THE crowds piled in again to Netwatch Cullen Park on Monday for the 14th annual Hurling for Cancer Research match between teams brought together by Jim Bolger and Davy Russell. Centra also came on board to support Hurling for Cancer Research this year. Over the past 14 years, the event has raised a whopping €1.66m, and the sportstars again came out in force.
Davy Russell’s Best line up before the Hurling for Cancer match \ Inpho
Jim Bolger's Stars line up before the 2025 Hurling for Cancer match \ Inpho
Legends of past and present played a key role, while sporting stars such as Bernard Dunne, Paul McGrath, Stephen Hunt and Marty Morrissey were on hand to give a dig out, along with the hurling godfathers Brian Cody, Anthony Daly, Michael Duignan, Liam Griffin, John Kiely, Cyril Farrell, Jimmy Barry Murphy and Liam Cahill.
On the TG4 broadcast, Daragh Ó Conchúir found stats to say that Jim Bolger’s Stars contained 127 Senior All-Ireland Medal winners and 59 All-Stars, while Davy Russell’s Best contained 27 All-Ireland winners and 38 All-Stars. That was quite an amount of stars and ground covered from GAA greats.
Camogie stars, Ashling Thompson, Aishling O’Reilly, Mary O’Connell, Laura Murphy and Grace Walsh were also togged out and in the action.
On TG4, Davy Russell put it all in perspective: “It’s a horrible disease and there’s no family it doesn’t touch, the lads in the weighroom, the lads you play with. It’s a credit to the lads to come and turn up.”
The Killeshin Pipe Band stepped in for the pre-match parade and the first point was scored by Adam Screeney and that set the tone for the match as Jim Bolger and his side have the bragging rights for 2025 after a comprehensive victory over Davy Russell’s Best.
Yellow card
The first man into referee Cyril Farrell’s notebook was none other than Davy Russell’s number 2 jersey, though he was given the tough task of monitoring Adam Screeney and was shown a yellow card for dragging down the Offaly forward in the opening moments of the game (although Russell protested his innocence).
His best efforts made no difference as Jim’s team won in the end by 14-10 to 8-13. We could use that old soccer commentary, Davy, your boys took one helluva beating as the scoreboard in Carlow was not used to having a double figure goals total and couldn’t cope!
Bolger’s forward line boasted the likes of Con O’Callaghan, Eoin Cody, and T.J. Reid, showing the sheer firepower they had up front, and it’s no surprise that some 14 goals were scored. In goals, Brendan Cummins and Damien Fitzhenry were two of the busiest men on the pitch.
It was 4-7 to 8-7 in favour of the Bolger Stars at half-time and not even the stewardship of Brian Cody and Liam Cahill for Russell’s men could see them make a comeback. On TV, Danny Mullins assessed it as “Jim Bolger is strict, Davy is competitive. You can see Jim’s strictness come out in the team’s performance so far!”
Umpires were Rachael Blackmore, Paul Townend, Ken Whelan, Danny Mullins, Barry Geraghty and Kevin Manning. 
Now all watching from the sidelines, Geraghty, Blackmore and Whelan seemed to enjoy a lot of flag waving, while Townend stood back and kept his powder dry for bigger battles - it’s only August after all!
The impact of the importance of the fundraising was brought home by a piece on TV with a Marty Morrissey interview from last year with cameraman Dermot Flaherty from Gort in Galway, who had been diagnosed just before last year’s match. He passed away in May.
Interviewed on TG4, Director of Finance for the Irish Cancer Society Jennifer Owens said: “We spend up to €3.5 million a year on cancer research to provide better treatment options. It has increased survivorship, but every year we need more and more. This amazing event since 2011 has raised €1.66 million. We only get 5% funding from the state, so we need an event like this to keep delivering on cancer research.”
Time and effort
Appreciation was given to many hurling stars, still tied up in their county championships, for the giving of their time and effort.
Lifting the trophy, Kilkenny star T.J. Reid said: “It’s no effort, the effort is from the parents and kids who travel three or four hours to support us.”
Wexford’s Lee Chin had earlier echoed those comments: “You can’t say no, so happy to be here on a night like this” and as the field was opened post match, John Kiely’s earlier comments were visible on the pitch as he had said: “1,000 kids from all over the country and they are just delighted to meet the stars and get their hurleys and jerseys signed.”
Goalkeeper Brendan Cummins echoed the feeling of everyone on the pitch afterwards, pledging the continued support: “No doubt, God willing, we’ll all be flying and this cause will keep rolling on and, as long as I’ve legs under me, I’ll keep trying to support it.”
The appreciations go to all who took part and to the master director Jim Bolger, aided by former Kilkenny hurler and amateur rider James Dowling and Una Manning.
The lineups
Jim Bolger’s Stars: Damien Fitzhenry (Wexford), Mikey Butler (Kilkenny), Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny), Paddy Deegan (Kilkenny), Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick), Dan Morrissey (Limerick), Chris Crummy (Dublin), Lee Chin (Wexford), Ryan Taylor (Clare), Rory O’Connor (Wexford), T.J. Reid (Kilkenny), Tom Morrissey (Limerick), Eoin Cody (Kilkenny), Con O’Callaghan (Dublin), Adam Screeney (Offaly).
Subs: Liam Hoare (Offaly), Walter Walsh (Kilkenny), Jack O’Connor (Wexford), Fergal Whitely (Dublin), Conor McDonald (Wexford), Brian Duignan (Offaly), Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny), Brian Carroll (Offaly), Aidan McCarthy (Clare), Eoin Ryan (Wexford), Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny), Grace Walsh (Kilkenny), Katie Nolan (Kilkenny), Stephen Hunt (Waterford), Mark Molloy (Wexford), Brian Cadigan (Kilkenny), James Dowling (Kilkenny), Richie Reid (Kilkenny), Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny), Dan Bourke (Offaly), Ollie Canning (Galway), Sammy McEvoy (Wexford).
Bainisteoirí: Liam Griffin, John Kiely.
Selectors: Jim Bolger (Wexford), Dave Bernie (Wexford), Larry O’Gorman (Wexford).
Davy Russell’s Best: Brendan Cummins (Tipperary), Davy Russell (Cork), Eoin Downey (Cork), Dion Wall (Carlow), Alan Tynan (Tipperary), Robert Downey (Cork), Andrew Ormond (Tipperary), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Brendan Maher (Tipperary), Jake Morris (Tipperary), Peter Duggan (Clare), Brian Hayes (Cork), Darragh McCarthy (Tipperary), Patrick Horgan (Cork), Ronan Hayes (Dublin).
Subs: Brian Tracey (Carlow), Craig Morgan (Tipperary), Brian Hayes (Dublin), Rian Boran (Kildare), Jack Sheridan (Kildare), Billy Seymour (Tipperary), Ciaran Whelan (Carlow), Ashling Thompson (Cork), Laura Murphy (Kilkenny), Mary O’Connell (Kilkenny), David Doyle (Tipperary), Mikey Fogarty (Wexford), Jonathan Fogarty (Wexford), Neil Ryan (Tipperary), Gavin Dowling (Kildare), Liz Lawless (Meath), Aisling O’Reilly (Meath), Killian Doyle (Kilkenny), Michael Deady (Kilkenny), Sean Carroll (Kilkenny), Mark Rodgers (Clare).
Bainisteoiri: Brian Cody, Liam Cahill.
Selectors: Davy Russell (Cork), Andrew Kelly (Carlow).
Umpires: Rachael Blackmore, Paul Townend, Ken Whelan, Barry Geraghty, Danny Mullins and Kevin Manning.
Eddie Brennan, Jim Bolger, Diarmuid Lyng and Una Manning \ Inpho/James Crombie
Former Kilkenny hurler Tommy Walsh, representing Jim Bolger's Stars, during the Hurling for Cancer Research 2025 charity match between Jim Bolger's Stars and Davy Russell's Best \ Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Eoin Downey was in demand /Inpho James Crombie
Ursula Jacob with her daughter Brídín before the game \ Inpho/James Crombie
Jim Bolger's Stars Mark Molloy and Lee Chin \ Inpho/James Crombie
Donate
You can donate on https://www.idonate.ie/p/event/HurlingForCancerresearch or by scanning the following QR code:
