Bandon’s hoodoo over UCC continued after David Smith’s golden goal saw them qualify for the Munster Senior Cup final at the expense of the students on a 4-3 score-line in west Cork.
Having seen Bandon snatch a last-gasp equaliser at the Mardyke in the league before Christmas, this was another bitter pill for the students – beaten 3-2 here earlier this term – to swallow.
Graham Kingston laid the groundwork for Smith to tap in the first against the run of play, but College’s Peter Catchpole buried a reverse for a half-time stalemate.
Darren Beamish soon nudged Bandon back in front though, Kingston again supply the assist after Philip Burns’ solo run had eaten up the ground.
However, as they had done against Rathgar Chiefs last week, College turned the game on its head in the second period. Andy Gray lashed in a rebound and a spectacular Roger Gray flick, coming after he’d beaten both the Bandon runners, left them 3-2 to the good.
Roger Gray had an excellent chance to bury the game when repeating the trick, but his decision to flick high proved costly this time as Ian Hosford pulled off an excellent save.
Andrew Scannell netted from the penalty spot six minutes from the final whislte to force extra-time, before Smith nabbed the decisive effort, off a switched corner. Bandon will now play Cork C of I or Cork Harlequins in the decider.
In the weekend’s sole league clash, Cork C of I B won a fractious battle of the second string sides at Farmers Cross, Philip Sweetnam hitting the winner in their 2-1 victory over Quins B, after Darren Farrell’s drag-flick had cancelled out Mark Holmes’ opener for C of I B.
Looking to avenge their defeat at the hands of the same opposition in Garryduff earlier in the season, C of I started strongly with Gary Wilkinson and Philip Sweetnam making the early running.
Quins settled then and finished the first half the stronger, with Tom Cotter looking particularly dangerous, although neither side could manage to break the deadlock and the first half finished 0-0.
Quins enjoyed a lot of possession up but couldn’t find the inspiration to break through a defence well marshalled by Bobby MacAllister while the youthful Cof I front line continued to look dangerous on the break, needing Peter Carroll to be in top form at the back for Quins despite carrying an injury.
The deadlock was finally broken when C of I earned their first short corner midway through the half and Holmes converted with a fine dipping shot.
Quins hit back shortly after with a set piece of their own, Farrell converting a drag flick, but C of I’s winner came with about 8minutes to go when Quins were down to ten men after a yellow card for Colin Ross for a clumsy tackle.
An initial shot was blocked in a crowded circle and the ball fell kindly for Sweetnam who slotted past Karl D’Alton in the Quins goal.
The sides will now meet again in the Munster Junior Cup final, after both seeing off their respective opponents on 5-3 scorelines away from home.
C of I B raided Farmers Cross again to get the better of Quins C this time, while Quins B eventually shrugged off a determined Catholic Institute B at Rosbrien largely thanks to a Luke Daunt hat-trick.
Quins started brightly and produced several early chances before making the breakthrough. Dickie Barrett slipped the ball through to Tom Cotter after a strong run from right back; his shot was saved but Daunt was on hand to convert the loose ball.
Institute hit straight back as Dave Kavanagh lost his marker Barrett and picked up a long ball before striding into the circle and converting.
Quins regained control though and Daunt added his second after another saved shot from Cotter landed in his path and he flicked over the prone keeper.
Billy Robertson was having a fine game in goal for Institute but was helpless for Quins’ third when Darren Farrell put a drag low into the corner from a short corner.
Institute were not giving up and took the fight to Quins in the second half and made much more of a match of it, but Quins initially held firm and Daunt got his hat-trick with a smart shot into the top corner.
This seemed to inspire the Limerick side however, and they hauled themselves back into the game with two quick goals, the first by Dave Wheeler when Quins failed to clear a short corner and the third by Gary Atchinson who slotted the ball through the keeper’s legs following another set piece.
Quins didn’t panic however, and the game was made secure by Steven Wolfe who took a quick free, broke into the circle and rounded the keeper to slot home from a tight angle and send Quins into the final.
Special thanks to Rob Morris for detailed reports from the Quins B games.
Men
Munster Senior Cup semi-final
Bandon 4 (D Smith 2, D Beamish, A Scannell) UCC 3 (P Catchpole, A Gray, R Gray) (aet, golden goal);
Munster Div 1
Cork Harlequins B 1 (D Farrell) Cork C of I B 2 (M Holmes, P Sweetnam);
Munster Junior Cup semi-finals
Catholic Institute B 3 (D Kavanagh, D Wheeler, G Atchinson) Cork Harlequins B 5 (L Daunt 3, D Farrell, S Wolfe)
Cork Harlequins C 3 Cork C of I B 5
