Hammies hammer Skibb to book spot in last eight

Hamilton HS 6-9 

Skibbereen CS 1-5

DENIS HURLEY REPORTS

BANDON’S Hamilton HS cruised through to the quarter-finals of the Corn Uí Mhuirí (Munster PPS U18 FC) as they enjoyed a comfortable win over Skibbereen CS at Enniskeane on Wednesday afternoon.

Having beaten Tralee CBS in their previous outing – scoring five goals – the Hammies knew that the avoidance of defeat would be enough to top the group. Skibb, who lost to Tralee, needed a win of two points or more but, while they opened the scoring with an Elliott Connolly free, never led after Fionn Herlihy’s goal put the Hammies in front.

The Dohenys attacker shone throughout, scoring 2-5 as he spearheaded an attack which had a number of key performers and, once Bandon cut out some first-half defensive errors, they were well on top. 

A 2-7 to 0-3 half-time lead – having played against the wind – was never likely to be overhauled, and three fine Conor Calnan goals ensured they pushed on to top Group D, with Tralee advancing in second.

The opening goal came in the eighth minute, just after Aaron O’Leary had gone close with a goal effort. When the Hammies turned over possession from the resultant kickout, Calnan’s pass found Herlihy, who side-stepped Ronan Collins and netted.

Philip Wall almost added a goal immediately afterwards only for Collins to save, but points from wing-back Seán Barry and Herlihy extended the Hammies lead to four.

After Connolly and Herlihy exchanged frees, Skibb might have had a goal of their own as Dermot Hegarty and Shane O’Driscoll set up Charlie McCarthy only for Cathal O’Sullivan to save well, though Kevin O’Donovan did point to make it 1-3 to 0-3.

Six minutes before half-time, the Hammies struck again. When Wall did well to anticipate a defensive mix-up from a delivery by Darragh O’Shea, Herlihy was again in a good position to receive possession and fire home.

Tomás Sheehan – well set up by Seán Barry – and Calnan extended the advantage before corner-back Paul Lang’s foray ended with Bertie Butler pointing before Herlihy’s third ensured that they led by ten points at the interval.

Within two minutes of the restart, they had a third goal as Calnan produced a good low finish across Collins, with Herlihy adding a free before Connolly pulled one back for Skibb. A fourth Hammies goal arrived on 39 minutes as Calnan and sub Cathal Manning linked to allow Wall to slide in and send the ball to net, 4-8 to 0-4.

After Skibb full-back Peter O’Driscoll’s booming point, Herlihy had his fifth for the Hammies and then just before the three-quarter mark Skibb had a goal as Kevin O’Donovan’s long-range effort found the net.

That was to prove to be their last score though and the Hammies had an immediate reply as Calnan got his second goal and but for a good save by Collins, Manning would also have raised a green flag.

At the other end, Skibb’s Alex Minihane was wide with a goal effort while Charlie McCarthy drew a good save from Cathal O’Sullivan, who did well to clear the danger before an attacker could get to the rebound.

In the last action, Calnan got his third and the Hammies’ sixth goal, capping a fine display and leaving them looking ahead to knockout action in 2018.

Scorers

Hamilton HS: Fionn Herlihy 2-5 (3f), Conor Calnan 3-1, Philip Wall 1-0, Seán Barry, Tomás Sheehan, Bertie Butler 0-1 each. 

Skibbereen CS: Kevin O’Donovan 1-1, Elliott Connolly 0-3 (2f), Peter O’Driscoll 0-1.

Hamilton HS: Cathal O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers); Adam Kenneally (Valley Rovers), Cathal Mangan (Ahán Gaels), Paul Lang (Bandon); Seán Barry (Valley Rovers), Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Cullen Barry (Dohenys); Gearóid O’Donovan (Newcestown), Tomás Sheehan (Kilbrittain); Conor Calnan (Bandon), Philip Wall (Kilbrittain), Aaron O’Leary (Valley Rovers); Darragh O’Shea (Valley Rovers), Fionn Herlihy (Dohenys), Bertie Butler (Kilbrittain). 

Subs: Cathal Manning (Valley Rovers) for O’Leary (half-time), O’Leary for O’Shea (48), Adam Walsh Murphy (Valley Rovers) for Butler (55), Eoin Collins (Newcestown) for Cullen Barry (58), Ben Donegan (Bandon) for Manning (60).

Skibbereen CS: Ronan Collins (Ilen Rovers); David O’Connor (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh), Peter O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers), Ciarán O’Dwyer (Ilen Rovers); Dylan O’Donovan (O’Donovan Rossa), Jamie Shanahan (O’Donovan Rossa), Matthew Bushe (Ilen Rovers); Dermot Hegarty (Ilen Rovers), Elliott Connolly (O’Donovan Rossa); Shane O’Driscoll (Castlehaven), Kevin O’Donovan (Castlehaven), Sam Bohane (Castlehaven); Alex Minihane (Castlehaven), Charlie McCarthy (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh), Gavin Foley (Castlehaven). 

Subs: Michael McCarthy (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh) for O’Dwyer, Liam Browne (Castlehaven) for Bushe (both half-time), Aaron O’Sullivan (Ilen Rovers) for Shane O’Driscoll (33, injured), Darren Daly (O’Donovan Rossa) for Hegarty (41, injured), Andrew Whelton (Castlehaven) for Kevin O’Donovan (48), Luke Connolly (O’Donovan Rossa) for Shanahan (58, injured).

Referee: Michael Collins (Clonakilty).