Skibbereen Community School 1-7 

Another Hammies comeback. Another stirring Hammies second half. These latest heroics were even more impressive than their group opener.

Earlier this month, the students of Hamilton High School Bandon outscored Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh Bishopstown by 0-9 to 0-1 in the second half to win by six.

Here, their situation was far more dire. The gap facing them significantly greater.

Trailing by 1-7 to 0-4 on 44 minutes, and having kicked only one point in the preceding 23 minutes, the Bandon boys reeled off 1-7 without reply in a stunning final quarter to run out four-point winners.

This Corn Uí Mhuirí Group 4 result has many implications.

Hammies’ second victory moves them to the top of the table and secures them a knockout berth with a game to spare. Skibbereen’s second defeat sees them eliminated.

The result also keeps CSN Bishopstown alive in the competition, if only just. If Hamilton win their final group outing against Tralee CBS next Tuesday, Bishopstown will take second spot and continue on to the knockout phase.

But should Tralee manage a draw or victory next week, then it is they who will join Hamilton in emerging from this delicately poised group.

Skibb will wonder how this game went from their grasp. Mark Crowley’s fortuitous goal and a Sean Connolly point in the closing minutes of the opening half left them 1-4 to 0-3 ahead at the break.

Further points from Danny O’Donovan, Luke Shorten (free), and Connolly (free) upon the resumption pushed them out to six in front entering the final quarter. But they’d fail to add to their tally hereafter.

Bandon, who kicked nine first half wides and endured a 20-minute barren spell, pulled their scoring boots from nowhere.

Conducting their comeback from full-forward was the excellent Micheál Maguire. Where his teammates out the field were brilliant in forcing turnovers and exerting crippling pressure on the opposition restart, it was Maguire who won frees, laid off assists, and palmed home the decisive green flag.

A six-in-a-row from Hugh O’Mahony, Danny Crowley, Oisin McCarthy ('45), Sean Mac an tSaoi (two frees), and Maguire had brought Hamilton level at 0-10 to 1-7 when the full-forward touched a Humphrey Canty delivery to the net on 58 minutes.

Half-back Kevin Dart-O’Flynn completed a remarkable turnaround and sealed their passage onward.

Scorers for Hamilton HS Bandon: M Maguire (1-3); S Mac an tSaoi (0-4, 0-4 frees); O McCarthy (0-1 ‘45), D Crowley, K Dart-O’Flynn, H O’Mahony (0-1 each).

Scorers for Skibbereen CS: M Crowley (1-0); S Connolly (0-3, 0-2 frees); L Shorten (0-2, 0-1 free); D O’Donovan, B O’Driscoll (0-1 each).

Hamilton HS Bandon: J Woods (Valley Rovers); D Crowley (Bandon), S Aherne (Bandon), E Mangan (Ahán Gaels); A Huggard (Valley Rovers), J Cullinane (Bandon), K Dart-O’Flynn (Valley Rovers); P Kelly (Newcestown), O McCarthy (Valley Rovers); D Flanagan (Newcestown), S Mac an tSaoi (Valley Rovers), S Barry (Sam Maguires); H Canty (Newcestown), M Maguire (Castlehaven), H O’Mahony (Bandon).

Subs: N Daly (Valley Rovers) for Mangan (25 mins, inj); S Browne (Valley Rovers) for Huggard (42); J Hennigan (Sam Maguires) for Flanagan (43).

Skibbereen CS: D Heaton Jones (O’Donovan Rossa); W O’Donovan (Castlehaven), D Hourihane (O’Donovan Rossa), D Limrick (Castlehaven); K O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers), D O’Callaghan (Castlehaven), J Goulding (O’Donovan Rossa); F Coombes (O’Donovan Rossa), F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa); J Buckley (Castlehaven), S Connolly (Ilen Rovers), M Crowley (Castlehaven); D O’Donovan (Castlehaven), L Shorten (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), B O’Driscoll (O’Donovan Rossa).

Subs: S Hodnett (O’Donovan Rossa) for Crowley, D Cleary (Castlehaven) for Coombes (both 55); A Fahy (Ilen Rovers) for O’Driscoll (58).

Referee: L O’Shea