1941

Bandon 2-1    Kilbrittain 1-0  (Match abandoned)

November 9^th   in Timoleague

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There was a disappointing end to the match between Bandon and Kilbrittain at Timoleague on Sunday last in the final of the South West Cork Junior Hurling Championship, the game being abandoned owing to a series of incidents, culminating in a player having to be carried off the field unconscious.

       For over three quarters of an hour the issue was keenly fought out but at a period in the second half exchanges developed on far too vigorous lines and the closure had to be applied. In fairness to the teams it must be said the offenders were few.

      Perhaps if one of them had been given marching orders at the start, the trouble would have been averted.

      Bandon proved superior in the first half and exercised most of the pressure without, however, fully availing of their opportunities. In the second half Kilbrittain fought back in characteristic style but after reducing the lead to a point, Bandon again stretched it to four points. Then came a scuffle as a result of which D. Smith of the Bandon side was carried off unconscious.

      There was a good attendance despite the unfavourable weather.

FIRST HALF

The game commenced in a downpour. After Bandon had first pressure, Kilbrittain sent wide at the other end. Desmond, the Kilbrittain goalie, saved an onslaughter, but in a flash the ball was returned by Quinlan and Cummins slapped home to the net. Dour duels were the order at midfield for some time until Kilbrittain advanced, when the Bandon goalie (Matt O’Mahony) saved a close drive.

     Wing play was a feature of the Bandaon method of attack but sound clearances by Foley and Cahalane broke up promised movements.

     A ‘70’ to Kilbrittain was placed by Foley, O’Mahony again proving sound between the sticks. A series of advances by the Bandon men were rendered ineffective through faulty shooting and then came a point from Cummins. Kilbrittain were now putting all their weight into the game which continued at a fast pace despite the heavy sod. The two Smiths and Red Crowley were stalwarts in a well-knit Bandon defence which stemmed successive attacks on their lines and up to half time there was no further alteration in the scoring which then stood –

Bandon – 1 goal 1 point

Kilbrittain – Nil

SECOND HALF

In the early stages of the second half the Bandon backs were kept busy but were not yielding under severe pressure. However, after about ten minutes, Kilbrittain forced a goal.

      Bandon replied with a like score a few minutes later and in continuing rain, players strained every nerve in a stern struggle that now showed decided elements of roughness.

      There was a couple of incidents and finally the game was abandoned as stated, the score being –

Bandon – 2 goals 1 point.

Kilbrittain – 1 goal.

     Mr. Liam Ahern, Clonakilty H.C., was the referee and the teams were:

      Bandon – Matt O’Mahony (goal), Séamus Calnan, Red Crowley, Seán Crowley, Jeremiah O’Driscoll, Denis Smith, Edward Smith (capt..), Jack Lane, Jeremiah Collins, J. Jones, P. Quinlan, Chris O’Brien, P.J. Murray, Lawrence Cummins, J. Lordan.

      Kilbrittain – D. Desmond (goal), John Moloney, M. Foley, J. Cahalane, Jim Roche, Con Moloney, David O’Sullivan, Mick Finn, Dan Roche (capt..), Bat Rohane, Jerh. Holland, Pat Crowley, J. Regan, J. Deasy. P. Keohane.

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COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

As the SW championship was unfinished, reigning champions, Kilbrittain, were nominated to represent the division against Valley Rovers in Kinsale on October 5^th  The South-East champions proved far too good on the day, leading by 4-2 to 0-2 at half time against a depleted Kilbrittain. The South-West men improved in the second half but the goal-scoring ability of Valleys proved too much as they swept to a 9-5 to 2-5 victory. 

PROTRACTED OBJECTION

At a SW divisional Board meeting on December 9^th in Enniskeane, Mr. Seán Óg Murphy, secretary; Seán McCarthy, T. Culhane and J. Beckett of the County Board attended to hold an inquiry into the SW junior hurling final. Seán McCarthy presided at the hearing and members of the Bandon, Kilbrittain and Timoleague clubs gave evidence, as well as the referee, Liam Ahern. The inquiry found that the young, inexperienced referee may have been hasty in abandoning the game, especially without first warning the two teams, and that Bandon had a right to be grieved at the result. It was decided that the match should be replayed. Mr. Andy O’Neill, Bandon, stated that the replay decision would have a very unfavourable effect on his club. After a long discussion, the report of the inquiry was adopted.

      Kinsale, Bantry, Timoleague, Skibbereen (where there was an enclosed pitch) and Enniskean were proposed as venues for the replay. Bandon said they would not play unless the match was fixed for a venue outside the division.  After a series of votes, it was decided on Enniskean as a venue. The date for the replay was left up to the secretary.

      At a subsequent meeting, the Bandon Club decided that the decision to replay the final would be appealed to the County Board. That Board decided that the match should be replayed but fixed it for Kinsale and thus the matter rested for the winter.

       The matter finally came before the SW Board on April 26^th, 1942, , where the County Board’s decision to replay the final in Kinsale was discussed. The SW rúnaí stated that the final decision as regards the venue lay with the SW Board. The chairman, M. O’Regan, pointed out that difficulties of travelling, as a result of World War 2, had changed the situation and it was unreasonable to expect teams and supporters to travel to Kinsale. He suggested that as the teams would also be meeting in the first round of the 1942 championship, that the two games should be played home and away. Andy O’Neill, Bandon, said he would put the idea to his club but the meeting decided that the 1941 final replay would be in Bandon and the 1942 game in Kilbrittain. A neutral referee and umpires would be appointed.

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Replay 1941

Kilbrittain 3-7     Bandon 5-0

June 28^th, 1942, in Bandon

     The meeting of Kilbrittain and Bandon in the replay of the final of the 1941 South-West Cork Hurling Championship at Bandon on Sunday provided an hour of thrills. Kilbrittain’s orthodox, rapid-hitting methods dictated the order of play from the outset and for it they reaped ample reward by going eight points in front before Bandon replied with a goal.

       The weight of the Kilbrittain attacks emanated from the right wing where Rohane and Regan operated to sound advantage and most of the early scores came from them. Hurling in most other sectors was dour but clean, with overhead doubling and swift exchanges. Kilbrittain’s three-goal lead at the interval looked more than hopeful but the second half told a different tale. The placing of Connors at centre back for Bandon brought about a big change tightening up the lines to a remarkable degree. The game, at once, developed into a ding-dong struggle.

       The Bandon men’s speed proved a strong factor in this moiety.

       And on two occasions, with the lead reduced to a point they appeared decidedly dangerous.

       Hurling opened on a high note with Kilbrittain backs clearing all that came their way. Flying balls were dexterously pulled on in a period of up and down deliveries, after which scores were narrowly missed at both ends. Ten minutes passed without a score when Rohane opened a right wing attack for Kilbrittain and O’Regan scored a goal. Play had scarcely settled down again when Jerry Holland flashed a flying point from about fifty yards. From then on Kilbrittain were striking more strongly and more confidently, nipping every opportunity in the bud with first-time pulling.

      Another right-wing onslaught by Kilbrittain proved fatal for the Bandon men when Rohane and Regan connected to beat the defence with a stinging low ball to the net. The duels at midfield between Finn and Collins and Lane and Roche were always stern, Finn seldom coming off second-best there. A shot by Quinlan (Bandon) narrowly went wide.

HARD  CLASH

      In a moment Kilbrittain were attacking and, after a hard overhead clash in front of the Bandon goal, O’Regan sent over a point. In a sweeping attack, Bandon forced a goal early in the second quarter but the visitors were still more impressive, especially in defence, where the Mahony brothers and Foley were to the rescue time and again. Kilbrittain had their third goal through Allen and that was followed by two wides by Bandon. Deasy, in the Kilbrittain goal, saved a sharp shot and hot on that came a splendid point by Finn from a sideline puck about midway. The scores at half time were:-

      Kilbrittain  -  3 goals 3 points.

      Bandon  -  1 goal.

      Fast hurling was again the feature of the play opening the second half. Within a few minutes came a rather soft goal for Bandon. J. Connors replaced J. O’Driscoll in the Bandon defence and from that onwards, the home side struck a truer note. Another fine point from a sideline puck by Finn, some sixty yards from the goal, brought rounds of applause from Kilbrittain’s big following.

       Hurling of a really high standard developed with Bandon players putting up an all-out effort.

       Kilbrittain’s reply showed the team work and brilliant hitting but in the ensuing phases Bandon went through for two major scores through Murray and Riordan, thus narrowing the margin to one point. The pace was a ‘cracker,’ and a long sprinting movement by Quinlan was checked. It was followed by a Kilbrittain attack. Excitement ran high and spectators most unsportingly took command of the goalmouth area, where a foul occurred, leading to the inevitable stoppage, which continued for about ten minutes. Blows were exchanged in the melee and, when order was restored, Keohane, who played a clever forward game all through, landed a nice point from a free to Kilbrittain. A moment later, Finn, from a powerful left-handed drive, sent over the bar from midfield. Play swept to both ends in rapid succession and two frees to Bandon brought no result. Keohane scored a minor for Kilbrittain, making the lead four points.

A LATE GOAL

       Another Bandon attack started by Riordan was finished off by Lordan, who got a goal. The concluding minutes were fought out at a hard pace, amid tense excitement. The final scores were:-

      Kilbrittain  -  3 goals 7 points.

      Bandon  -  5 goals.

      Mr. S. Warren, Blackrock H.C., was the referee and the teams were:-

      Kilbrittain  -  James Deasy (goal), John Moloney, Mick Foley, Jack Cahalane, J. J. O’Sullivan, Con Moloney, Donal Sullivan, M. Finn, D. Roche, Bat Rohane, Jer. Holland, J. Cowhig, James O’Regan, Henry Allen and P. Keohane.

       Bandon  -  Matt Mahony (goal), S. Crowley, R. Crowley, Jer O’Driscoll, C. O’Brien, L. Kelly, Jer Collins, J. Lane, P. Quinlan, James Jones, P. J. Murray, P. Riordan, L. Cummins, J. Lordan and E. Smith.

       (Two weeks later the teams met again in the semi-final of the 1942 championship and this time Kilbrittain had a run-away win by 6-12 to 0-3.)

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COUNTY JUNIOR HURLING FINAL 1941

Carrigtwohill 5-1      Mayfield 2-0   in Riverstown