Four-goal Éire Óg win a thrilling contest with Bandon

Éire Óg 4-9 Bandon 1-12

THOSE of us among the large attendance who were present at the premier intermediate football championship quarter final at Cloughduv on Friday evening last were fortunate as we probably witnessed the best Gaelic football match of the current season at club level.

Éire Óg were always shaping like victors but Bandon must be commended for their efforts to stay in contention against opponents who were in top form and producing their best display since their junior county victory in 2008 took them out of the Muskerry junior football arena.

Bandon as a consequence found the going hard but they were always performing in a positive fashion as they endeavoured to turn their situation around against the fine tuned Éire Óg side.

The game had everything for patrons open sporting play, spectacular majors and superb saves by goal keepers who were totally reliable despite the fact that five green flags were raised.

The winners were promptly out of the traps and they received a huge boost within 30 seconds of action when former Cork senior football star Daniel Goulding got the vital touch to a Jack Murphy delivery and placed the football well wide of the Bandon cúl baire.

Éire Óg were quick to consolidate their position and minors from Ronan O’Toole, Liam Sheehan a free and Goulding put them in a strong position following nine minutes of action.

It subsequently got worst for Bandon when strong attacking play by their opponents yielded a penalty in the 11th minute. Goulding confidently found the net from same and one wondered if we were about to witness total capitulation by their opponents.

The plucky west Cork side managed to get two points back through their star performer Mark Sugrue. They improved their position further as they matched their opponents well in the second quarter but they were helped by superb saves by goalkeeper Pat Prendergast one from Goulding and one from John Cooper.

Bandon put four additional points on the board before the short whistle all scored by Sugrue and it was 2-6 to 0-6 at that stage. Bandon had a satisfying second quarter but they did not appear likely to get inside Éire Óg’s well marshalled defence for a significant shot at goal.

The latter consequently faced the second moiety with a good degree of confidence and their hopes were raised when points from Sugrue and James Walsh reduced the arrears.

The power in the Éire Óg attack again manifested itself at that stage however and a superb goal by Jack Murphy put his side in a very strong position. Murphy soloed goal-wards and then unleashed a powerful drive which Prendergast in goal made a gallant effort to save.

His diving effort enabled him to get his hand to the ball but it found its way to the net via the upright. Bandon now really had a mountain to climb and despite the fact that the odds were stacked against them they tried exceptionally hard to get back into the game.

It was Éire Óg however who secured the next score when Daniel Goulding was on target from a free in the 44th minute and they were in a particularly strong position eight minutes from full time leading 3-8 to 0-10.

Cian O’Mahony got a point back for Bandon, but Éire Óg were leaving nothing to chance and they slotted home major number four six minutes from full time. Substitute Liam Murphy created the opening for another formidable forward John Cooper who billowed the Bandon net.

The losers never gave up trying to improve their position and Adam Murphy deservedly got through for a consolation goal in the dying seconds.

Éire Óg will meet St Michaels in the semi-final and a vintage display like the one they produced on Friday evening would enable them to make amends for the defeat they suffered at the hands of the same opposition in last year’s competition.

ÉIRE ÓG: C Kelly, J Kelleher, J Mullins, C O‘Mahony, D McCarthy, D O’Herlihy, F O’Rourke, D Hurley, R O’Toole (0-1), J Murphy (1-1), J Cooper, L Sheehan (0-2, 1f), D O’Connor, D Goulding (2-5, 1-0 pen, 3f), E O’Shea Subs: M O’Shea for D McCarthy, 40, L Murphy for D Hurley, 46, D Sheehan for D O’Herlihy, 53, A O’Connor for D O’Connor, 55, M O’Connor for C O’Mahony, 58, R O’Flynn for J Kelleher, 58

BANDON: P Prendergast, B Crowley, J O’Donovan, E O’Donovan, D Crowley, D Lucey, C O’Mahony (0-1), J Hickey, P Murphy, P Crowley, M McNamara, D Crowley, M Sugrue (0-9, 4f), B Collins, M Cahalane Subs: J Mulcahy M McNamara, 20, J Walsh (0-1) for J Hickey, 29, R Crowley for D Crowely, 30, black card, A Murphy (1-1) for P Crowley, 48

REFEREE: B Coniry (Crosshaven)