Corn Ui Mhuirí: Bandon take their chances to put themselves in poll position

ON TARGET: Micheál Maguire, Hamilton High School Bandon shooting past High School Clonmel keeper Oisín O’Donoghue for his goal during their Corn Uí Mhuirí Munster Post Primary Schools SFC match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Pic: Dan Linehan

Corn Uí Mhuirí Group D

Hamilton High School, Bandon 4-12 High School Clonmel 2-9

In a game decided by goal chances taken and spurned, Olan Corcoran and Micheál Maguire netted in the final 10 minutes to secure an opening Corn Uí Mhuirí victory that puts Hamilton High School in pole position for a quarter-final spot.

High School Clonmel had battled back from a nine-point deficit to close within three but they couldn’t convert at vital moments as the Bandon school moved into second place in the Group 4 table. A win, draw, or loss by no more than four points in their game in hand against Coláiste Chríost Rí will guarantee their progress.

Clonmel’s prospects appear over. They now need an unfancied Chríost Rí to beat Hammies by at least five points but no more than 24 to advance, such are the vagaries of tiebreak permutations, with Chríost Rí only qualifying if they serve up such a hammering.

Hamilton must rank as heavy favourites after this powerful performance. They created three goal chances off Clonmel kick-outs, scoring two, to lead 2-7 to 0-5 at the break. Their defence was dominant during that period, with Conor O’Sullivan in flying form at centre-back, their midfield on top, and five of their attackers got on the board.

Niall Kelly (0-4) was an imposing and creative presence at centre-forward. Corcoran came to life in the second half to finish with 1-5. Maguire netted two goals and set up the other for Adam Casey (1-1).

Even without black-carded midfielder Eoin Guinane for the first 10 minutes of the second half, they broke even to maintain their eight-point advantage despite a goal from Clonmel corner-back Killian Butler. After goalkeeper William Allen bravely denied Senan Butler, Corcoran turned it into a four-point swing with another point, 2-11 to 1-5.

Alex McSherry, Killian Butler, and Jack O’Neill began to drive forward from defence and dangerman Cian Smith got more involved as Clonmel scored the next 1-3. Jack Lawlor’s somewhat fortuitous 48th-minute goal was followed by the bad fortune of Tommy O’Connor smacking the post, Smith seeing a shot saved by Allen, and Ruairí O’Donovan taking the ball off the line after another goal-mouth scramble.

Guinane broke the siege, claiming a kick-out and racing forward to set up Corcoran for a 51st-minute goal and Maguire made it safe in the 63rd minute after a clever move involving Guinane and Casey.

There were goal chances, too, at either end early on; Seán Ahern dispossessing Senan Butler after he’d rounded Allen and Ruairí Leahy clearing a palmed effort from Seán Mac an tSaoi that had Oisín O’Donoghue beaten. But Hammies took their chances in a 2-2 scoring spurt between the 12th and 19th minutes; Casey and Maguire finishing moves created by the fielding of James Burrows and Cian Johnson.

It ended as it began, the more clinical team in front of goal the victors.

Scorers for Hamilton HS: O Corcoran (1-5, 0-2 frees); M Maguire (2-0); A Casey (1-1); N Kelly (0-4, 2 frees); S Mac an tSaoi (0-2).

Scorers for HS Clonmel: C Smith (0-4, 3 frees); K Butler, J Lawlor (1-0 each); T O’Connor (0-3, 2 frees); A McSherry, J Forristal (0-1 each).

HAMILTON HS: W Allen (Bandon); R O’Donovan (Valley Rovers), S Ahern (Bandon), B Lordan (Valley Rovers); J Burrows (Newcestown), C O’Sullivan (Ahán Gaels), J Calnan (Bandon); C Johnson (Valley Rovers), E Guinane (Valley Rovers); P Kelly (Newcestown), N Kelly (Newcestown), A Casey (Valley Rovers); S Mac an tSaoi (Valley Rovers), O Corcoran (Ahán Gaels), M Maguire (Castlehaven).

Subs: K Hannon (Bandon) for P Kelly (47), H O’Mahony (Bandon) for Mac an tSaoi (51), F Ustianowski (Kilbrittain) for Lordan (55), E O’Shea (Valley Rovers) for N Kelly (60+3).

HS CLONMEL: O O'Donoghue (Kilsheelan-Kilcash); S Wall (The Nire), C McFadden (Grangemockler), K Butler (Moyle Rovers); J O'Neill (Ardfinnan), A McSherry (Clonmel Commercials), M O'Reilly (Moyle Rovers); R Leahy (Clonmel Commercials), M Corcoran (Clonmel Commercials); J Lawlor (Clonmel Commercials), T O'Connor (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), J Forristal (Moyle Rovers); E Spellman (The Nire), S Butler (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), C Smith (Clonmel Commercials).

Subs: C Lynch (Clonmel Commercials) for Spellman (h-t), D McDonagh (Moyle Rovers) for O’Reilly (48), C McNamara (Clonmel Commercials) for Lawlor (48), N Deely (Clonmel Commercials) for Leahy (56).

Referee: D O’Farrell (Mitchelstown).