Bandon 3-11

Clonakilty 0-18

TOM LYONS REPORTS

IT was all up for grabs in this RCM Tarmacadam junior A hurling championship clash in wet and misty Dunmanway on Saturday.

A win for Bandon’s second string and they were definitely through to the quarter-finals, but a win for Clon and they could advance, depending on the margin of their win and the result of the other game between Randal Óg and Diarmuid Ó Mathúna.

Goals win games, usually, and when you score three in half an hour, a win should be guaranteed.

Bandon got the goals in the first half, but in the closing minutes of the contest, they were hanging on to a slender one-point lead as Clon staged a courageous second-half comeback that almost rescued their season.

As it transpired, Mathúnas beat Randals by 12 points and Clon would have advanced with a single-point win. It was that close in a hectic finish as the word came through from the other game and Clon threw the kitchen sink at the Lilywhites.

But this is a new Bandon team, a fine mixture of experience and talented youngsters who have size and physical strength. They showed in those closing minutes that they also have heart and spirit and will only improve the further they progress.

Bandon's Sean Ahern is challenged by Clonakilty's Eoghan Deasy. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

‘We’re delighted with the win and had to battle hard for it,’ said a delighted Bandon manager Kieran Hurley.

‘We knew we would need goals to beat a good Clon side and we had practised that in training; the first might have been lucky but the other two were well taken.

‘We’re trying to bring on some young lads and they need experience, so a few early goals were vital to settle us. We had watched Clon winning the league final and knew they would come back at us and we just about hung on. They’re a very good side and this is a huge win for us.

‘Everything from here on out is a bonus for us, delighted to qualify from the group.’

It was Clon who hit the ground running and Brian White hit two superb points in the opening minute, but picked up an early injury that saw him depart at half time. With him went Clon’s main scoring threat from play and frees.

A key moment came as early as the fourth minute when impressive corner back Zack Farrell saw his 80-metre speculative shot ending up in the roof of the Clon net.

Both sides hit four more scores in the first quarter, but one of those Bandon scores was a second goal – a well-worked effort from Michael O’Donovan in the tenth minute. It was 2-3 to 0-6 at the end of the first quarter with the Bandon half-back line of Gearóid Murphy, Brendan Twohig and, especially, Ben Donegan, ruling the roost despite the best efforts of Clon’s David Lowney and Jack O’Mahony at midfield.

Bandon’s superiority grew in the second quarter as they outscored Clon by four points to three. Timmy McCarthy hit a great pair of points in the space of a minute but Clon had scores from White (two frees) and Matt Murphy to stay within three as half time approached.

Clonakilty's David Lowney is hooked by Bandon's Gearóid Murphy. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

The roof caved in on the green and red before the break when O’Donovan struck for his second goal for Bandon and outstanding wing back Ben Donegan hit his third point before retiring injured. It was the Lilywhites now in front by seven at the break, 3-8 to 0-10.

Clon rang the changes at half time and their first-half lethargy was replaced by a much more determined approach in the second half. This was shown by the fact that they confined Bandon to three points in the whole half, in direct contrast to the 3-8 they conceded in the first half.

Three points within eight minutes of the restart by Kenneally, O’Mahony and young sub Oisín Hassett had the lead down to four. It was game on.

Bandon steadied again and points from Calnan and Fogarty, sandwiching a Cillian White effort, had them five in front at the end of the third quarter. With word coming through from the other game, Clon upped the intensity in the last quarter.

Four unanswered points from Lowney (two), Tim McCarthy and Kenneally had the lead down to one by the 55th minute. Now it was Bandon’s turn to show their resolve as they defended courageously to hold the lead. Goalkeeper Shane Hickey cleared one ball off the goal line before O’Donovan pointed a Bandon free in injury time to ensure victory and a passage to the quarter-final.

OUR STAR: Centre back Brendan Twohig dominated the hard-working Bandon defence, instigating many of their attacks.

Scorers

Bandon: Michael O’Donovan 2-1 (1f); Zack Farrell 1-0; Ben Donegan, Rory Fogarty 0-3 each; Timmy McCarthy, Jack Calnan 0-2 each.

Clonakilty: Brian White 0-7 (3f, 1 65); David Lowney 0-4; Chris Kenneally 0-2; Cillian White, Matt Murphy, Seán McEvoy, Oisín Hassett, Tim McCarthy 0-1 each.

Bandon: Shane Hickey; Eoin Ryan, Eamonn Twomey, Zack Farrell; Gearóid Murphy, Brendan Twohig, Ben Donegan; Seán Ahern, Richard Tarrant; Rob Long, Jack Calnan, Rory Fogarty; Timmy McCarthy, Rory Desmond, Michael O’Donovan.

Subs: Harry Lillis for B Donegan, Adam Barry for B Twohig, Ronan Ahern for Z Farrell, D Murphy for R Tarrant, L O’Driscoll for R Desmond.

Clonakilty: Mark White; Niall Barrett, Cian O’Donovan, Ciarán Crowley; Eoin McCormack, Eoghan Deasy, Cillian White; Jack O’Mahony, David Lowney; Eoin Ryan, Chris Kenneally, Brian White; Kevin Cormican, Fionn McCarthy, Matt Murphy.

Subs: Seán McEvoy for E Ryan, O Hassett for K Cormican, Shane Deasy for F McCarthy, David O’Sullivan for B White, Tim McCarthy for Matt Murphy.

Referee: Anthony O’Regan (Kilbrittain).