Fethard Bridge Club
Wednesday November 19th - Gross turkey competition: 1st gross Bernie Myles and Margaret Hackett, 2nd gross Alice Quinn and Theresa Cummins. 1st nett Margaret Coffey and Cinta O'Flynn, 2nd nett Mick Burke and Neilie Hall. Wednesday December 3rd - Change of partner turkey.
As from next Monday 1st December, the club has decided to hold bridge on Monday nights as well as Wednesday nights to cater for the extra members who have joined the club. All are welcome.
Club contact - Annie O'Brien [looking for apartner, etc.], 052 31862.

GAA
Fethard senior football team beat Cooraclare by 0-6 to 0-4 in the semi-final of the AIB Munster club SF championship in Clonmel on Sunday last. The thirty players, plus the subs who came on, were all heroes. The game should never have been played in the horrendous conditions prevailing. Fethard won the game by their magnificent display when playing against the elements in the first half.
They held the Clare champions to an 0-4 to 0-4 score situation at half-time. Fethard added two further points in the second half. Cooraclare failed to score in this period but had enough near misses to keep the Fethard supporters on tenterhooks.
Fethard have now qualified for their first ever Munster club SF final.
Mass will be offered for the repose of the souls of all deceased members of Fethard GAA Club in Killusty Church on this Thursday evening, at 7.3Opm

St. Vincent de Paul
Fethard St. Vincent de Paul Conference wish to remind people that as Christmas is fast approaching, they will be looking for good qualify toys to distribute.
If you have any toys that you no longer require, please contact Father Sean Ryan, Dinny Burke, or any committee member.
A collection night for same will be organised over the coming weeks.

Red Cross
The officers of Fethard Branch of the Irish Red Cross Society wish to thank sincerely all who supported their church gate collection.

Late Ms Josie Maher
The death has occurred in England of Ms Josie Maher, formerly of Drumdeel, Fethard.

Late Mrs Kathleen Aylward
The death has occurred of Mrs Kathleen Aylward, Quarter Cross, Killusty. Sincere sympathy is extended to her husband Sean, children and relatives. Interment took place at Killusty Cemetery.

Coursing
At their last meeting, Fethard Sunday Coursing Club passed a vote of sympathy to their vice-president, Tim O'Riordan on the recent deaths of his wife Noraand his brother Tom, which occurred in New York on November 21st.
All entries for the Looby Cup are to be out on Sunday next November 30th.
Meet at the car park at 10.30. Slippers and beaters are also to attend.

Death of old IRA man
The death has occurred in Cork of Mr Bill O'Doherty, Cork Third Tipperary Brigade Old IRA. A native of Donohill, the late Bill O'Doherty spent his early years with his uncle and aunt in Derryluskin. He was a prominent playing member of the Coolmoyne senior hurling teams of the twenties.
He attended the launching of the Fethard Centenary GAA Book and was present at the Old IRA memorial Mass, recently celebrated in Rosegreen. He died just one day short of his 95th birthday.
Interment took place in Kilcrumper Cemetery, Fermoy, where honours were rendered by a firing party.

Fishing Club
The 7 o'clock Mass in Fethard Parish Church on this Friday night November 28th will be offered for all deceased members of Fethard / Killusty Angling Club and riparian landowners.

Youth in need
The promoters of the youth in need table quiz wish to thank sincerely all who supported the project. A sum of £300 was realised.
The fund is still open through Micheal McCormack

Macra na Feirme
We are recovering from 'a great night in cahir last Saturday. We donned the boots and stetsons to represent the USA, in the international fancy dress hosted by the south executive.
Best of luck to Brendan Morrissey who represents Tipperary in the impromptu public speaking competition in Dungarvan, on Saturday night next (29th).
Also good luck to our senior debating team David Corbett, Corina Morrissey, John Fitzgerald and Mairead Croke who oppose the motion "That very many Irish men should never marry" against Rathkeevan Macra, on Tuesday next, 2nd December at 8.3Opm in Rathkeevan Hall.
Members maintain their active schedule as they rehearse for the capers competition which takes place on December 6th. Our sports nights continue every Wednesday at 9pm, in the ballroom.
Tomorrow night (28th) club members will be supporting their bachelor, Brendan Morrissey, at the bachelor competition.
If you are interested in participationg in any of the aforementioned activities do not hesitate to contact Amanda Kelly or Corina Morrissey.
Munster club SFC final

Heroic Fethard defy elements and Cooraclare to reach final
Fethard 0-6; Cooraclare (Clare) 0.4
By its nature, coming after the county championships have been completed, the provincial club campaign is likely to be played in the worst of the year's weather.
Yet few teams can have encountered the conditions that Fethard and Clare champions Cooraclare endured in Clonmel on Sunday in the Munster club senior football semi-final.
The other semi-final between the Cork and Kerry champions was postponed because of the pitch conditions in Castlehaven but they cannot have been much worse than Clonmel where the weather also added to the difficulties.
Constant rain and wind and a sodden pitch made it a nightmare for both teams as they struggled to play football but at the end of the day the conditions were farthest from Fethard's minds as they qualified for their first Munster final.

A team's mettle is tested when they need to dig deep to overcome adversity, On

Sunday Fethard were tested by a bigger and highly skilled team on a day totally unsuited to their own brand of short passing football.

Yet the Tipperary champions met the challenge with flying colours and are now in the Munster decider against one or other of the big guns, Crosshavefl or Laune Rangers, on merit alone.

They trailed at the interval by a point, 0-4 to 0-3, after playing into the teeth of the near gale force wind. They had even led by 0-3 to 0-1 after seventeen minutes before the Clare side finally put some scores together to

edge ahead by the break.

However Fethard were the essence of bravery and spirit in the second-half as they strained every fibre to hold out the determined challenge of Cooraclare.

This they did in style to hold the Clare champions scoreless in the half as they tagged on three points themselves to go through.

The bare statistics of the half are that Tommy Sheehan equalised in the third minute, Brian Burke from a free put them ahead in the 15th minute and Martin Coen from a super free extended the lead five minutes later.

But the real story Is the rearguard action they fought to protect their advantage. Paul Fitzgerald was a brilliant last line of defence with brave and sound goalkeeping and the only time he dropped a ball, Declan Lynch blasted the gilt-edged goal chance wide.--

Philly Blake was inspirational in defence with a tremndous workrate with Stephen O'Donnell, Willie Morrissey and Willie O'Meara all putting in a huge effort to limit Cooraclare's scoring options.

Chris Coen and Michael Spillane in midfield had perhaps the most difficult job, curbing the considerable threat of county star Tom Morrissey who used his immense physique and ability t burst through the centre of the Fethard defence on more than one occasion.

Morrissey was the main danger to Fethard hopes for three-quarters of the game but his performance faded in the final quarter as the Fethard defence held firm and with it went much of Cooraclare's threat.

The Fethard attack didn't have much opportunity to shine in the dreadful conditions but Damian Byrne, Brian Burke, Martin Coen and Tommy Sheehan worked tremendously hard and were back helping in defence towards the end to soak up the Clare side's pressure.

Despite Cooraclare having the better of the opening exchanges, it was Fethard who took the lead with a Jimmy 0' Meara point from a free in the 6th minute. after Sheehan had been fouled.

David Hedigan equalised two minutes later but Fethard were now coming to grips with the game and a good move up the right wing involving Michael

'Buddy' Fitzgerald and Brian Burke ende. with Chris Coen pointing in the 14th minute. Three minutes later a Martin Coen free made it 0-3 to 0-1 as Fethard defied the condi'tions.

They couldn't maintain the pace however and Cooraclare slowly regained the initiative. A super point from Declan Lynch reduced the arrears to the minimum in the 22nd minute and their constant pressure was further rewarded four minutes later when Hedigan scored his second point of the game.

Fethard's agile keeper Paul Fitzgerald dived full length to tip away a low shot for a '45' which failed to produce a score but the incessant pressure brought further reward when Martin Morrissey pointed' to put the Clare side 0-4 to 0-3 ahead at the break.
It was unlikely to be enough such was the intensity of the breeze and so it proved as Cooraclare didn't score again. Within three minutes of the restart Fethard had drawn level when Buddy' Fitzgerald et up the scoring chance for Tommy Sheehan.
Fethard maintained th advantage but didn't make full use of the elements as they struggled to gain supremacy. Eventually the dogged determinatioti of Martin Coen brought results.
The Fethard defence looked stretched as Tom Morrissey won possession and began another foraging run. However Coen tracked
back brilliantly, dispossessed Morrisey and broke upfield where he was fouled. This time Brian Burke made full use of the breeze to kick a super point from his hands.

A single point advantage was very slender and Fethard had to weather the storm in more ways than one. Their supporters hearts missed a beat when Paul Fitzgerald made his only mistake and dropped a ball lat the feet of Declan Lynch who rushed the chance and blasted wide with the goal at his mercy.

The Tipp champions now had fresh pair of legs on the field with John Paul Looby replacing Buddy' Fitzgerald and when the 'Blues' broke back upfield they won a free almost on the touchline. It was an extremely difficult kick in such circumstances but Martin Coen kicked a brilliant point for a vital twopoint cushion for Fethard with ten minutes still remaining.

Cooraclare threw everything into attack but Fethard's defence was outstanding. They harried and chased their opponents, giving them no time to settle and restricting the Clare team to the bare minimum of scoring chances. In the last minute a kickable free was conceded but when Declan Lynchs kick sailed wide with it went Cooralares last chance

Minutes later the final whistle sounded and the

lucs had emulated Commercials and Moyle Rovers in reaching a provincial final. They had done so with a gutsy performance that owed more to their resilience and determination not to wilt than to their undoubted footballing ability.

The game plan was ideal for the conditions and just enough to overcome a Clare side that had travelled to Clonmel with a great degree of confidence.

Fethard's march to the Munster final provides a boost for Tipperary football in a year when there was very little to cheer about

with the big ball game in the county.
Killusty Pony Show: The annual general meeting of Killusty Pony Club takes place in the Tirry Centre, Fethard, on Tuesday 2nd December, at 8.30pm.

Late Mrs Alice Hunt
The death has occurred of Mrs Alice Hunt (nee Clery), Silverfort Cross.

Looking for a man?
If you are looking for a man or just interested in what might be available, make sure you are in Fethard Ballroom on Friday night, 28th November.
The ballroom are running a bachelor fundraising dance and candidates from near and far will strut their stuff in a bid to win the coveted title.
It should be a great night of fun and entertainment. The candidates are on stage at 10pm, followed by music from Stephen and Pierce, with a disco till 2am and bar extension.
So beat the winter blues and joing in the crack, you never know who you might meet.

Historical Society
Pat Dargan of the Dublin Institute of Technology will give a talk on "Fethard as a pre-Norman town", at the Abymill on Tuesday, 2nd December at 8.3Opm.

Paul Fitzgerald, Stephen O'Donnell, Michael Ryan, Philly Blake, Michael Quiiilan, Willie O'Meara, Willie Morrissey. Chris Coen, Michael Spillane,
Damian Byrne, Brian Burke 0-1, Martin Coen 03, Jimmy O'Meara 0-1, Tommy Sheehan 0-I, Michael Buddy' Fitzgerald Subs: John Paul Looby for Michael Fitzgerald, Tom1s Keane for Jimmy O'Meara,
COORACLARE: Padd Harvey, Tomas Queally Tadgh Downes, Johr O'Dea, Enda McGuane Michael Queally, Pat Kelly Tom Morrissey, Joe Considine, David Hedigan 0-2, Michael Corry. Dan Carry, Declan Lynch 0-I, Martin Morrissey 0-1, Christy O'Donoghue Subs: Pat Kelly for Carry, John F Killeen for Hedipn
Referee: L. 0 Mathtn (Limerick)