Junior A Hurling Championship

Considering the fact they had only one training session and no earlier league game played, our Junior A hurlers gave a good account of themselves against St Oliver Plunketts 1-11 to 1-10 in Round 1 of the RCM Tarmacadam sponsored championship game at Enniskeane last Sunday afternoon.

We played our best hurling in the opening 10 minutes of the first half and the closing 10 minutes of the second as we concentrated on driving  good quick ball into our full-forward line where Rory Fogarty was dominant early-doors and Aidan Dullea and substitute Gavin O’Connell later on.  Why we didn’t do this for the full game is a small mystery.

Olann McSweeney scored our first point, Rory our second and then he won a free close-in that Aidan O’Mahony converted on the 6^th minute and we led three points to no score.   Mark O’Regan doubled our lead to 04-02 on the 12 minute and Matthew McNamara’s long range free on 20 minutes had us 05-04 ahead.  However, we had amassed 7 wides by that stage and our remaining score in the half 06-04 came from Olann after good defensive work by Harry Lillis. 

After the break, Rory hit the cross-bar from an acute angle but we then lost our way some-what and did not score again until the 46^th minute when substitute Gavin O’Connell pointed.  He had replaced injured defender Timmy McCarthy and he was missed because the full-back line became very exposed in his absence and we conceded a goal to a completely un-marked no 13 in the  47^th minute 1-6 to 0-7.
The dismissal of mid-fielder David Crowley on the 48^th minute was a blow but the lads rallied to the cause well and Aidan Dullea scored a great point from play on the 21^st minute after a pointed free from Matthew McNamara and Aidan was unlucky not to score a goal on the 25^th minute after assured inter-player passing.  More good work by Gavin and Rory Fogarty led to our goal by Aidan on the 57^th minute and Aidan added another monster great long-range point in injury time but it was not enough as Plunketts scored a late winning point on the 63^rdminute.

The lads now face St James’s in the losers Round and if they stick together and train well under the management team of Kieran Hurley, Joe Burke, Niall O’Rourke and Don Desmond they will have a chance in the losers round and maybe more after that.

Team: Shane Hickey, Ben Donegan, Cathal Moloney, Timmy McCarthy, Harry Lillis, Andrew O’Connell, Matthew McNamara, Joe O’Mahony, David Crowley, Olann McSweeney, Rob  Long,  Aidan O’Mahony, Aidan Dullea, Rory Fogarty, Mark O’Regan. Subs: Gavibn O’Connell. 

Minor Football

The Minor Non Exam team recorded wide margin wins away to  Aghada in Football last Tuesday evening 3-14 to 2-7 and at home on Friday evening in hurling against Ballinora 5-19 to 2-5.  Team of 113 from Cian Farrell, Ben Donegan, Cian Burke, Tim Twohig, Gavin O’Brien, Paul Hartnett, Dylan O’Donovan, Jack Calnan, Daithi Collis, Brian O’Mahony, James Collins O’Brien, Fionn Twomey, Gavin O’Connell, Tony Quinn, Harry Lillis and Olann McSweeney. 

U12

On Tuesday May 8^th in the Under 12 Rebel Og West Group 1 Hurling League game at Castletownkennigh Alan Gaels 5-8 Bandon 1-5.

Team/Squad Donnacha Krill, Jack McNamara, Jack Lucey, Kevin O Connell, Shane O Mahony, John Buckley, John Hayes Holland, David Whelton, Zack Doyle, Christopher Trunwit, Charle Kendellen, Cormac Adam Kelly, Daniel Seaman Subs Sean Landy, Jack Lynch, Oisin Scahill and

Adam Barry.

Scorers Adam Barry 1-2 David Whelton 0-2 Adam Kelly 0-1

Best players Jack McNamara John Hayes David Whelton Adam Barry.

A second outing and a second heavy loss for Bandons second team at this grade. Bandon hurled well but were outdone by a more physical Ahan Gaels side. Bandon kept fighting to the end and the introduction of Adam Barry at half time gave them a boost. But unfortunately a few soft goals conceded near the end put a bad look on the score line.

Stephen Murphy

PRO