MAKING CONNECTIONS – 2021
A most interesting Cork County Intermediate Hurling championship tie between Shamrocks and Emmets played on 13th of April 1913 at Douglas is shown on our website. Hurling was alive and well then with two Intermediate teams in the Parish containing some outstanding players. In 1912 Donal McDonald, Charles Salmon and John O’Brien of Emmets won All Ireland Junior Medals with Cork. In 1916 Frank Kelleher of Shamrocks captained the Cork Junior Hurling team to win the Munster title along with Tom Livesey and Ned Frizelle. The delayed final was played in 1917 which Cork won. Shamrocks won the Intermediate Hurling County Final in 1915 and Emmets won the County Intermediate County Final in 1917, what an achievement for two neighbouring teams in the Monkstown Parish. Frank Kelleher of Shamrocks would go on to play Senior Hurling with Cork and was a member of that famous and historic team of 1919 which won the All Ireland title wearing the red jersey for the very first time.
THE MAN FROM THE MARSH
A member of the Shamrock team in those years was Tom Flaherty from the Marsh in Ringaskiddy and affectionately known as “Raggie Flaherty”. Tom won two County Junior medals with Shamrocks in 1904 and 1908. The 1904 final was played in The Cork Athletic Grounds (now Pairc Ui Caoimh) on 17th December 1905 and the very first County title came to the Club after defeating Shanballymore 3-8 to 3-3. In 1908 they defeated Midleton in the final played in Queenstown (now Cobh) on the scoreline 2-16 to 0-3. Tom was very popular and a short verse was written at the time to acknowledge him: “Here comes Raggie Flaherty, and whenever he has a fall, he’s up again like lightening, and he‘s like a rubber ball”.
THE 2021 TEAM CONNECTION
It is 117 years since Raggie Flaherty won that first County medal but despite the passage of time and two world wars the foundations laid by the Marsh Man produce green shoots today. The 2021 Junior Hurling Captain is a great grand nephew of that illustrious Gael, namely Mark Hitchmough. Mark is our splendid centre back and in 2020 led the team through a mighty championship campaign to reach our first Divisional final since 2005. Tradition and good pedigree are the norm and we look forward to Raggie’s great grand nephew leading the team to championship honours this season.
nA SEAMRÓGA ABÚ Sean O’Tuama 17/04/2021.
