Fionn Collins' hat-trick helps secure U14 Premier 2A football title for Bandon
Bandon players celebrate after winning the U14 Premier 2A football championship final at Caherlag. Picture; Eddie O'Hare
Kiltha Óg 1-7
BANDON were crowned U14 Premier 2A county football champions after an impressive display at Caherlag.
The West Cork side played some great football over the hour, with their midfield pair of Andrew Lane and Cillian O’Flynn working hard all through. Their displays were a key part of Bandon’s deserved win, with Maidhc Ross also in top form at centre-back.
Up front, the movement of Daniel Murphy and Tim Hegarty caused constant problems for Kiltha Óg and in Fionn Collins, they had a finisher supreme. He finished with 3-3 and to be fair to Kiltha Óg keeper Kevin Geaney his three goals were simply unstoppable.
Geaney normally lines out at full-back but an injury to regular shot-stopper Charlie Roche meant he had to move back a line.
Credit to him he couldn’t be faulted over the hour and made a couple of good saves. Others to play well for Kiltha Óg included Alex McSweeney, Ben Cooney, and Robbie Kelly.
But despite their best efforts, Bandon were just too good on the night, and on this display will be one of the teams to keep an eye on over the next few years.
Playing with the wind McSweeney put Kiltha Óg in front, before Murphy replied for Bandon, both from frees.
Bandon’s first goal after six minutes when O’Flynn played Collins in to raise the green flag.
McSweeney and Collins exchanged points before the latter got his second goal, to make it 2-2 to 0-2.
Kiltha Óg responded in style with a goal from Kelly and a point from McSweeney to put only two points between the sides.
They could have had another goal but Rory Lynch’s effort was superbly blocked by Lane to deny him.
Murphy and Oran Coughlan extended Bandon’s lead, with McSweeney raising a white flag at the other end.
But two goals in two minutes, from Cathal O’Riordan and Collins, put Bandon in control. Murphy added their fifth before points from Lynch and Cooney for Kiltha Óg made it 5-4 to 1-6 at half-time.
The strong wind was now in Bandon’s favour and Collins pointed early to increase their lead with Charlie Howard replying for Kiltha Óg.
Murphy added a point before Lane got Bandon’s sixth goal, with Billy Canniffe raising two late white flags to round off the scoring before the final whistle went and the celebrations began for the winners.
F Collins 3-3, D Murphy 1-3 (2f), A Lane 1-1, C O’Riordan 1-0, B Canniffe 0-2, O Coughlan 0-1.
M Whelton 1-0, A McSweeney 0-4 (3f), D Ronayne, B Cooney, C Howard 0-1 each.
M Foley; D Leane, D Hourigan, M Whelton; C Payne, M Ross, J O’Halloran; A Lane, C O’Flynn; O Galway, T Hegarty, C O’Riordan; O Coughlan, D Murphy, F Collins.
Subs: B Canniffe for C Payne (45), D Whelton for O Coughlan (47), L Dukelow for J O’Halloran, C Goodman for M Whelton, T O’Sullivan for D Murphy, G O’Mahony for O Galwey (all 55).
K Geaney; J O’Neill, N Leahy, R Kelly; T Casey, F Conaughton, B Cooney; D Ronayne, R Lynch; J Clifford, E Connolly, C Howard; M O’Mahony, F Ansbro, A McSweeney.
Subs: O Smiddy for R Kelly (41), P Hanna for A McSweeney, A Ahern for J Clifford, A West for J O’Neill, C Booth for M O’Mahony, N O’Connor for F Ansbory (all 55).
Peter Cotter, Dripsey.
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