The "B" Sharps

The early successes for the reformed UCC Staff GAA club came in the Junior B Hurling Championship. Unlike in football where six final defeats had to be experienced before success was finally achieved, in hurling defeat in the 2004 final to Novartis was followed by a three-in-a-row success from 2005 to 2007.

Here is the team that won the 2005 final played in Shanbally where the previous year's defeat to Novartis was reversed. Click to enlarge.


Those pictured include Seamus Cronin, Olan Casey, Davy Walsh, John Eakins, Rowan McSweeney, Rory Rice, Dara Cott, Brian Daly, Brian Coffey, Tom Byrne, Sean O'Leary, Mike Richardson

12 months later UCC were back in the final and again faced Novartis. In a game in which UCC trailed in all through, it took an injury time scoring blast of a goal and a point from Dave Cashman to secure victory. This game was played under lights in Ballygarvan. Again click the image to enlarge.

The three-in-a-row was completed in 2007 by some fabulous work by Frank Dillon in the corridors of power. UCC and Novartis again progressed to meet in the final. However, it was clear that both teams were under pressure to field. On the day of the final Frank didn't flinch and exuded an air of quiet confidence. Novartis cracked under the pressure and were the first to admit that they couldn't field. Without a ball being pucked Frank had secured a famous win!

In 2008 UCC stepped up a level and won the Junior A Hurling Championship against Cork Garda. This was another game in which UCC trailed and on this occassion the injury time scoring blast of a goal and a point came from Gerard McGlacken. UCC progressed to the Munster Championship where after a win over Tipperary's Wyett Pharmaceuticals from Clonmel they were defeated by Analog Devices of Limerick in the Munster Final.