Bandon see off students

Bandon put themselves in pole position to fight off the challenge of UCC for third place in Munster, after they defeated the students 3-2 in an engrossing encounter in west Cork on Saturday. Having been fortunate to claim a late equaliser at the Mardyke last month, Bandon knew three points here would give them a significant cushion by getting the better of College in their head-to-heads. And while they controlled matters early on, it was UCC who scored against the run of play, as their captain Andrew Gray swept home a drag-flick around the 10-minute mark. Bandon didn’t take long to recover that deficit, also coming from a corner as Andrew Scannell eliminated the first runner before finding Graham Kingston to touch home. It remained level until the break, with the best chance falling to UCC’s Fionn O’Leary, who engineered space in the circle after taking Roger Gray’s pass, but his reverse-stick shot was superbly turned around the post by Ian Hosford. Bandon nabbed a go-ahead goal not long into the second half, after UCC gave Kingston too much space to pick out David Smith from a sideline ball deep inside their 25. Smith had an option to shoot or square for Ali Smith, presumably leaving College goalkeeper Brian Corcoran in two minds, though he will be disappointed to have been beaten at his near post as Smith chose the former option. Bandon’s third goal arrived in somewhat controversial circumstances, the first of three important umpiring decisions in the final 20 minutes. A short corner was contentiously given for a dangerous high ball, and Andrew Scannell’s drag-flick found the bottom right-hand corner. College moved Peter Catchpole up front in an attempt to support O’Leary, and eventually a forced a short. Andy Gray’s high drag-flick hit a Bandon defender’s body in front of goal, and Gray sent Hosford the wrong way from the flick spot to setup a grandstand finale. But aside from an Andy Gray reverse which flashed over, it was Bandon who looked the more dangerous side; they thought they had the ball in the net a fourth time, but Kingston was seemingly adjudged to have controlled the ball with his body to take it past Corcoran before tapping in. It mattered little as Bandon held on for a valuable victory; provided they match College’s output for the rest of the season, they should have another shot at the IHL big time. Meanwhile, Ashton and Cork C of I’s women both claimed notable victories over unusual opposition this weekend. Amy Roberts grabbed the only goal of the game in C of I’s victory over Newbridge in the Irish Trophy, while Karen Stokes and Emma Harrington’s goals were enough to cancel out Mary Healy’s reply in Ashton’s 2-1 Examiner Cup victory over Greenfields.