Castletownbere take shortcut to last four

CASTLETOWNBERE 0-15

BANDON 0-11

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

A FIRST Bon Secours Cork Premier IFC semi-final appearance in eight years is a timely boost for Castletownbere.

The Beara club had four points to spare over a dogged Bandon in Saturday night’s final Group A fixture at Aughaville.

This third consecutive Castletownbere win cemented top spot in the group and, more importantly, sent the winners through to a county semi-final. On the same evening, a previously winless Nemo Rangers’ second string shocked Rockchapel to grab the runners-up berth.

‘That was a very hard-earned win,’ Castletownbere manager Morgan O’Sullivan said.

‘That is what we expected as all the teams in our group were evenly matched. In fairness to the lads, they have been working very hard and were very unlucky over the last number of years, losing by a point to teams that went to win it or make county finals.’

Castletownbere's Gary Murphy gets away from Bandon's Brian Crowley and Sean Ahern.

A young Bandon team played their part in an engaging match but failed to find the net on a couple of occasions that could have swung the result in their favour.

‘We started slowly but came into the game and were in it at half time,’ Bandon manager Aidan McCarthy admitted.

‘That’s where we wanted to be depending on other results going our way. I wouldn’t blame missing the penalty. We had a lot of chances even though it would have been vital if it (penalty) had gone in. Everyone is really disappointed but, for the club, it is a consolidation year. There were eight new guys blooded and Bandon has to look at the bigger picture going forward. You can only learn from these things.’

It was 0-2 each after ten minutes with Darren Crowley and Charlie Long (free) scores responded to by Castletownbere’s Dean Hegarty (45) and James Harrington.

Billy Murphy fisted two points to push the Beara men in front before Mark Sugrue reduced the deficit. Lee Kelly and James Harrington restored Castletownbere’s three-point advantage prior to Aidan O’Mahony scoring at the opposite end. Gary Murphy and Lee Kelly raised white flags for Castletownbere. Charlie Long and Darren Crowley did likewise for Bandon, making it 0-8 to 0-6 to the Beara club at half time.

Trevor Collins and Tomás Murphy (free) extended Castletownbere’s advantage before Aidan O’Mahony (free) pulled one back.

In the 38th minute, a major turning point occurred when Darren Crowley was hauled down in the square. Bandon were awarded a penalty which Dean Hegarty brilliantly saved from Aidan O’Mahony.

Gary Murphy (free) and James Harrington extended the lead to five but Michael Cahalane and Aidan O’Mahony (free) efforts quickly made it a one-score game. Murphy remained accurate from frees prior to O’Mahony converting a free of his own. It was 0-14 to 0-10 as the clock ticked down. Fintan Fenner restored Castletownbere’s five-point lead ahead of Aidan O’Mahony converting his fourth free.

Bandon pressed forward during the closing stages but to no avail as Castletownbere held on a four-point win and merited county semi-final appearance.

Scorers 

Castletownbere: G Murphy 0-4 (3f); J Harrington 0-3; B Murphy, Kelly 0-2 each; D Hegarty (1 45), T Collins, T Murphy (1f), F Fenner 0-1 each.

Bandon: A O’Mahony 0-5 (4f); C Long (1f), D Crowley 0-2 each; M Sugrue, M Cahalane 0-1 each.

Castletownbere: D Hegarty; L Harrington (captain), J Rosales, B Murphy; S McCarthy, T Collins, D Hanley; A O’Sullivan, O Byrne; O Murphy, J Harrington, K O’Sullivan; G Murphy, L Kelly, K O’Sullivan.

Subs: F Fenner for T Murphy (40), D Dunne for O Byrne (40), J Hanley for K O’Sullivan (51), M Orpen for O Murphy (60), J O’Neill for L Kelly (61).

Bandon: O Doyle; P Murphy, E Twomey, E McSweeney; C Calnan, B Crowley, C O’Mahony; T Twohig, A O’Mahony; P Callanan, D Crowley (captain), C Long; J Mulcahy, M Sugrue, J Callanan.

Subs: E Hurley for P Callanan (ht), M Cahalane for M Sugrue (37), R Long for C Long (37), H O’Mahony for J Callanan (47), S Ahern for E Twomey (48, inj), R O’Driscoll for C Calnan (57).

Referee: A O’Connor (Ballygarvan).