IAHC: Relief for Bandon as they head back to premier intermediate ranks

It’s rare that county finals are serene processions but for 56 or 57 minutes on Saturday night, Bandon did a good job of making one look straightforward.

They had not trailed at any stage and were holding an eight-point lead that did not flatter them. Suddenly, an unanswered 2-1 made things shaky but even in those late moments of uncertainty, Bandon manager Joe Burke was impressed with how his players kept their composure and ensured that they stayed on the front foot to get the result over the line.

“The last couple of minutes were nervy,” he said, “it was nip-and-tuck there at the end.

“In fairness, Aghada came back strong, they got two goals there, I don’t know what the time was but there was a couple of minutes to go.

“I have to compliment our fellas, there was a couple of turnovers there where the momentum swung, there was a couple of hooks and blocks – that’s what we’ve wanted out of them all year long.

“They defended well – the heads stayed up and you have to credit them with that, in fairness.

“We were up eight points but Aghada are no bad side. They’re a good team and we struggled to beat them in the round-robin and it wasn’t easy today but I’m delighted for the lads.”

In the whole, there was much to be satisfied with from the Bandon performance. Four different players – captain Mike Cahalane, his midfield partner and player of the game Conor Calnan, Charlie Long and Jack Cullinane – scored four points while centre-back Peter Murphy brought an assuredness in defence.

Their first score from a dead ball was their 17th point in the 40th minute, something Burke felt owed much to the positive approach of referee Canice Walsh.

“In fairness, Canice Walsh let the game go,” he said.

“He’s a good referee and he let the game run, that’s the way the game should be played.

“They played well and that’s the way they’ve been coached by Niall O’Halloran and Chris Bonnar. It’s the way they played, for the hour, to be fair.”

After two relegations in recent times – from senior A in 2021 and premier intermediate in 2023 – this title franks the upward momentum from last year’s run to the final.

Burke was keen to highlight the collective nature of the improvement.

“I suppose the heads were down after being relegated,” he said.

“We just went in and we got Mikey Power involved in strength and conditioning, the backroom team got involved and we just stuck at it the first year.

“We remained safe the first year and the last past two years have been great. We lost by a point in last year’s final, which was disappointing, but that's the game – to win it by a point today is amazing.”

Victory means that Burke now has a county title as a manager to go with the IHC won as a player when Bandon overcame Fr O’Neill’s 15 years ago. How do the two types of success compare?

“I was playing, or trying to play, in 2011, that was the last time we won it,” he said.

“I think it’s harder on the line, it’s nerve-wracking, but we came through it.

“We’re delighted, we’re absolutely thrilled.”