Bandon 3-19

Erin’s Own 4-10

TOM LYONS REPORTS

BANDON coach James Nyhan was on cloud nine after they advanced to the last four of the Co-op Superstores intermediate A hurling championship.

He had just watched the West Cork team put in one of their best performances of the season to power past Erin’s Own in a county quarter-final at Ballinhassig on Saturday.

While Bandon looked the better side for three-quarters of the game, they made hard work in quenching a vibrant challenge from the East Cork side, and the concession of four goals was a concern.

Led by Michael Cahalane who scored 0-11, the winners led by seven points at the break and increased their lead to 12 points in the last quarter, but there were anxious moments in the closing minutes when the lead was reduced to six points.

But time ran out for Erin’s Own, and it was Joe Burke’s Bandon who advanced to a semi-final meeting with Sarsfields.

‘I’m elated after that. We played very well for 40 minutes, super hurling. We couldn’t be happy with the closing stages – we relaxed a bit, lost our shape,’ said Bandon coach James Nyhan.

‘We took off a few experienced players, maybe that contributed at the end but we’ll examine and go through it all.

‘We’re in the semi-final – that’s where we wanted to be. We were building in the league and that continued today. The fellas who came in did a good job. Lads are putting their hands up and making the selectors’ job very difficult but that’s what you want in any squad.

‘We lost our shape in the forward line in the second half, only had two men up and players were drifting back too far, trying to hold what we had. When that happens, you lose your shape.’

Bandon's Michael Cahalane cuts loose from Erin's Own's Cathal Lenihan.

On a perfect evening for hurling Bandon got the better start with the opening three points from Mike Cahalane (65), Seán Carey and Jack Cullinane, who was to cause the Erin’s Own defence a lot of problems.

Back came Erin’s Own with three in reply from Kieran Murphy (free), Donncha Collins and Ronan Blackton, and Bandon knew they were going to be in a battle. The points were coming thick and fast as Cahalane (free), Carey and hard-working midfielder Charlie Long raised white flags in answer to a pair from Will Fenton.

In the 14th minute Mark Sugrue’s high ball into the Erin’s Own square was finished to the net by Eolann McSweeney, with the referee consulting with the umpires before awarding the goal. It was 1-6 to 0-5 at the end of the first quarter.

Bandon were in control now with Tim Twohig, Eamon Twomey and, especially, Peter Murphy, driving them on from a solid defence. Cahalane (two frees), and Jack Cullinane hit three points to put seven between the sides. When Cullinane rounded his man in the 24th minute to bury the ball from an acute angle, it began to look as if Bandon were going to brush Erin’s Own aside.

To their credit, Erin’s Own steadied the ship, as Kieran Murphy (free) and Ronan Blackton swapped points with Cahalane (two frees) before they struck for a goal in the 30th minute when Murphy’s close-in free was blocked, but Cathal Lenihan gained possession to finish to the Bandon net. It was 2-11 to 1-7 in favour of Bandon at half time.

Bandon's Darren Crowley cuts inside Erin's Own's Dara Twomey.

Bandon supporters were expecting their side to drive on with the sun to their backs in the third quarter. It was looking good when they hit three points in a row. Those scores were nullified when Cathal Lenihan struck for his second goal in the 35th minute – he followed with a point in response to a Cahalane point.

The gap was still seven points as the last quarter began and Cullinane stretched it to eight. It seemed to be game over in the 46th minute when the lively Cullinane set up Seán Carey for Bandon’s third goal to give his side an 11-point lead.

When Cahalane (free) put the Lilywhites 3-18 to 2-8 ahead with ten minutes remaining, some supporters were heading for the gate but Erin’s Own kept the best to the last.

The impressive Cathal Lenihan completed his hat-trick of goals and when Murphy added a point from a free, the lead was shrinking. Three missed frees in a row by Murphy allowed Bandon off the hook as Eoghan McSweeney hit their last point.

Erin’s Own were going down fighting and in injury time a Donncha Collins point was followed by their fourth goal, from Jer O’Mahony. But it was too little, too late to deprive Bandon of a semi-final place.

‘I’m over the moon, to tell the truth,’ James Nyhan added.

‘We hurled out of our skin for 40 minutes and then weathered the storm towards the end. Of course, we’d be worried about letting in four goals but we had a very mean defence in the league and in the group matches, so we’ll look at what went wrong today.’

OUR STAR: Lots of fine performances. Tim Twohig, Peter Murphy and Jack Cullinane for Bandon and Cathal Lenihan for Erin’s Own but you can’t ignore Michael Cahalane’s contribution of 11 points, as he hit Erin’s Own where it hurts most, on the scoreboard.

Scorers

Bandon: Michael Cahalane 0-11 (8f); Jack Cullinane 1-3; Sean Carey 1-2; Eolann McSweeney 1-1.

Erin’s Own: Cathal Lenihan 3-1; Jer O’Mahony 1-0; Kieran Murphy 0-3f; Ronan Blackton, Will Fenton, Donncha Collins 0-2 each.

Bandon: Pat Barry; Nelson McCarthy, Tim Twohig, Eamon Twomey; Cathal Lynch, Peter Murphy, Dylan O’Donovan; Michael Cahalane, Charlie Long; Darren Crowley, Mark Sugrue, Conor Calnan; Jack Cullinane, Seán Carey, Eamonn McSweeney.

Subs: Ciarán McCarthy for S Carey (46), Jonathan Mulcahy for D Crowley (49), Rob Long for C Calnan (54), Peter Calnan for D O’Donovan (62).

Erin’s Own: Niall O’Mahony; Brian Nolan, Patrick Fitzgerald, Donncha Collins; Stephen Cronin, Ian O’Mahony, Jack Sheehan; Dara Twomey, Sean Power; Ronan Blackton, Jer O’Mahony, Andrew O’Sullivan; Cathal Lenihan, Will Fenton, Kieran Murphy.

Subs: Seán Kelly for S Power (35), Philip O’Loughlin for J Sheehan (35), Sam Foley for W Fenton (46), James McMahon for R Blackton (53).

Referee: Pat Lyons (Bishopstown).