High-flying Clonakilty go third in Munster Junior League Division 1 after derby win against Bandon

Clonakilty 15

Bandon 10

CLONAKILTY emerged victorious from an attritional West Cork derby with Bandon to boost their chances of a Munster Junior League Division 1 top-four finish.

This physical encounter at Shannonvale on Saturday was won in the trenches thanks to Clon’s superior set-piece execution and dominant scrummaging. The winners’ defensive discipline also helped repel Bandon’s comeback despite Clonakilty failing to add to their 15-point first-half total. Cathal O’Regan and Olan Deane’s first-half tries were crucial in a game head coach David O’Mahony paid tribute to his pack.

‘Our scrum was outstanding and is what won us the game,’ O’Mahony said. ‘The scrum was totally dominant and got us some really big turnovers and penalties. Our set-piece was very good too. 

‘We realised after the second quarter that our discipline was letting Bandon back into it. Once we stopped giving penalties away, we felt that Bandon didn’t have enough to break us down, thanks to our discipline. Ultimately, that was the winning of the game.’

As for the visitors, a malfunctioning lineout and two knock-ons whilst stationed on the Clonakilty try-line made for a frustrating afternoon. 

‘I was happy with our commitment, but it was up front I think where we came up short today,’ Bandon head coach Niall Mahony said. ‘Look, it is a local derby and narrow margins decided it in the end. I think we were a little bit unlucky not to get something out of it.’

Clonakilty's Eoin Downey makes a break, supported by Kieran Howlin.

Both teams came off impressive Division 1 victories the previous weekend, Bandon defeated a struggling Charleville 14-6 while Clon amassed five tries in a 32-27 win away to Kilfeacle. Against that backdrop, the home team got off to a flier with out-half Eoin Downey punishing a penalised scrum from a penalty inside five minutes. 

Disciplined Bandon defence frustrated their opponents until an effective maul and lineout delivered the first try of the afternoon. Having retained possession from another set-piece, Clon moved the ball from one wing to the other before Cathal O’Regan crossed the try-line. Eoin Downey’s conversion made it 10-0.

Bandon lost Padraig Galvin to the sin-bin and their West Cork rivals took full advantage. A quickly tapped penalty saw Clonakilty keep the ball in hand for Olan Deane to score a fine try. A missed conversion meant Clon’s lead was 15 points but, amazingly, that Deane try would also be their last score of the match. 

The visitors forced their way into the Clon 22 only for misplaced passes and an inability to retain their lineout protecting Clonakilty’s lead. The loss of Olan Deane to yellow card saw Dylan Barr convert a penalty to make it 15-3 just before the interval. 

Bandon were immediately on the front foot at the beginning of the second period. Forcing a turnover and earning a scrum five metres from the Clonakilty line, scrum half Zachary Allen touched down, much to his team’s delight. Barr’s conversion made it a five-point game with 18 minutes to go.

Twice Bandon went close to adding additional tries only to knock on at the critical moment. In defensive mode, Clonakilty’s superior scrummaging eventually brought the Shannovale club back into the game. The hosts pressed hard for a match-clinching score in the closing stages but Bandon stood firm in the face of mounting pressure.

No further additions to the scoreboard saw Clonakilty win 15-10 at the conclusion of an engaging derby, and now move into third in the table. Another West Cork derby beckons for Clonakilty at home to Skibbereen next Sunday, while Bandon travel to Muskerry.

Scorers 

Clonakilty: Eoin Downey 1 pen, 1 con; Cathal O’Regan 1 try; Olan Deane 1 try.

Bandon: Dylan Barr 1 pen, 1 con;, Zachary Allen 1 try.

Clonakilty: Kieran Howlin; Rob Howick, Ben Lovell, Luke McCarthy, Jim Twomey; Eoin Downey, Rory Fletcher; Phillip Poillot, Tom Doyle, Dave Jennings; William Tyner, Colin Deane; Rory White, Cathal O’Regan, Olan Deane. Replacements: Chris Walton, Gearoid O’Donovan, Maurice Downey, Michael Deegan, Conor Hayes, Craig Bateman, Patrick McCarthy.

Bandon: Olan Crowley; Josh Mahony, Darragh O’Brien, Gearoid O’Leary, Tom Desmond; Dylan Barr, Zachary Allen; Padraig Galvin, Scott Kingston, Marco Prette; Brendan Towhig, Tadhg Galvin; Daniel Lane, Darragh Coffey, Tom Ferguson. Replacements: Conor Egan, Joshua Brady, Kain Donnellan, Liam Egan, Ralph O’Mahony, Adam Murphy, Tim O’Leary.

Referee: John Moynihan.