Clean sheet for Donal Óg Cusack as Mikey Cahill hat-trick keeps Cloyne up

The win relegates Bandon to the Premier Intermediate grade for 2022

Mikey Cahill pounces to score a goal for Cloyne after Bandon goalkeeper Pat Barry had made an excellent save but could not stop the second effort. Picture: Larry Cummins. 

Cork SAHC Relegation Play-off: Cloyne 3-15 Bandon 0-14 

A Mikey Cahill hat-trick helped Cloyne to a 10-point victory over Bandon in Saturday’s tough encounter.

The opening score of the game came after 30 seconds through a Brian Walsh long-range point. But both teams' shooting was sloppy early on and it took ten minutes before the next score, from a Brian O’Shea free. Ross Desmond had Bandon’s first real chance of breaking the deadlock when pulling ground hurling from 13 yards out right and wide.

Bandon did get on the scoreboard in the 13th minute from Aidan O’Mahony. O’Shea tacked on his second free before Conor Calnan got his first score of the game in the 15th minute. That was quickly cancelled straight from the puckout as Ciaran Mullins stuck the sliotar over the Bandon crossbar to have the East Cork side lead 0-4 to 0-3 at the first water break.

O’Shea kept his account ticking over before the deadlock was broken in the 24th minute. A long ball from Jack Hallahan from his own 45’ found Briain Minihane in the half-forward line who offloaded to Brian Walsh, forcing Bandon keeper Pat Barry into a super save. However, the rebound was scooped over the goal-line by Mikey Cahill.

In the closing minutes of the half, Bandon had points from Rory Desmond, Calnan and a first pointed free from O’Mahony while Cloyne had points from O’Shea (free) and a second from Walsh — they led 1-8 to 0-7 at Ciarán O’Regan’s short whistle.

Bandon got the flier they required in the second half with Dylan O’Donovan scoring within 30 seconds of the resumption. Two replies from Keith Dennehy and Conor Cahill edged Cloyne into a five-point lead. But Bandon never stopped fighting with points from O’Mahony either side of a superb Eolann McSweeney score.

O’Shea and O’Mahony exchanged points from frees but then a second blow for Bandon right on the water break: Again, a move starting from Hallahan found a free Dennehy who had space in front of him, popped the sliotar to Cahill who finished to the back of the net. The margin was now out to four points.

Minihane was in on goal off the back off the short break, forcing sub keeper Eoin Duggan to pull off a stunning save. Points from O’Shea and a second from Dennehy in the final quarter put the squeeze on Bandon before Donough Lucey received his marching orders for a second yellow card.

In injury time, Mikey Cahill picked off a third goal after great work from Minihane and Dennehy in the half forward line, putting the nail in the Bandon coffin and relegating them down to the Premier Intermediate grade for 2022. Cloyne go into the 2022 Senior ‘A’ Hurling draw.

Scorers for Cloyne: M Cahill 3-0, B O’Shea 0-9 (0-8f, 0-1 65’); B Walsh, K Dennehy 0-2 each; C Mullins, C Cahill 0-1 each.

Bandon: A O’Mahony 0-7 (0-3f); C Calnan 0-3; E McSweeney 0-2; R Desmond, D O’Donovan 0-1 each.

CLOYNE: D Óg Cusack; B Fleming, E Motherway, D Byrne; E Motherway, S Beausang, A Sherlock; J Hallahan, B O’Shea; P O’Sullivan, B Walsh, C Cahill; K Dennehy, B Minihane, M Cahill. 

Sub: C Mullins for B Fleming (inj, 10’), D Cronin for B O’Shea (60’), D Jermyn for B Walsh (62’) 

BANDON: P Barry; B Donegan, P Murphy (Capt.), E McSweeney; J Walsh, M Cahalane, D Lucey; D O’Donovan, C McCarthy; D Crowley, J Hickey, C Calnan; A O’Mahony, A Murphy, R Desmond.

Subs: C Long for C McCarthy (39’), E Duggan for P Barry (47’), M McNamara for J Hickey (47’) Referee: Ciarán O’Regan (Ballyhea)