Battling Bandon progress to Munster final

It wasn’t a classic by any means but that won’t matter much to Bandon Grammar School after they reached the Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup final with a 1-0 win over Scoil Mhuire at Harlequin Park yesterday. The west Cork school are back in the decider for the first time since 2009, when they won a memorable all-Bandon clash with Coláiste na Toirbhirte.

In a game mostly played between the 25s, Lorraine Copithorne got the decisive touch for the west Cork school when she forced home a short corner breakdown midway through the second half, the ball just getting over the line before it was cleared. Clear-cut chances were at a premium, meaning corners provided the best chance of a goal. But all too often goalkeepers Ciara Randles and Muireann Mellot went untested; Copithorne did an excellent job in running down Scoil Mhuire’s efforts while Bandon rarely opted for a straight shot. Scoil Mhuire were unable to match the brilliance they showed in defeating Mount Mercy 5-1 the previous week, despite the best efforts of Emily Reidy, Holly Lehane, Clio Cogan and Emma Dobson. For Bandon, Laura Buttimer, Vicky Burns and Copithorne had notable outings but they know they’ll need to step things up when they play the winner of the clash between Crescent and Ursuline Convent Thurles. That game was scheduled to go ahead yesterday but clashes with pre-Leaving Cert examinations have left uncertainty surrounding when it will now be played. SCOIL MHUIRE: C Randles (GK), E Reidy, I Harding, R O’Dwyer, E Dobson, J Kelleher, C O’Toole, K O’Neill, H Lehane, C Cogan, M Egan, N O’Donnell, N O’Kelly, J Tingle, K Murphy (GK), A Dennehy. BANDON GRAMMAR: M Mellot (GK), K Coombes, A O’Leary, C Helen, L Buttimer, V Burns, G Kingston, A Taylor, L Copithorne, S Sullivan, S Houston, D Obialor, C Smyth, L Nyhan. Umpires: J Dennis & F Kelleher Check out Southern Fried Hockey’s Facebook page for more pictures from the game!