Sonnes laments lost opportunity but backs young Bandon charges to learn from defeat

Bandon's Seán Dooley dejected after the game. Pic: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho

With a Bowen Shield in the bag and a Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final reached, Régis Sonnes and Bandon Grammar School accomplished their goals for the 2025/26 season. 

However, it is difficult in the immediate aftermath of an agonising semi-final loss - at the hands of Limerick's St Munchin's - not to think of what could have been. 

With Bandon Grammar in search of a maiden final appearance, they found themselves within reach of a showpiece berth, but it wasn't to be as they succumbed to a 43-34 defeat at Virgin Media Park. 

For Sonnes, who now departs the Grammar project after two stints to focus his time on the Spanish women's national team, frustration was the main emotion post-match. 

"It's a pity because we had the opportunity to win," Sonnes said. "We were never ahead, but when we played, we had the opportunities, and we missed the opportunity sometimes to play more.

"When we played, we were good. The balance of decision-making, about playing or not, is a pity because we had the possibility to win and we lost.

"At that age, you have to look for the opportunity to play first."

The former Bordeaux, Toulouse and Agen coach insists it's now all about learning for this young crop of talented Bandon players, of which roughly half are still in fourth or fifth year. 

"The big challenge and the big learning for them is to first play, create the opportunities and then you have to manage depending on the pressure - but first play."

The project the French native has been involved in in West Cork has been a roaring success; they garnered a Junior Cup crown last year, that aforementioned Bowen Shield too, and were in with far more than just a fighting chance of a final meeting with one of the Cork big guns. 

For that progress alone, there is immense pride, and his hope is that more success is not too far from the Bandon grasp.

"Yes, it's progress. But the frustration today is that you can win. This is the frustration. That's it," Sonnes said.

"After you achieve what you want, because at the start we wanted to win the Bowen Shield. We did. We wanted to be in the semi-final. We were. 

"But when we lose an opportunity like that, to be in the final, it's a frustration, it's a pity for the lads.

"But now, with that learning, we are proud of what we did. "We are happy, it's a very young team, and they are ready to win, I hope, next year."