Goalkeeper Brian Corcoran embellished a growing reputation for saving vital penalty strokes as Bandon Grammar School (BGS) claimed their sixth Munster Senior Schoolboys Cup in succession in dramatic fashion at Garryduff today.
Corcoran had saved two in a shootout for his club in an Irish Junior Cup win at Mossley back in November, and the imposing netminder thwarted three Ashton efforts as an engrossing final went the distance after finishing 2-2 after extra-time.
BGS had shown admirable resilience to come from behind at the death in both normal and extra time, helping the west Cork school claim an unprecedented double, following their annexing of the senior girls’ cup last month.
Bandon Grammar's Fionn O'Leary breaks past Ashton's Wes Brownlow. Picture: Dan Linehan/Irish Examiner
But this defeat was exceptionally harsh on David Hobbs’ Ashton side, who fully deserved to take their first title since 2003 on the balance of play.
Whereas BGS too often relied on the mercurial Darren Sweetnam to create circle penetrations, Ashton had a phlanx of forwards capable of doing so. Philip Sweetnam, Stephen Swanton, Mark Welch all shone in this regard, with playmaker Andrew Daunt and marauding full-back David Doherty pulling the strings behind them.
But Ashton ultimately paid the price for their profligacy at short corner time, where skipper Dan Hobbs took a while to find his drag-flicking rhythm before firing the goals that had looked set to give them glory.
Ashton keeper Conor Shemeld was equally as impressive as his opposite number throughout in a tie that had goalless stalemate written all over it entering the final quarter, only for Hobbs to finally find the bottom corner with a 64th-minute drag after re-adjusting well at the top of the circle.
However, Darren Sweetnam dramatically fashioned an equaliser out of nowhere with 40 seconds remaining, ghosting across the circle before blasting an unstoppable shot across Shemeld from 15 yards.
Both sides appeared exhausted during extra-time as Garryduff bathed in warm sunshine, but Hobbs still had the energy to hammer a drag-flick against the top of the backboard on 78 minutes to re-take the lead for Ashton.
Philip Sweetnam nearly fashioned an unusual goal for Ashton 60 seconds later, nipping in to hit a one-handed reverse goalwards as Corcoran attempted to shepherd an overhead out of play, only to see it creep the wrong side of the upright.
Scott Sullivan’s control let him down at the other end as Lynch fashioned a gilt-edged chance for an equaliser just before half-time in extra-time, while both Swanton and Welch were agonisingly close to connecting with Philip Sweetnam’s centre as Ashton immediately broke down the other end.
BGS coaches Denis Pritchard and Darren Platts pushed Lynch forward from the back as they went in search of a second equaliser in the final 10-minute period, and their chances were given a significant boost when Daunt was harshly yellow-carded with four minutes to go.
The leveller came two minutes later, skipper Andrew Scannell flicking home after Hobbs had blocked Lynch’s short corner effort, before Corcoran’s shootout prompted the entire BGS team to bury their heroic keeper under a pile of bodies as they celebrated in style.
Ashton's Andy Daunt takes on Bandon Grammar's Andrew Scannell. Picture: Dan Linehan/Irish ExaminerASHTON: C Shemeld (GK), D Doherty, S O’Grady, D Hobbs (capt), W Brownlow, P Catchpole (vice-capt), A Daunt, N Gokul, M Welch, S Swanton, P Sweetnam.
Rolling subs: M Buttimer, M Holland, R Sweetnam, R Lynch, D Wolfe.
BANDON GRAMMAR: B Corcoran (GK), K Lynch, S McIlroy, T Gray, D Sweetnam, S Sullivan, J Robinson, A Walsh, F O’Leary, M Coombes, A Scannell (capt).
Rolling subs: S Miller, T Bateman, B Scott, C Duggan, N Leeming.
Umpires: P Oakley & F Kelleher
Post Author:
alangood
22 Replies to “Stroke of fortune favours BGS”
A good game of hockey which turned out to be very exciting well done to Bandon on 6 in a row well deserved!!
Who was man of the match? Heard Corcoran,Lynch and Sweetnam were good?
I had to leg it once it was over to go off and get my Examiner report written, so I don’t know who the official MOTM was – if anyone does please post it here.
While Corcoran deservedly took the plaudits for his saves both in the shootout and from play, Ashton’s Philip Sweetnam would be my choice personally. He was absolutely everywhere, worked the BGS defence really hard and created tons of chances for those around him.
will the pictures be up soon alan??????
wer hoping for some good action shots!!!!!!!!
ther was no official motm strangely as ther were many candidates!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately Eoin wasn’t available to do pics for this game; I have put up a few by the Examiner’s Dan Linehan but I don’t have access to any more, and they can’t be put up for download due to copyright reasons, etc. Apologies all; there are some pictures of both teams up on the Flickr from the John Waring though.
Well done to Bandon!!!A team at the start of the year most people in the hockey world had written off.For the last 6 years they have been one of the top boys schools in Ireland and it shows with the players that have gone on to represent Irerland at senior level. .Having lost a lot of talented players in the last few years it was always going ot be tough but they proved the doubters wrong and are still a force in schools hockey in Ireland.They showed in the Irish schools and the South of Ireland league they can still mix it with the best even with a young team.Same team again next year so the future is bright for the West Cork school!!!Lets make it 7 in a row next year lads;)
i wouldnt say philip sweetnem as man of the match!
i would go with corcaron or lynch!
Karl Lynch bandons best player and best defender on the pitch by a mile!
There was no way that Karl was better than either Dan Hobbs or Stuart O’Grady. The two of them are easily the best centre pairing going right now.
ah here u cudnt say tht judging by th final!lynch is a classy player wit all th skills and a hockey head on his shoulders!!!!!!
Dont agree there.Bandon scored two good goals and this is the third time that Bandon has beaten Ashton this season.Results speak for themselves.So much for the best centre pairing!!
Bandon 3 Ashton o. Whats with the best centre pairing?? Ha Ha.
Even as a Bandon player i have no problem saying that Ashton have a superior centre back paring, its just a pity for them that thats the only position that they are superior to us! Not only are Ashton’s centre backs their only way of defending and distributing, but they are their only way of scoring aswell!…Hobbs overheads the ball to Swanton or Sweetnam, they try to win a corner, Hobbs walks up the pitch and trys to flick it….Pretty one dimensional and boring if you ask me!
Karl Lynch, Brian Corcoran, and Sam McElroy are amazing, Heroes! ha
6 in a row boys remember ha
Yes I agree with Bandon player Ashton have two first team players Catchpole and Daunt and they definitely didn t shine on the day! So even if they are vastly superior on paper that means nothing.Bandons fight and determination really showed on the day and because of this I feel they were deserved winners!!!
Daunt shouldn’t have been sent off, that was bull!!!! Steven Swanton made the tackel and Daunt got sent of for it !!! Thats why we lost not because bandon were better!!! also we hammered bandon 3.0 at the start of the year with out dan!!!!
Yeah but bandon beat ashton the next three times after that, all with dan hobbs playing.
The reason ashton lost was cause there players didn’t have the bottle when it came down to the big moment of penalty strokes.Also what is your point saying ye beat us 3-0 at the start of the season???When both teams had full strength squads bandon beat ashton 3-2 in their place and 2-1 at the john waring and on strokes in the munster cup
BGS for 7 in a row!!!!!
philip wat r u on about??
ashtons only way of scoring is dan and u no it!!
ashton didnt preform and bandon did !
In answer to Philip Sweetnam, we can all look back to the start of the season but from what I’ve both seen and heard Bandon have trained hard and improved no end…so lookin back to the start of the season is pointless, it’s all about who steps up to the plate on the big day. And Bandon did that against Ashton twice in the space of two weeks, at the John Waring tournament and in the Munster Cup Final. You can have no answers or complaints.
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A good game of hockey which turned out to be very exciting well done to Bandon on 6 in a row well deserved!!
Who was man of the match? Heard Corcoran,Lynch and Sweetnam were good?
I had to leg it once it was over to go off and get my Examiner report written, so I don’t know who the official MOTM was – if anyone does please post it here.
While Corcoran deservedly took the plaudits for his saves both in the shootout and from play, Ashton’s Philip Sweetnam would be my choice personally. He was absolutely everywhere, worked the BGS defence really hard and created tons of chances for those around him.
will the pictures be up soon alan??????
wer hoping for some good action shots!!!!!!!!
ther was no official motm strangely as ther were many candidates!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately Eoin wasn’t available to do pics for this game; I have put up a few by the Examiner’s Dan Linehan but I don’t have access to any more, and they can’t be put up for download due to copyright reasons, etc. Apologies all; there are some pictures of both teams up on the Flickr from the John Waring though.
Well done to Bandon!!!A team at the start of the year most people in the hockey world had written off.For the last 6 years they have been one of the top boys schools in Ireland and it shows with the players that have gone on to represent Irerland at senior level. .Having lost a lot of talented players in the last few years it was always going ot be tough but they proved the doubters wrong and are still a force in schools hockey in Ireland.They showed in the Irish schools and the South of Ireland league they can still mix it with the best even with a young team.Same team again next year so the future is bright for the West Cork school!!!Lets make it 7 in a row next year lads;)
i wouldnt say philip sweetnem as man of the match!
i would go with corcaron or lynch!
Karl Lynch bandons best player and best defender on the pitch by a mile!
There was no way that Karl was better than either Dan Hobbs or Stuart O’Grady. The two of them are easily the best centre pairing going right now.
ah here u cudnt say tht judging by th final!lynch is a classy player wit all th skills and a hockey head on his shoulders!!!!!!
Dont agree there.Bandon scored two good goals and this is the third time that Bandon has beaten Ashton this season.Results speak for themselves.So much for the best centre pairing!!
Bandon 3 Ashton o. Whats with the best centre pairing?? Ha Ha.
Even as a Bandon player i have no problem saying that Ashton have a superior centre back paring, its just a pity for them that thats the only position that they are superior to us! Not only are Ashton’s centre backs their only way of defending and distributing, but they are their only way of scoring aswell!…Hobbs overheads the ball to Swanton or Sweetnam, they try to win a corner, Hobbs walks up the pitch and trys to flick it….Pretty one dimensional and boring if you ask me!
Karl Lynch, Brian Corcoran, and Sam McElroy are amazing, Heroes! ha
6 in a row boys remember ha
Yes I agree with Bandon player Ashton have two first team players Catchpole and Daunt and they definitely didn t shine on the day! So even if they are vastly superior on paper that means nothing.Bandons fight and determination really showed on the day and because of this I feel they were deserved winners!!!
Daunt shouldn’t have been sent off, that was bull!!!! Steven Swanton made the tackel and Daunt got sent of for it !!! Thats why we lost not because bandon were better!!! also we hammered bandon 3.0 at the start of the year with out dan!!!!
Yeah but bandon beat ashton the next three times after that, all with dan hobbs playing.
The reason ashton lost was cause there players didn’t have the bottle when it came down to the big moment of penalty strokes.Also what is your point saying ye beat us 3-0 at the start of the season???When both teams had full strength squads bandon beat ashton 3-2 in their place and 2-1 at the john waring and on strokes in the munster cup
BGS for 7 in a row!!!!!
philip wat r u on about??
ashtons only way of scoring is dan and u no it!!
ashton didnt preform and bandon did !
In answer to Philip Sweetnam, we can all look back to the start of the season but from what I’ve both seen and heard Bandon have trained hard and improved no end…so lookin back to the start of the season is pointless, it’s all about who steps up to the plate on the big day. And Bandon did that against Ashton twice in the space of two weeks, at the John Waring tournament and in the Munster Cup Final. You can have no answers or complaints.