SAFC: Dohenys back on track after big Bandon victory

Dohenys 0-20 Bandon 1-10 

DOHENYS revived their hopes of qualifying from Bon Secours Cork SAFC Group B at the expense of Bandon in Ballinacarriga on Friday evening.

A west Cork derby played out amid extremely hot and humid conditions saw Dohenys register their first victory of the campaign.

Leading 0-11 to 1-2 at the break, the Dunmanway club survived a third-quarter Bandon revival and scored four late points to copperfasten a deserved win.

Bandon’s search for a first Cork SAFC victory over their west Cork rivals in three meetings began poorly.

Dohenys built a 0-4 to 0-0 lead thanks to their full-forward line of Gavin Farr(two, one free), Mark Buckley and Keith White.

Buckley was denied a goal by a superb Pat Prendergast stop before Charlie Long got his side on the scoreboard after seven minutes.

Dohenys continued to dominate with Buckley, Farr (free) and Fionn Herlihy extending the Dunmanway side’s advantage.

Bandon’s tactic of letting the ball in long towards their opponents' small square reaped dividends on the quarter-hour. Barry Collins collected a long delivery and found the back of the net.

That goal failed to spark a Bandon revival. A more clinical Dohenys built a 0-11 to 1-2 interval advatange thanks to Fionn Herlihy (two), Mark Buckley and Gavin Farr. Conor Calnan finished the half with Bandon’s second point.

Credit to Bandon for staging a gutsy comeback in the early stages of the second period.

Barry Collins, Jonathan Mulcahy, Conor Calnan and Darren Crowley helped reduce the deficit to two points with 15 minutes remaining.

Leading 0-14 to 1-8, Dohenys overcame the loss of Mark Buckley to injury with Fionn Herlihy and Eoin Lavers steadying the ship to make it a 5-point game heading into the closing stages.

Darren Crowley and Jonathan Mulcahy replied for Bandon to leave a goal in it before Dohenys found another gear.

Keith White rattled the Bandon crossbar either side of raising two white flags. Late Aidan O’Donovan and Rhys Coakley scores sealed a deserved Dohenys win.

Next up for the Lilywhites is a must-win final group outing against 2021 Cork SAFC semi-finalists Beal Áthan Ghaorthaidh. Dohenys face Kiskeam knowing victory will secure a place in the knockout stages.

Scorers for Dohenys: G Farr 0-5 (0-3 f), M Buckley 0-4 (0-1 f), F Herlihy, K White (0-1 f) 0-3 each, C O’Donovan, M Quinn, E Lavers, A O’Donovan and R Coakley 0-1 each.

Bandon: B Collins 1-2 (0-1 m), C Calnan, D Crowley, J Mulcahy 0-2, M Cahalane (f), C Long 0-1 each.

DOHENYS: S Daly; J Farrell, D Collins, D Rice; J Collins, J McCarthy, B O’Donovan; C O’Donovan, J Kelly; M Quinn, F Herlihy, E Lavers; G Farr, K White, M Buckley.

Subs: R Coakley for M Quinn (43), C O’Shea for M Buckley (46, inj), J Carroll for G Farr (53) A O’Donovan for C O’Donovan (58).

BANDON: P Prendergast; T Desmond, B Crowley (captain), E McSweeney; C Calnan, P Murphy, C O’Mahony; D O’Donovan, J Walsh; C McCarthy, J Mulcahy, C Long; M Cahalane, R Long, B Collins.

Subs: A O’Mahony for C Long (55), M McNamara for J Walsh (55), J Calnan for J Mulcahy (60), C Burke for C O’Mahony (60).

Referee: John Enright (Glengarriff).