Corn Uí Mhuirí: HHS Bandon eliminated as IS Killorglin hit two late goals
Loughlin O'Donnell, Hamilton High School, loses his footing as Charlie Griffin, IS Killorglin gets away during their Corn Uí Mhuirí clash at Bishopstown GAA 4G. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
It all turned in five breathless minutes. Intermediate School Killorglin put two goals past Hamilton High School Bandon at the death to eliminate last year’s beaten Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-finalists at Bishopstown's 4G on Wednesday.
With 54 minutes gone Bandon were a point ahead after a long spell of second half control, and were in touching distance of the knockout rounds. What followed was a late Kerry ambush, as Intermediate School Killorglin struck for two goals in quick succession to stun them and progress from Group 2.
Adam O’Neill levelled matters on 56 minutes from a free, and with the draw no good to the Kerry school, he went hunting for more. His one-two with Tomás Joy cut open the Bandon defence and O’Neill hammered home to the net. Suddenly, ISK were three clear and in full command.
Before Bandon could regroup, they were hit again. Ciarán Birmingham forced a turnover that set a flowing move through Charlie Griffin, Joy and Seán Griffin, before Charlie Griffin finished it, rifling from close range to make it 3-10 to 1-10, one minute to the hour.
The Hammies, desperate now, pressed for a goal of their own, Donagh Flynn denied only by a superb Adam Radny save deep in added time. The 45 that followed came to nothing, and Killorglin were through.
It was a cruel end for the West Cork outfit, who had fought back from a sluggish start and looked to have timed their purple patch perfectly.
When O’Neill’s two-point free and Colm Evans’ white flag from play left it 1-8 to 0-5 after 33 minutes, Bandon found their footing around the middle with Jack Hennigan so influential and sub Donncha O’Mahony a huge presence on kickouts.
Their first score of the half, a two-point free from Hennigan, got the ball rolling – and they hit 1-2 in a spell of five minutes. The goal came from a short point attempt from Loughlin O’Donnell, Daniel Coughlan reacting quickly to flick to the net on 43 minutes and leave them a point behind.
A Hennigan free and point from Daniel Murphy nudged them ahead by the minimum, with ISK now 15 minutes without a score. That run would end in the 51st minute after O’Neill’s free rattled the upright and Joy knocked the rebound over the bar.
And while a sweet move comprised of Hugh Flanagan – who was impressive all game – Diarmuid Brady and Flynn would see the latter slot over, the ISK blitz in the closing minutes was one they couldn’t recover from.
Bandon, without star forward Eoin Maguire – brother of Cork senior Rory – had fallen 1-2 to no score behind after 11 minutes, but would be only a point down by the 21st minute, 1-5 to 0-4, after finding their footing and shutting down ISK’s attacking threat.
The Kerry side landed three without response, Joy and O’Neill sharing the load, but a crucial free from Hennigan left only three points in it at the interval. Even when Bandon did push on in the latter half, they couldn’t shake off Killorglin entirely.
A O’Neill 1-4 (1 tpf, 0-1 f), C Evans 1-1, T Joy 0-4 (0-3 f), C Griffin 1-0, E Murphy 0-1.
C Hennigan 0-6 (0-3 f, 1 tpf, 0-1 45), D Coughlan 1-0, D Flynn, J Twomey, B Coffey, D Murphy 0-1 each.
A Radny; G McCarthy, D Butler, C Birmingham; J Jones, S Griffin, D Flynn; T O’Sullivan, E Murphy; F Kennedy, C Griffin, C Evans; T Joy, O O’Sullivan, A O’Neill.
D Kelly for Flynn (HT), M Culhane for Kennedy, L O’Connell for O O’Sullivan (both 47), J Horgan for Evans (50).
R Curtin (Valley Rovers); H Woods (Valley Rovers), N O’Sullivan (Newcestown), R Tarrant (Bandon); L O’Donnell (Kilbrittain), B Coffey (Clonakilty) (c), H Flanagan (Newcestown); C O’Flynn (Bandon), J Hennigan (Sam Maguires); J Twomey (Argideen Rangers), D Flynn (Argideen Rangers), A Griffin (Kilbrittain); C Murphy (Valley Rovers), D Coughlan (Bandon), E O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers).
D O’Mahony (Newcestown) for O’Flynn (HT), D Murphy (Bandon) for O’Sullivan (40), D Brady (Valley Rovers) for O’Donnell (44), D Ó Mathúna (Clonakilty) for Twomey (54), P Deasy (Ibane Gaels) for Hennigan (60+1).
B Coniry (Crosshaven)
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