HIBERNIANS NOV 2000

HIBERNIANS




Jimmy Cowhig could well be the man to lead Hibernians back to the AUL Premier League. In his previous spell of management he brought his Hibs charges from the third division to Premier A in just three seasons.



Jimmy, a former and formidable performer with the Shanbally men, takes over this season from Pat McAuliffe who, after 17 years of service and one as manager, has decided to try his hand at Killumney. Cowhig is working off a squad of twenty players. His captain is Jed Flaherty who is also the leading goal scorer. Three of the players have represented the Cork AUL in recent years. They are Ritchie Drivers, Stephen Kidney, and Jed Flaherty.



Michael Prout is one of the new players that Cowhig has introduced this season. Seventeen year old Prout plays in goal for the Premier A team. Earlier this year, he played on the Ireland side that took on Australia in the Under 17 Compromise Rules series in Croke Park and indeed won the Man of the Match Award in the first game. Other new players in the panel are David Murphy and Trevor Murphy.



The full panel is Michael Prout, Peter Prout, Gary Prout, David Murphy, Trevor Murphy, Noel Jordan, Kieran Hegarty, Darren Roche, Ken Fitzgerald, Ian Casey, Stephen Jordan, Martin Giltinan. Ger Flaherty, Dave Flaherty, Ritchie Drivers, Michael Lannon, Danny Lucey, Stephen Kidney, Arthur O'Mahony, Kieran Burns.



Hibernians have a second team playing in AUL 2, jointly managed by John Horgan and Shane Fitzgerald. Donald Turner captains this team and the leading scorer is Declan Sheehan. The aim for this year is to consolidate their league position while at the same time introducing some younger players. After a shaky start, Hibs B are improving with every game.



Indeed, both teams, who train twice a week, are in the top half of their respective leagues. Even though the club has excellent facilities at Shanbally, Hibs lack a training area and currently have the use of Pfizer's. The long-term ambition is to purchase some land and develop an all weather pitch, which would be available all in the locality.



The Shanbally club readily acknowledges the people of the area who continually support Hibs in the weekly lotto. John Collins of the Shamrock Bar, Robert Young of the Loughbeg Tavern, Smith Kline Beecham, and Pfizer's, are also very good friends of the club.



Hibernians moved to their splendid home in Shanbally in 1987 and are acknowledged as one of the best clubs in Cork. Secretary Brendan Hayes puts this down to continuity: "It is the same committee for the past ten years with rotating roles been performed by the members. The one newcomer to the committee is Larry Hickey who joined us from Glencairn. The name missing from the above list is former chairman and first team manager Dan Cullinane who is on a break at present".



Hayes says that most of the success for this period goes down to Dan and the squad that he built up (he never missed a night's training in twelve years), also the club captain Mick O'Grady who gave him great support. "We in the committee are all hopeful that Dan will be rejoining the club in the near future."



The current committee is: Chairman, Frank Roche; Vice chairman, Larry Hickey; Hon. Secretary, Brendan Hayes; Hon. Treasurer, Paddy O'Mahony; committee members - Paul O'Sullivan, John Fitzgerald, Mick O'Grady, John Horgan, Niall Coakley, and Jimmy Cowhig.



Cowhig's ambition of a long run in the FAI Junior Cup was ruined by an extra time Buttevant goal last Sunday. Hibs are off to North Cork again this coming Sunday and should be good enough to beat third division Celtic Utd in the third round of the Murphy's Stout AOH Cup, a trophy that Hibs have yet to win.