Hurling In Tubber
Junior C Hurling Final 1985
Ballycumber 0-6 Mucklagh 0-4
The first taste of hurling success in our parish came when our neighbours Ballycumber won the Junior C Final in 1985. Ballycumber defeated Mucklagh on a scoreline 0-6 to 0-4. Five members of the team were from Tubber parish.They were Eamon Kavanagh,Willie Colgan, Pat Colgan (R.I.P.), Joe Lowry, and John Buckley (R.I.P.) with Willie Colgan getting one of the clinching scores.
On the back of this success it was decided that there were enough players in Tubber parish to field a hurling team, so the following year 1986 a hurling team was entered in the Junior "C" championship for the first time. John Joe Rooney was manager along with Pat Colgan as his selector. Special note must also be made of Johnny Keenan who sponsored the teams first set of jerseys.After three years together real progress was made when Tubber reached its first Junior C Final in 1989. However they were narrowly defeated by Killeigh.The panel included Joe Lowry, J.J. Colgan,Tommy Colgan,Aidan King (Capt),Willie Colgan,Andrew Sheridan, Pat Egan, John Hanlon, Joe Healy, Chris Daly, Ollie Colgan Padraig Farrell, Pat Colgan, Ned Daly, Martin Heavin, Ollie King, and Stephen Clarke.The Management were John Joe Rooney, Declan Fox, and Pat Colgan.
Junior C Hurling Final 1992
Tubber 1-10 Crinkle 2-5
Finally in 1992 Tubber hurling got its first taste of success when they won the Junior C Hurling Final. In a thrilling final played out in Kilcormac Tubber defeated Crinkle to win their first ever hurling title.The game was a re-play after the first game between the two had ended in a draw. Many players on the Tubber side were also members of the football team and it was their extra fitness that was to prove a key factor in their victory.Tommy Gorman led the charge for Tubber scoring 0-4 points from midfield in an impressive display.Tommy opened the scoring for Tubber in the third minute when he pointed a Tubber free, his was followed by a point from John Moran after some great build up play. Crinkle replied with a point but this was immediately cancelled out by another Gorman point from a free. And then came Tubber's crucial goal, a long free from Tommy Gorman caused havoc in the Crinkle defense and Padraig Moran let fly to send the ball crushing to the net.Tubber led 1-3 to 0-1. Crinkle however replied with a goal of their own to reduce the deficit to just two. Another pointed free from Tommy Gorman and a point from Declan Fielding left Tubber 1-5 to 1-2 up at the halfway point.
Upon resumption Crinkle levelled the game with a goal from corner forward John Milne, however this did not rattle a battling Tubber team who replied with four unanswered points from Chris Daly (2) Tommy Gorman and Willie Colgan.. Crinkle finally replied with a score to leave the game finely balanced at 1-9 to 2-3. Ned Daly scored Tubber's final point of the game. For the rest of the game it was all Crinkle as they tried to snatch a victory, but a battling display from Tubber's defence most notably Aidan King, Joe Healy, Andrew Sheridan, and Ollie Colgan held out the tide to hang on for a deserved two point victory.The sweetness of his first ever hurling title was encapsulated perfectly by a jubilant John Moran, as he lifted the cup pronouncing "We are on our way up".The victory was perhaps sweetest of all for manager John Joe Rooney who was the man who started the hurling team back in 1986.
Management: John Joe Rooney, Declan Foxe, Christy Gavin.
Panel: J.J. Colgan, Joe Healy, Andrew Sheridan, Martin Healy, Ollie Colgan, Aidan King, Martin Heavin, Tommy Gorman, Willie Colgan, Ned Daly, Padraig Moran, Mick Doolin, Chris Daly, John Moran, Declan Fielding, Padraig Farrell, Pat Doolin, Pat Egan, Stephen Clarke, John Hanlon, Ollie King, and Pat Colgan (R.I.P.).
Junior B Hurling Final 1997
Tubber 1-7 Killavilla 3-3
Tubber plugged away at Junior B Hurling until finally in 1997 they made their first real breakthrough by reaching the Junior B Hurling Final. Tubber faced Killavilla in the final which was played in Belmont. Many of the 1992 Junior C winning side remained in the side along with fresh faces such as Michael Slattery from Mullinahone in Tipperary and Robbie and Sean Donoghue from The Well. However Tubber ended up on the losing side in a close fought game, goals were crucial as the score line finished 3-3 to 1-7 to Killavilla.
Management: John Joe Rooney, Pat Lowry (trainer) Declan Fox and James Farrell.
Panel: Martin Flanagan, Joe Healy,Andrew Sheridan, Damien Heavin, Martin Heavin,Willie Colgan, Fergus Egan,Tommie Gorman, Robbie Donoghue, Ollie Colgan, Michael Slattery Sean Donoghue, John Hanlon, John Moran, Chris Daly, Martin Healy, J.J. Colgan, Ned Daly,
Gene Cornally, Mick Doolin, Pat Doolin, Aidan King, Brian McManus, Aidan Naughton, Ken Fox, and Paul Kinahan.
Pre 2002 (and the forming of Brosna Gaels) any underage hurlers in Tubber were forced to play with Doon Ãg Hurling Club. Many young players tasted success with Doon Ãg before Brosna Gaels was born.
In 2001 young Tubber players featured in three winning Doon Ãg teams. They won the U16 B championship, the U14 Shield, and the U12 B championship. Doon Ãg U16 team won the B championship that year, it was only the second ever piece of silverware that Doon Ãg had won and it proved significant as Doon Ãg would go on to win the U16 B championship for the next three years.Three young Tubber men played on that team, Joseph Higgins, Eddie Kavanagh and Keith Higgins. Eamon Kavanagh was also a selector on that team.
Doon Ãg's under 14 team won the Shield Final the same year with Lorcan Allen and Olsen North representing Tubber.
Brian Kelly, Adrian Hiney, Neil Hiney, Olsen North and Bernard Allen were all part of the U12 Doon Ãg team that won the B Championship in 2001 with Brian Kelly scoring two points from play in the final as they defeated Seir Kieran 2-4 to1-4.
Then in 2002 a very important meeting was held in Flynn's Pub in Ballycumber. Brosna Gaels Hurling Club was founded with the help of four Tubber men, Joe Higgins,Aidan King, Tommy Gorman, and James Farrell.That Spring the journey began for Brosna Gaels when they played their first ever adult match against Gracefield, they won by two points with Tommy Gorman, Mervyn Forde, Chris Daly, Ned Daly and Aidan King lining out that night But the first taste of success for Brosna Gaels was not to come from the adult team but from their U16's once again as they won the U16 B Championship for the second year in a row. They beat Drumcullen on a scoreline of 3-10 to 4-3. Joseph Higgins, Keith Higgins and Darragh Lowry were all part of the squad that year with Keith Higgins giving an impressive display in the forwards scoring 2-1 from play.
In 2003 Brosna Gaels completed a hat trick of underage titles when they won the U16 B championship for the third year in a row. They defeated Seir Kieran by 3-6 to 0-5 in the County Final played in St. Brendan's Park in Birr. Keith Higgins and Brian Kelly were the Tubber representatives on that team with Brian Kelly scoring the first of Brosna Gaels goals that would set them on their way to victory.
Brosna Gaels U12 team won the shield in 2004 when they overcame Edenderry in a one sided affair in Killeigh, Brosna Gaels won 6-5 to 1-0 Danny Kelleher, Lee Colgan and Ciarán Allen lined out for Brosna Gaels that day and Sean Kelleher was a selector.
2005 Junior B Hurling Final
Brosna Gaels 2-11 Belmont 1-11
Finally in 2005 Brosna Gaels tasted success at adult level for the very first time when they won the Junior B Hurling final after a replay against Belmont.The first game had ended in stalemate with Brosna Gaels drawing level in the final minute in a nailbiting affair.
Again the re-play was a close contest between two determined sides.As the game neared its
end the sides were level but Brosna Gaels found another gear and added three quick points to emerge as winners for the first time since the club was founded back in 2002. Damien Heavin was centre-forward and Mervyn Forde and Tommy Gorman were on the panel as well representing Tubber. That same year Brosna Gaels also won the Division 4 Hurling League in an impressive double of senior titles.They beat Killurin by 14 points and sent a clear message that hurling in Brosna Gaels is alive and well and on the way up.
That year Brosna Gaels under 11 side also won the County Ground Hurling Blitz. Jamie Colgan, Ciarán Allen and Brian Daly all collected medals that day with Sean Kelleher as manager.
In 2006, and at their first year in the Junior 'A' championship Brosna Gaels made an impressive debut as they reached the semi-final but lost narrowly to rivals Seir Kieran. However they did enjoy another League success as they recaptured the Division 4 League title again as they beat Killurin 0-15 to 1-8 in Ballinamere.
2007 Junior A Hurling Final
Brosna Gaels 2-13 Killurin 1-7
In 2007 Brosna Gaels took another huge step by winning the Junior A title after only their second year playing at that level. It was now clear to all in the county that hurling in Brosna Gaels was a rising force.The final was played in O'Connor Park on the 7th of October against Killurin. Brosna Gaels had nine points to spare over a Killurin side that were inferior to them in all areas of the pitch.Tommy Gorman was now a selector with Damien Heavin our sole representative on the team
2008 Minor B Hurling Final
Brosna Gaels 2-7 Tullamore 1-7
Brosna Gaels minor hurlers made history by winning a minor title for the very first time when they edged out Tullamore in a blistering game of hurling played in Clara.With Sean Kelleher as selector Tubber were well represented on this team with four players; Danny Kelleher, Bernard Allen, Lee Colgan and Olsen North. Danny Kelleher was outstanding in goals as was Bernard Allen at corner-back.
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2009 Intermediate Hurling Final
Brosna Gaels 2-15 Birr 1-14
In 2009 Brosna Gaels made the greatest leap of all as they ascended into the senior ranks of Offaly hurling.This is a remarkable achievement considering the club was only founded 7 years previously in 2002. It is a testament to the strength of devotion and commitment in all four clubs that Brosna Gaels encompass. In a tough fought game in O'Connor Park both teams swapped the lead several times until Brosna Gaels broke free late in the second half to earn a well deserved victory and complete their meteoric rise from the Junior B ranks right up to Senior in just four years.Tommy Gorman and Sean Kelleher were both selectors on the team with Bernard Allen on the panel for Tubber.
2009 also saw Brosna Gaels under 16 team win the Joe Dooley Memorial Cup. Danny Kelleher was the winning captain with star forward Ciarán Allen getting the winning goal. Joe Kinahan and Lee Colgan also played on that team with Sean Kelleher as manager.
As Brosna Gaels continues to grow into the wonderful club it is,Tubber people will always remain a part of it.Throughout all the teams down along Tubber have players and mentors. Up until 2009 Tommy Gorman had been the chairman of the club with James Farrell and Willie Colgan on the committee.The future for Brosna Gaels is certainly very bright and Tubber takes great pride to be a part of it.