Hamilton High School fall to late Killorglin point in Corn Uí Mhuirí slugfest
Oran Coughlan on the ball for Hamilton High School, Bandon, against Intermediate School, Killorglin in the Corn Uí Mhuirí. Picture: Larry Cummins
Bandon's Hamilton High School were pipped at the post and dragged back into a Corn Uí Mhuirí group slugfest at Kilmurry following a last-gasp point from IS Killorglin's Fionn Kennedy.
The sides were neck and neck down the stretch trading scores on the way in. A towering 48th minute Donal McSweeney two-pointer drew the sides level for only the second time in the contest before a beautiful curling effort from Killorglin halfback Liam O’Connell had the Kerrymen ahead once more.
Hammies talisman Daniel Murphy thought he has salvaged a point for his men with an excellent effort of his own but Kennedy had other ideas, weaving past two Hammies defenders before confidently punting over to claim all the points in dramatic fashion.
With a single point converted in the opening quarter - a Sean Doherty point for Killorglin from close after a minute - it was evident it wasn’t going to be a classic. A sharp winter chill and heavy underfoot were hardly conditions for a free-flowing game but the stakes were clear.
Hammies' first opportunity came after five minutes when Bandon man Murphy tried rolling the ball low into the net off his left but pulled it wide of the mark. Killorglin put their second score on the board after 16 minutes when Darragh O’Connor put a free over the black spot.
20 minutes to the good and Hammies finally had their first score - and a green flag at that. Conaill Hurley found himself at the end of well-worked manoeuvre, receiving the ball in the square and burying it high to the keeper’s right. All of a sudden, Hammies had a lead.
The goal provided the contest with that well-needed spark and soon enough Hammies had another on the board courtesy of a Murphy free: 1-1 to 0-2 to Hammies.
Killorglin’s O’Connor pointed to narrow the gap to one and just as it looked like the momentum was swinging back in the way of the Kerrymen Hammies struck again. Just before the short whistle, Liam Ryan used strength and poise to brush off his men and finesse it past Adam Radny in the Killorglin net.
The gap at the break was four, but Killorglin weren’t ready to drop heads yet highlighted by their quick-fire restart which included a goal-point combo.
Charlie Griffin fisted across goal to Liam O’Shea who palmed into an empty net after only a minute of the second period. Moments after, Fionn Kennedy supplied Sean Doherty with a beautiful bounce pass leaving Glenbeigh-Glencar corner forward to glide it over off his left.
All square. Game on again.
Killorglin had a couple of opportunities to take the lead but Michael Culhane and Charlie Griffin’s efforts failed to hit the target from range.
Lachlann Scannell stopped a goal-bound effort on the line after Hammies Conaill Hurley won the ball from keeper Radny and struck low.
Down the other end, after 42 minutes, Killorglin’s O’Connor drilled one into the Hammies net after his first blocked effort found its way back into his path.
It looked like it would be the decisive moment but MacSweeney had other ideas, throwing one over from way out. It lifted the Hammies contingent but it wasn’t enough.
D O’Connor 1-2 (0-1 f), L O’Shea 1-0, S Doherty 0-2, F Kennedy and L O’Connell 0-1 each.
C Hurley, L Ryan 1-0 each, D Murphy 0-3 (0-2 f), D McSweeney 0-2 (tp).
A Radny (Laune Rangers); D Kelly (Laune Rangers), E Casey (Listry), L Scannell (Listry); L O’Connell (Laune Rangers), C Foley (Laune Rangers), C Murphy (Laune Rangers); F Kennedy (Beaufort), F Murphy (Listry); L Foley (Beaufort), D O’Connor (Cromane), M Culhane (Beaufort); L O’Shea (Laune Rangers), C Griffin (Milltown-Castlemaine), S Doherty (Glenbeigh-Glencar).
J Morris for C Foley (36, bloodsub), K Patton for L O’Shea (48), J Morris for D Kelly (51), A Galvin for L Foley (56).
R Curtin (Valley Rovers); R Fleming (Ahan Gaels), C Murphy (Valley Rovers), H Forbes (Ahan Gaels); A O’Driscoll (Bandon), D O’Mahony (Newcestown), C Murphy (Ahan Gaels); P Deasy (Argideen Rangers), O Kelly (Newcestown); O Coughlan (Bandon), D McSweeney (Newcestown), G Donegan (St Oliver Plunkett’s); D Murphy (Bandon), C Hurley (Bandon), L Ryan (Ahan Gaels).
R Crowley (Bandon) for O Coughlan (49), C Harte (Ibane Gaels) for P Deasy (56).
Alan Hourihane (Aghinagh).
App?
