Midleton 1-20
Bandon 1-15
NOEL HORGAN REPORTS
IT was a case of flattering to deceive on Bandon’s part in the county intermediate A hurling championship clash with Midleton at Church Road on Sunday.
The Carbery side hit the ground running, scorching into a 1-3 lead inside six minutes, and they finished the first half 1-10 to 0-7 to the good.
They quickly stretched the gap to eight points on the resumption, and, while they were playing into a strong wind, they appeared to hold most of the aces at that juncture.
To say the contest underwent a dramatic transformation subsequently would be putting it mildly, as Midleton became a transformed side, hitting the front for the first time, 1-14 to 1-13, courtesy of a spectacular goal from centre-forward Evan McGrath in the 46th minute.
Although Michael Cahalane converted a free, which he had won himself, to bring Bandon back on terms two minutes later, they were unable to regain the initiative. In truth, they were comprehensively outplayed by the East-Cork Magpies for much of the second half.
Trying to put a finger on how it all went wrong for Bandon is no easy task, but team coach James Nyhan pulled no punches when reflecting on their second-half slump.
‘I thought Midleton seemed to want it more than we did, and we’d be very disappointed with our second-half display,’ he admitted.
‘We got a great start in the first half, and, even if the strong breeze was always going to be a factor, we expected a lot more from our fellas after the interval.
‘We just didn’t get it, for whatever reason, but all is not lost, so we’ll see what we can improve upon when we play Mayfield on September 6th,’ said Nyhan, adding that to finish with a tally of 1-15 was reasonably encouraging.
Bandon’s early goal was well-taken by Ciaran McCarthy, pushing them 1-1 ahead in the fourth minute.
With Midleton opting to use a sweeper when facing the strong wind, the bulk of Bandon’s first-half return came from long-range efforts, with free-taker Michael Cahalane and midfielder Charlie Long their main marksmen. Others to get on the scoresheet before the break were Conor Calnan, Jack Cullinane and Darren Crowley.
The Bandon rearguard looked very assured before the break, although Kian Farmer and Conor Morley showed definite potential with limited possession in Midleton’s two-man full-forward line.
Early second-half points from Cathal Lynch and Jack Cullinane suggested Bandon were likely to remain in the driving seat, but they were outscored by seven points to one for the rest of the third quarter, as Midleton raised their performance in all sectors.
Then came the goal from Evan McGrath that further fuelled the Imokilly side’s momentum, giving them the impetus to ease clear of danger on the run-in.
Next, Bandon meet bottom-of-the-table Mayfield, while Midleton take on Russell Rovers on September 6th.
OUR STAR: Bandon’s Charlie Long notched four points from midfield on the day, but Midleton’s Adam Daly bagged three from this sector after the interval, two of which lit the spark for the winners’ resurgence in the third quarter.
Scorers - Midleton: A Mulcahy 0-7(f); E McGrath 1-1; P Haughney, A Daly 0-3 each; C Morley 0-2; K Farmer, S O’Sullivan, T Dunlea 0-1 each. Bandon: M Cahalane 0-5 (f); C Long 0-4; C McCarthy 1-0; J Cullinane, D Crowley 0-2 each; C Calnan, C Lynch 0-1 each.
Midleton: C Hurley; C Gunning, C Murphy, T Dunlea; S O’Sullivan, C Cronin, L Hennessy; A Daly, P Haughney; A Mulcahy, E McGrath, C Beausang; K Farmer, C Morley, C Crowley.
Bandon: P Barry; C Twomey, E Twomey, N McCarthy; D O’Donovan, P Murphy, P Calnan; C Long, R Long; D Crowly, M Cahalane, C Lynch; J Cullinane, C Calnan, C McCarthy. Subs: J Mulcahy for P Calnan (44), E McSweeney for C McCarthy (44), B Donegan for O’Donovan (inj, 56), M Sugrue for Cullinane (57).
Referee: B Barry-Murphy (Aghabullogue).
