Eric Philpott RIP

Eric seen here with his fellow selectors in our 2014 County Final victory, passed to his eternal reward on Christmas Day.
A distinguished player in his own right with St Finbarr's and Cork, Eric's astute knowledge of football was instrumental in our success in 2014. Eric also served UCC as a selector in their many successes over the past number of years. His passing leaves a void in our club, but most especially in the lives of his family, Eileen his wife, his children Joe Maura and Zita, grandchildren and extended family.
Thank you Eric for all you gave us, Rest in Peace.



Teh following is an extract from the original article penned by Eamonn Murphy of the Evening Echo follwing Ballincollig's County win.  The article details Erois contribution to the year and the extract is a summary of Eric's multi sport career and acheivements..

Long road to day of glory with Ballincollig
ERIC PHILPOTT was always a talented athlete from a young age at Greenmount NS and came close to representing Ireland in soccer at U15 level.
Having impressed when Cork lost a game against a Dublin outfit featuring Eamonn Dunphy, he got the call, as one of four locals, for an Ireland match versus Wales on Leeside.
However, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease across the water saw the game cancelled.
Eric 1967

He switched his focus back to GAA and by 1963 he played, and lost in an All-Ireland minor final, alongside Billy Morgan.
They’d get to another All-Ireland at U21 and then the ’67 senior decider against Meath, but unfortunately they ended in defeat as well.
Indeed in ’67 over the course of two months, Eric lost the All-Ireland to Meath, the county hurling final with the Barrs against the Glen, and — in UCC colours — the football to Beara after a replay.

Eric UCC
Eric and his late brother Denis both attended UCC, played together, and then moved into teaching afterwards.

Eric ended up in Bandon for 30 years, and Denis, who sadly died after an illness in 2008, headed to Kilkenny and St Kieran’s College.
He had a significant influence on Noreside, coaching St Kieran’s to two All-Irelands in 90s, becoming immersed with Dicksboro club, and also helping DJ Carey and Charlie Carter’s Young Irelands to a county.

Philo as he was affectionately known up there, coined a great saying: ‘you go for the ball as if you love it and hit it as if you hate it’.
While teaching in Hamilton High School, Eric lined out for Bandon and in 1975 collected a junior county medal.

In 1979 he moved to Ballincollig with his wife Eileen and has lived there since. They have three children Joe, Maura and Zita. Joe is a tasty guitar player and is a member of the band Ruby Horse, while Maura and her husband Joe Carey also have a grá for music and run The White Horse pub.

Until Eric got a call last year to come on board as a senior selector, his previous involvement with the Collig had been with underage teams up to U16 level.

When Billy Morgan accepted the offer to manage UCC in the Sigerson, he got in touch with one of his former team-mates. In the five-year period since Eric linked up as a selector with Morgan, the College have won two Sigerson titles and reached another two finals.
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