Five-star Bandon cruise to cup

Adam Murphy steals the show as Bandon win another title

Bandon 5-22

Argideen Rangers 0-8

WEST CORK GAEL REPORTS

DEFENDING champions Bandon, parading 11 of their victorious Cork premier intermediate hurling championship side, romped to a comprehensive victory over Argideen Rangers in a one-sided Micheál Holland Cup final clash at Kilbrittain last Saturday evening.

In the opening quarter, the accuracy of free-taker Bill Fleming kept Rangers in touch as they trailed 0-6 to 0-3 but it was obvious that the threat from Bandon’s full-forward division of Cian O’Mahony, Adam Murphy and Ronan Crowley – this trio bagged an astonishing 5-14 over the hour – was causing all sorts of problems for a hard-pressed Rangers rearguard, where Rob Nolan, John Sheehan and midfielder Paudie Butler were doing their best.

Murphy and Michael Cahalane tested the quality of paintwork on the Rangers’ crossbar twice in the 15th minute, but there was to be no denying Murphy when he billowed the Rangers net twice inside 60 seconds in the 19th minute. It opened up a yawning gap, 2-10 to 0-3, even at such an early juncture.

Understandably, Argideen Rangers, having very little hurling under their belts in recent weeks, were ring rusty and struggling to cope with the pace of the Bandon forwards, with brothers Ronan and Darren Crowley scoring from all angles and distances. 

Throw in a master-class defensive display by the returned honeymooner James O’Donovan at full back, with Joe Harrington, Peter Murphy and Matthew McNamara rock solid further out, it meant that Argideen’s forwards were living on crumbs.

Two fine points by midfielder Paudie Butler got Rangers on the scoreboard as the interval beckoned, but when Cian O’Mahony smashed the ball past Dylan Harrington in the 30th minute after Ronan Crowley had supplied him with a peach of a pass, the match was effectively done and dusted, 3-13 to 0-7.

Bandon rang the interval changes, Timmy McCarthy and James McSweeney entering the fray, the latter going into the middle third, while as the second half progressed, Adam Murphy and Michael Cahalane inter-changed.  

The O’Callaghan cousins, John Michael and Mike, captain Joe Murphy, Finbarr Butler and Cathal O’Donovan continued to battle what was now a lost cause, but the Bandon defence was in a mean mood, instanced by the fact that a sole Paudie Butler point in the 43rd minute was the losers’ meagre reward on the scoreboard. 

It was different at the other end, with the Crowley duo, Michael Cahalane and Rory Fogarty all getting in on the scoring act as two more cracking goals – one from Murphy in the 55th and O’Mahony in the 57th – ensured that Bandon were to finish with a flourish, bringing a terrific season to a most successful conclusion.

After the game Aaron Holland, son of the late Kilbrittain stalwart Micheál, presented the cup to Darren Crowley, captain of Bandon.

Scorers

Bandon: Adam Murphy 3-2; Ronan Crowley 0-9 (6f); Cian O’Mahony 2-3; Darren Crowley 0-4 (1f); Michael Cahalane 0-3 (1f); Rory Fogarty 0-1.

Argideen Rangers: Bill Fleming 0-5 (4f, 1-65); Paudie Butler 0-3.

Bandon: Pat Prendergast; Eoghan Ryan, James O’Donovan, Rob Long; Matthew McNamara, Peter Murphy, Joe Harrington; Eoghan O’Donovan, Jason Hickey; Darren Crowley, Michael Cahalane, Rory Fogarty; Cian O’Mahony, Adam Murphy, Ronan Crowley.

Subs used: Timmy McCarthy for Ryan (ht), James McSweeney for Eoghan O’Donovan (ht), Cha Dullea for Hickey (44), Eoghan O’Donovan for McNamara (54). 

Argideen Rangers: Dylan Harrington; Gerry Crowley, Daniel Hurley, Joe Sheehan; John Sheehan, Rob Nolan, Richard Smith; Paudie Butler, Cathal O’Donovan; Michael O’Callaghan, Joe Murphy, Finbarr Butler; Brian Hennessy, John Michael O’Callaghan, Bill Fleming.

Referee: Mick O’Mahony (Kilbrittain).