 187

 

Rosegreen will recall 2004 as one of the greatest years in the history of the club. They achieved something never achieved before when they won their first adult county final. And, it might very well have been a double. The county final success came in junior A football, and the near miss in junior B hurling.
 
At the commencement of the year the club targeted some football success. They had won divisional honours in 2003 only to be denied a crack at a county title because of Fethard's refusal to accommodate a request for a postponement in the county semi-final. As a result Rosegreen gave a walkover though convinced they were good enough to qualify for a county final.
 
2004 was the year to make amends. The early part of the divisional football championship was played on a league basis. Rosegreen came through with flying colours, defeating Aherlow by 1-7 to 1-6, Clonoulty-Rossmore by 1-14 to 0-1, Solohead by 2-8 to 1-8, Cappawhite by 1-14 to 0-9, and Rockwell Rovers by 2-14 to 0-9.
 
This clean sweep got them to the West semi-final in which they had an easy enough victory over Rockwell Rovers, by 0-13 to 1-4. The final against Cappawhite was a different matter, and it took extra time to achieve victory by 1 -12 to 1-9.
 
Their opponents in the county semifinal were Drom-lnch, and they beat them by 1-9 to 1-4 at Dundrum. This gave them a final meeting with Commercials at Fethard. In this game they led by 0-8 to 0-2 early in the second half, and seemed set for glory. But, it was Commercials who got the bit between the teeth and scored six points without reply during the remaining period. The final score was 0-8 each.
 
The replay was at the same venue on December 4. On this occasion Rosegreen made no mistake and won by 1-9 to 0-8, thanks to a wonderful performance by all the players, but particularly to two outstanding saves by goalkeeper, John O'Grady.
 
The winning team was as follows: John O'Grady , T. J. Phelan, Robert O' Brien, Vinny Downey, Aidan Lonergan, Ryan Hennessy, Mark Harnett, James Walsh, Ger Looby, John Walsh, Joe Hennessy, Liam Sherlock, Trevor Downey, Eddie Walsh, Tom Shelly.
Subs: Fintan Ryan, David Quirke , David Brennan, Michael Corcoran, Frank Culleton, John Hennessy, Thomas Manton, Eoin McGrath, Steven O' Brien, Pakie Hallissey, Tony Corcoran.
 
The junior B hurling side didn't have as smooth a passage to the county final. In the league section of the divisional champion ship they drew with Solohead, 1-10 each in the first round, defeated Sean Treacy's by 1-14 to 1-11, and Golden-Kilfeacle by 2-13 to 1-4, lost to Eire Og by 5-12 to 3-5, and got a walkover from Arravale Rovers.
 
In the semi-final they drew with Eire Og, 0-11 to 2-5, but reversed the league result in the replay, winning by 2-16 to- 3-9. They had a convincing win over Sean Treacy's in the final, winning by 4- 14 to 3-9.
 
Rosegreen began to be noticed outside the club when they defeated Dromlnch by 2-11 to 0-13 in the county semifinal at Drombane. They scored a goal and a point in the last minute to win by four points. However, they failed at the last hurdle in the final , which was played at Templemore on November 28. The concession of five goals was more than the team could bear and they lost to Kilruane MacDonaghs by 1-7.
 
The team was as follows: Fintan Ryan, David Quirke, Liam Manton, Robert O'Brien, Aidan Lonergan, Michael Corcoran, Daniel Ryan, Ger Looby, Liam Sherlock, John O'Grady, Pakie Hallissey, Eddie Walsh, Cormac Ryan, Thomas Manton, Tom Shelly.
Subs: T. J. Phelan, Timmy Mo1oney, Frank Culleton, David Brennan, Steven O'Brien, Vinny Downey, Trevor Downey, Tony Corcoran.

As welI as the members of the two panels - and there was quite a cross-over of players between the two – there were others who contributed to the success of the club. Pride of place has to go to Pakie Hallissey who as coach imposed a discipline on the players and got the commitment and dedication to training required to bring success. Also important were the selectors Pat Cormack, Michael Fanning and John Walsh.

One has also to include the other back-up people in the club. For four players, the county final win was the culmination of many years of endeavour. Liam Sherlock, Michael Corcoran, Tom Shelly and John O'Grady played on the successful minor B team that achieved county success as far back as 1991. The thirteen years wait for a second county title was worth every minute of it.
The history books will include the name of Rosegreen as county junior A football champions of 2004. The bare syayistic will never be able to represent what a huge achievement it was for a small club, and what wonderful satisfaction and unbounded joy the victory gave to the players and everyone associated with it.