Clonakilty: U12 Hurling vs Bandon

Match Type: League

Date & Time: August 11th 2020, 7:00 pm

Location: Bandon

Outcome: win

Score: 3:03 vs 1:03

Match Report:
The final match of the Mid 1B u12 competition proved to be another highly entertaining, competitive game in front of a sizeable crowd of parents and mentors.
Clonakilty was captained by Illan Smith who got on more ball than any other player on the pitch. This was a low-scoring game with a lot of ground hurling and rucks. All scores in the first half came from frees converted by Jack Byerley underscoring the tight nature of the encounter. After a sluggish first half Clonakilty were behind by a goal. rn
A soul-searching half-time discussion led by coaches Sean Byerley, Martin Nolan, Tim Coffey and Neil Deasy energised the team. Clonakilty raised their game immediately with 3 goals in quick succession by Jack Byerley and Finn O'Mahony. After that Kilkenny-style early second half blitz, the second half remained competitive but the lead was never relinquished and Clonakilty closed out the game with a later free converted by Jack Byerley.
Fionn Gilmore was brilliant in goal with accurate long-range puck-outs and one superb reflexive diving save on his left. Michael Francis Collins produced another man-of-the-match performance at full back. Ben Coffey imposed himself on the game at centre back despite combative marking. Jack Byerley and Emmet Nolan yet again proved a handful for the opposition. Eoghan Minihan was superb until taken off because of injury; he was replaced by the ever-improving, highly committed Lennart Lindenfeld.

After 2 wins and 1 defeat in the mid-Cork division [Valley Rovers, Eire Og and Bandon], Clonakilty deservedly go through to the next stages of the competition where Inniscarra and Killeagh qualified from the 1A arm of the draw. This achievement is in the context of playing division 1 football in West Cork.

Half-time score: Clonakilty 0-2 Bandon 1-2

Team 1-15: Fionn Gilmore, Eoghan Minihan, Michael Francis Collins, Christopher Harrington, Eanna Deasy, Ben Coffey, Conor Ou2019Gorman, James Costello, Illan Smith, Peadar Dinneen, Jack Byerley (2-3, 0-3F), Fionn O'Donovan, Finn O'Mahony (1-0), Emmet Nolan, Isa Khan

Subs at half-time: James Maguire (replaced Fionn O'Donovan), Cathal O'Donovan (replaced Isa Khan), Lennart Lindenfeld (replaced Eoghan Minihan)