Aghabullogue hurlers return to PIHC after beating Bandon with 'body on the line' performance

Matthew Bradley kicked the winner for Aghabullogue in the Cork Intermediate A hurling championship final in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, and at the other end of the field captain Paul Ring played a key role in keeping a clean sheet in their 1-21 to 0-23 victory.

“That is something we pride ourselves on in hurling and football, we hate to concede goals,” he said. “Delighted to have the clean sheet. The last five minutes it was just body on the line kind of stuff.

“It is another one-point win. I’d say it is not good for the heart and the people up in the stands. It is nothing new to us.

“We have a great panel of players. The competition for places is unreal, there are fellas there who played in other games and they didn’t get a run today. Horses for courses, I take it. Some fellas can be very unlucky and it is just how the game goes.

BATTLE

“We knew we’d have a battle with Bandon, they had only come down from Premier Intermediate the year before us. 

We were expecting nothing less than a good hard game of hurling and that is what we got.” 

 After triumphing in this competition two years ago, Aghabullogue were relegated 12 months later. A bitter pill to swallow.

“There is no point in saying we were unlucky to be relegated because we had plenty of chances and it went to a replay in the relegation final. So we can’t really say it was down to that. But we do feel we have a bit of unfinished business up there.

“We’ll give it our best shot, that is all we can do.” 

It has been an unbelievable couple of years for the mid Cork club, achieving double championship titles this year and in 2023. A fortnight ago, they were crowned Premier intermediate football champions with Bradley landing the deciding score once more.

Anything he puts his hand to, he is very good at - hurling, football, soccer, road-bowling, darts - he is unbelievable. 

"I’d love to know how many games he’s played this year. Himself and Luke Casey played a soccer match on Friday night.

“I don’t know how they keep going, I’m broke up after this and I won’t be right for a week. The lads keep on going. Matthew has been around for a long while and he is as cool as they come. 

"I’d put my house on him. I was kind of looking away nearly at the end with the free but I should have known better, that man has done it so many times.

“Between football and hurling it is the same bunch of lads. The only real difference is whether you are putting on a helmet going out on the field.

“I’m particularly delighted for management as well because they were there when we got relegated and it was tough to take.” 

The journey continues. It’s back to Páirc Ui Chaoimh next Sunday for the Munster intermediate football championship semi-final against Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan.