Dale’s treble inspires Bandon

Bandon Grammar 6 Villiers School 3

John Dennis’ side had only a one-goal lead to show for their first-half dominance but stretched their legs in the second half, running up a five-goal lead before a late Villiers surge restored some respectability to the scoreboard.

The Villiers goal had led a charmed life in the early exchanges. Calum Morrow and Glenn Morrow had both been required to produce last-gasp goal-line clearances while Henry Cooke did miraculous work at first runner in charging down Bandon short corners, but Julian Dale’s drag-flick put the West Cork school in front midway through the half.

Two goals in as many minutes early in the second half ended this as a contest, both finished by German playmaker Julius Händel. Händel’s first was the better finish, diving to connect with a bouncing cross from the left at the back post, but the second was the pick of Bandon’s goals. Patient build-up involving the industrious Ben Keoghan O’Keeffe and Matthew Jennings eventually released Dale, and he waltzed through two tackles in the circle before finding an unmarked Händel to tap in.

Matthew Lee made it four with a stinging reverse-stick strike before Dale was fouled by Villiers’ otherwise excellent goalkeeper Mark Armitage and converted from the penalty spot.

Villiers weren’t dead though, and improvised a mistrapped short corner for Jonny Powell to clatter home for 5-1. David Cardy then winged a superb drag-flick to the side netting for another, only for Dale to quell the comeback when Händel collected an aerial and fed the former Ireland U16 hitman, completing his hat-trick by flicking to the roof of the net.

An excellent advantage from umpire Liz Clifford allowed Roy Gleeson to tap in Villiers’ third after Aran Duffy had been upended by Mighty Okafor in the Bandon goal, but it proved immaterial as the boys in white celebrated their first title since 2009.

BANDON GRAMMAR: M Okafor, C Kingston, L Kingston, S Nyhan, E Twomey, D Jennings, M Jennings, B Keoghan O’Keeffe, C Crowley, B Shanahan, J Händel, J Dale, M Kingston, B Kingston, H Connell, G Deane.

VILLIERS SCHOOL: M Armitage, H Cooke, G Morrow, C Morrow, D O’Sullivan, D Cardy, A Tutty, L Cardy, J Powell, A Duffy, R Gleeson, A Coombalia, S Cheatley, J Costello, P Higgins, P Bossman.

Umpires: L Clifford & M Coombes