Dungourney 0-22
Bandon 1-16
BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS
THREE defeats on the bounce mean Bandon hurlers now face a Co-Op Superstores PIHC relegation play-off final against Carrigaline.
The Carbery men finished on bottom of Group A after losses to Ballincollig, Castlelyons and Dungourney, but they’ll take heart from this display.
This was a really entertaining, brilliantly contested championship game at sun-drenched Cloughduv on Sunday afternoon. By the end Dungourney were elated to have achieved victory over a battling Bandon side that had given their all.
Unfortunately, within seconds the news came through that Ballincollig had defeated Castlelyons in the other group game and so both of those teams advanced and Dungourney’s season had ended. For Bandon, they finished the group stage without a win and so they now face a relegation play-off with their premier intermediate status at stake.
There was much to admire in the spirited display of the West Cork men. Knowing they had to win to avoid the relegation dogfight they started with gusto and Charlie Long from frees had them two points up in as many minutes.
Dungourney replied with three points in a row but Bandon responded well, Darragh Collins and Darren Crowley point scorers as they led 0-4 to 0-3 after ten minutes. Points were exchanged and Cormac Griffin’s equaliser for Dungourney on 15 ushered in a period of dominance for the East Cork men which saw them go 0-10 to 0-5 in front by the 23rd minute.
The closing stages of the half belonged to Bandon, however, as Charlie Long pointed three frees, Darragh Collins hit one from play and goalkeeper James McSweeney denied Dungourney’s Shane Hegarty with a superb save, the first of four outstanding saves the Bandon custodian was to bring off in the game.
Dungourney sharpshooter Jack Leahy had a late point to leave his side 0-11 to 0-9 in front at the break.
Bandon had a great start to the second half. They had points from Darren Crowley and Michael Cahalane followed by an opportunist goal from Cathal Lynch, who swooped when the Dungourney goalkeeper stopped a ball from going over the bar but lost control of the dropping ball. Points from Darren Crowley and Charlie Long pushed the Bandon lead out to four points by the 36th minute, 1-13 to 0-12. Scores were exchanged and an Eolann McSweeney point then increased the Bandon lead to five in the 47th minute.
The final quarter produced a super contest for the enthusiastic supporters of both sides. Dungourney were the younger team and in the sweltering heat this became a telling factor. Boosted by the accuracy of Mike and Jack Leahy from placed balls, the East Cork men set about cutting into the Bandon lead. Point by point they achieved their aim.
The Bandon defence was magnificent in front of goalkeeper McSweeney, full back Peter Murphy defiant to the last, but the Dungourney runners took points from further out.
The sides were level, 0-18 to 1-15, in the 58th minute. Jack Leahy then hit a lead point for Dungourney, his namesake Mike added another from a long-range free but as the play ran into added time, Charlie Long pointed a Bandon free to narrow the deficit to the minimum on 66.
Dungourney sealed the win with two Jack Leahy points from frees but in the end both sides suffered disappointment.
Scorers
Dungourney: J Leahy 0-9 (5f); S Hegarty 0-3; M Leahy 0-3 (3f); C Griffin 0-3; J Ahern 0-2; D Healy, B Forbes 0-1 each.
Bandon: C Long 0-8 (6f); C Lynch 1-1; D Crowley 0-3; D Collins 0-2; M Cahalane, E McSweeney 0-1 each.
Dungourney: Paul Flynn; Dylan Healy, Mike McGrath, Conor Padden; Mike Leahy, Niall Morrissey, James McCarthy; Shane Hegarty, Cathal Murphy; James Ahern, Brian Forbes, John Ahern; Jack Leahy, Sean Geaney, Cormac Griffin.
Subs: Shane Rohan (39), Niall McGrath (49), Ciarán Flynn (55).
Bandon: James McSweeney; Ciarán McCarthy, Peter Murphy, Eamonn Twomey; Darragh Collins, Tim Twohig, Michael Cahalane; Robert Long, Conor Calnan; Aidan O’Mahony, Darren Crowley, Charlie Long; Mark Sugrue, Eolann McSweeney, Cathal Lynch.
Subs: Jonathan Mulcahy for M Sugrue (39), Sean Ahern for R Long (58).
Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).
