IAHC: Bandon look to maintain upward momentum

Bandon’s win over Erin’s Own in the Co-op SuperStores IAHC quarter-final last Saturday week bridged a gap of more than eight years.

Not since the fourth-round win over Ballymartle in the ‘old’ SHC of 2017 had the Lilywhites won a knockout hurling championship match.

Quarter-finalists that year, they competed well in the top tier in the next two seasons without matching that feat. Placed in senior A after the restructuring for 2020, they reached the quarter-finals that year and lost to Kanturk before suffering relegation to premier intermediate – while there was another quarter-final appearance there, against Ballinhassig in 2022, another relegation followed.

In intermediate A in 2024, they didn’t make it out of their group but wins over Russell Rovers and Midleton this time around earned a quarter-final spot and victory against Erin’s Own has brought them to Saturday’s last-four clash with Sarsfields in Riverstick (4pm).

Having made his hurling debut in 2012, 32-year-old Peter Murphy has seen the highs and the lows with Bandon.

“There's been a huge shift in the attitude,” he says.

“Even last year there, we got Joe Burke and the lads in and they're just great Bandon men, they want to see us doing well and everyone's put their shoulder to the wheel.

“In fairness, this year, more than ever, the managements have worked together very well to make sure that fellas are on the field the whole time and that they're enjoying it.

“Results in the football aside, it has been a very, very enjoyable year so far.”

Alongside manager Burke is coach James Nyhan. The Bandon native moved to Cloyne due to work more than two decades ago, helping the east Cork side to three county SHC finals, and his experience has been invaluable.

“He's been a brilliant breath of fresh air,” Murphy says.

“Just his knowledge of hurling and just the way he carries himself, the trainings are very good, everything's sharp, everything's intense, and you can see fellas' hurling has improved.

“We won nine out of nine in the league, and two out of three so far in the championship, so you can see what they're doing on the training field is paying off.”

Murphy also credits strength and conditioning coach Mikey Power for his input but all the sideline expertise has been matched with character on the pitch.

Having lost their second group game to Midleton, Bandon had to beat Mayfield to secure progression. With Erin’s Own then seen off, the focus turns to a major challenge against Sars.

“Sometimes, when our backs are to the wall, it's nice to come out swinging,” Murphy says.

“We knew we needed a result against a Mayfield team who were going to be fighting for their lives, so just to get a performance and to get a win that day was huge.

“The same again the last day, we were probably coming off the back of a poor football performance from the week before, fellas were hurting a small bit and they used that frustration and that hurt against Erin’s Own to get another good performance.

“Sars are going to be a brilliant team. They got straight to a semi-final, they've got a huge pick of players and some very, very good players as well.

“We know we'll have to be at our best again to get a result there.”