The Sixties

A Winning Streak

Many fine players had departed the scene when Bandon got back on a winning streak in '62 - 3. Paddy O'Connor', Watergate Street, Jer. D. Herriot, South Main Street, Jimmy Daly, Oliver-Plunkett Street, Con O'Donovan, Ballineen, John Drummy, Aherla and Paddy Whelan, Clondalkin, were unfortunate to play in a period when the sideboard remained empty.

Vinn Poland will be remembered for a famous try which he scored in a vital O'Neill Cup game against Mallow. He rounded the entire defence and walked the last 25 yards to score the try which put Bandon into the final in 1961. Having played a storming first half against Cobh, in the final, Bandon unaccountably let the title slip out of their hands by 6-3 margin.

Bandon: T. Neville, N. Dromey, R. Lovell (Capt.), W. Mason, D. Coughlan, T. Canniffe, P. Whelan, N. Mulhern, D. Donegan, L. O'Brien, V. Poland, G. Neville, B. O'Reilly, J. Doyle, Des Donegan.

The Donegans

The Donegan family, Sunview, is synonymous with Bandon rugby club. Paddy, Maurice and Des won Munster Senior Cup medals while playing with U.C.C. Maurice was capped for Munster and Denis began his rugby career in 1949 and retired in 1976, a remarkable span of 27 years. Their contribution to the club is immeasurable. On his return to the club in 1961 Maurice took on the arduous task of coaching the home side. He innovated indoor training in the Boys Club and, as Captain in the 62-3 season, he saw his efforts amply rewarded. He had the rare ability to exhort the very best from each player and in a short time transformed the heretofore social side into a competitive and skilful team. Tommy Canniffe summed up the attitude of the team in his own inimitable way, "Anybody who could stomach raw eggs in the morning was taking them".

On April 29th, 1963, Bandon met Killarney in the County Cup final in Bandon. Played in front of a large attendance and in brilliant sunshine the game was a marvellous contest between two well-matched sides. "There was a series of fierce forward battles with the victors having the edge in the line-outs and scrums while Killarney's dominant factor lay in their being very lively in the loose. Des Donegan ran forty yards to touch down near the comer flag. R. Quinn, Killarney, replied shortly afterwards with a converted try.

In the second half, after a brilliant interpassing movement, Pat O'Reilly secured Bandon's second try and shortly afterwards added a penalty. One week later the O'Neill Cup final was played in Musgrave Park. The newspaper reported that "two members of the Bandon team had to travel a total of 3,600 miles to play the final as the game was postponed five times in all". Although Bandon were short Des Donegan, they succeeded in gaining the laurels. Pat O'Reilly, who created a record by scoring in every game he played during the season, continued to uphold his status by scoring two tries during the game.

Bandon: D. Wixtead, W. Murphy, P. O'Reilly, A. Harvey, T. Neville, T. Canniffe, J. Desmond, G. Neville, Denis Donegan, T. Phelan, R. Lovell, N. Goeing, 3 Doyle, M. Donegan and J. Murphy. Pat O'Reilly was a Veterinary Surgeon, who practised with the 'Doc', John and William Murphy were sons of Sean Murphy who played in the late twenties with Tom Phelan's father and John Desmond, Jerry's father. Jerry Desmond later distinguished himself playing senior rugby with U.C.C. and Constitution.

 

"Don't ever again do that ...........

Maurice Donegan's try against Killarney when he duped five defenders into tackling the wrong man is regarded by many as the finest seen in Macroom Road. He also had a hand in an equally famous 'non-try'. A rugby team caters for every genre of human being from the confident athlete to the cumbersome mullocker. While the former's dreams are speckled with colourful dashes and graceful swerves the latter snores away the aches of a hard days scrummaging and mauling secure in the belief that scoring trys is the sole prerogative of the dandy backline. The following yam describing such a player is told by Grattan Neville, "Maurice Donegan was in the centre and he was tackled just short of the line; who happened to be up with him but the Bandon prop forward. Donegan literally handed him the ball and all he had to do was fall over the line; but this was the first time the said prop ever had the ball in his hands so he glanced at it for a second and threw it over his head away back the field. After the match he turned to Maurice and said, 'Donegan, don't ever do that again, boy".

A favourite haunt of a good number of the team was Sandy's pub, especially on a night when they arrived home late from an away fixture. One night the guards raided and in the subsequent court case the Judge asked, "Look here my good man, why didn't you clear your house? " It had been made known to the court that the entire Bandon rugby team were the 'found ons'. Sandy's reply to the Judge was "Who do you think I am, Sonny Liston? "

A Gentleman.

While attending Bandon Grammar School Rex Lovell first donned the royal blue jersey of Bandon at the tender age of fourteen in a junior match. He recalls Tony Neville arriving at the doorstep of Abbeymahon, Timoleague on numerous Sunday mornings in the mid fifties issuing the clipped order, "Hurry into the car, we're short again". Since then Rex won 12 O'Neill Cup medals, three County Cup medals, a West Cork minor medal and he was Captain of the victorious 7-a-side team that won the Pfizer Cup in 1981. He was captained the club on four occasions and has been capped on numerous for Cork County. A man of extraordinary courage Rex will be playing rugby an incredible 30 years this season. Bandon won the O'Neill Cup in 1963-4 under his leadership. The competition was played on a league basis at the time and in a fiery game against Skibbereen in Bandon on April 6th, 1964 the home side secured the cup for the second year in succession. They were foiled in their bid for the double by Abbeyfeale in the County Cup final in Musgrave Park. Abbeyfeale were hailed as the ',club without a grounds", in the Cork Examiner, but the local wits dubbed them "the town without a team" for some obscure reason. Bandon were beaten 3-0 despite having Irish International forward Henry Wall, Crookstown, in the side. Bandon had 8 senior players in the side but were unable to cope with the harassing tactics of the Abbeyfeale pack.

Bandon: N. Coakley, M. Curran, D. Donegan, B. O'Neill, J. Desmond, T. Canniffe. A. Harvey, D. Donegan, T. Phelan, R. Lovell, S. Hayes, H. Wall, J. Good, J. Doyle.

The Middle Sixties

In the mid 1960's Bandon had an influx of new talent which provided the Junior side with the quality and depth that had been lacking for far too long. Jim Good, Kinsale, Fergus Appelbe, The Farm, Noel Hickey, Aherla, George Ferguson. Kilpatrick, Bob Harmon, Killarney, Ivan and Mervyn Shorten, Enniskeane and Bill) Roycroft, Lissaphooka, had all played schools rugby with distinction. The experienced players who remained from the preceding seasons included Tommy Canniffe, Rex Lovell, Jerry Desmond and the great Convent Hill stalwart Seanie Buttimer, who will be playing club rugby 21 years this season.

Captain for the season (1965-66) was Brendan O'Neill, Kilbrogan Hill, who had played on the O'Neill Cup winning team of '64. Bandon crowned a very successful season by winning the O'Neill Cup in a famous game in Bandon. "Both sides went into the fray with unusual abandon, few holds were barred and the large attendance certainly got plenty to enthuse about. The early retirement of Tommy Canniffe with a nasty head injury only served to heighten the suspense as up to then Bandon had been doing most of the attacking. Instead of losing heart, Bandon seemed to gain inspiration from this set back and, eventually, full back, Brendan O'Neill , kicked a fine penalty to put them into the lead. Rex Lovell crossed for a try but the conversion was narrowly missed. Cobh replied with a try near the posts but to the general Cobh dismay, John Love inexplicably missed the conversion.

If the victors had any particular hero, it was undoubtedly Jerry Desmond. The Cork Con senior started in the out half position but went to the base of the serum when Tom Canniffe left the field. He gave a masterly display both in defence and attack, kicking astutely, letting the occasional ball to his backs when a chance presented itself. His courage in going down on the ball and his ability in getting back to cover was remarkable under the circumstances. Others to impress for the winners were George Treacy, Rex Lovell and Brendan O'Neill in the backs and in the forwards, hooker, 0. Lane, Jim Good and Sean Buttimer.

Bandon: B. O'Neill, G. Treacy, Rex Lovell, B. Hosford, F. Appelbe, J. Desmond, T. Canniffe, G. Ferguson, 0. Lane, D. C'Mullane, S. Buttimer, B. Harmon, D. Beazley, J. Good, N. Hickey.

"After the game", remembers Denis O'Mullane, Dublin, "Brendan and I went to his house for a bath as there was no room left in the shower room in the Munster Arms. Billy, his father, brought in a bottle of whiskey and explained, with befitting pride, that the O'Neill Cup had returned to his house after a lapse of 37 years when they won it for the first time. We were both overcome with emotion and we finished the bottle. The occasion had a profound effect on me and, in a house certainly not noted for heavy drinking, I had to be helped from the bath". That same year the Inter County Cup was instituted with Cork meeting Tipperary in the first game, which they won 12-6. Brendan O'Neill, P. O'Connell and Jim Good played on the team.

 

New Blood.

With Rex Lovell once again at the helm Bandon had a hugely successful*, season in 1967-68. For the first time Bandon reached the area final of the Munster Junior Cup having beaten Dolphin (8-0) and Old Christians 13-9 in a replay. In the Area-Final they played a 3 nil draw with Highfield but, in the replay went under. In the County Cup game with Abbeyfeale Bandon were without Jim Good, Robin Hanna, Brendan O'Neill, Rex Lovell, George Treacy, Jerry Desmond, Bob Hannon and Paul Quirke and were understandably beaten but, by, the respectable score of 13 points to 6.

That season saw Bertie Smith, Timoleague, togging out for the first time in the Bandon colours. A great athlete and accomplished footballer, he was capped for Ireland against France in a B International. Paul Quirke was a brilliant scrum half. In the Junior Cup match against Dolphin he was unfairly tackled after kicking the ball. A penalty was awarded where the ball landed, 10 yards from the line and 10 yards from the touchline, a most acute angle. Amazingly, Quirke elected for a drop at goal and succeeded.

Once again Bandon and Cobh met in the O'Neill Cup final. They trashed Charleville 29-0, defeated Skibbereen 9-8 with a try in injury time by George Treacy, Billy Roycroft scored the only try in their win over Mallow, and in the final Quirke scored a penalty and Treacy a try to win 6 points to 3, Mick Wally scoring a try for Cobh.

Bandon: F. Appelbe, G. Treacy, B. Roycroft, 1. Shorten, T. Stokes, R. Patterson, P. Quirke, P. O'Connell, N. O'Connell, S. Buttimer, B. Hannon, B. O'Neill, R. Lovell (Capt.), R. Hanna, N. Patterson.

 

A Pattern.

Bandon reached the final of the County Cup in 1968-69 under the captaincy of Fergus Appelbe. In the semi-final against Skibbereen they won by I I points to 8 and they were firm favourites to take the title. Bandon were expected to dominate the forward exchanges but they were completely thrown off their tracks by a robust Mallow eight and were defeated by 8 points to nil.

Bandon: D. Burke, B. Smith, F. Appelbe, 1. Shorten, A. Hosfore, R. Patterson, B. Roycroft, G. Ferguson, N. O'Connell, S. Buttimer, B. Harmon, T. Stokes, J. Ryan, R. Hanna, D. O'Brien.

This pattern continued through to the next season with Bandon again contesting the County Cup final, this time with Cobh, but again Bandon let the game slip out of their grasp with victory in sight. The Cobh wingforward intercepted a pass on his own 25 and raced away to score the winning try. Bandon: R. Roycroft, F. Appelbe, M. Shorten, T. Hickey, 1. Shorten, J. Desmond, B. Roycroft, B. Homibrook, N. O'Connell (Capt), S.- Buttimer, B. Harmon, G. Ryan, N. Hickey, R. Hanna, R. Lovell.

Ivan Shorten was the centrepiece of a famous controversy earlier that year. Cobh needed both points against Bandon to win the O'Neill Cup outright. They were leading comfortably by five points when Shorten punted the ball ahead but failed to reach the ball before going into touch in goal. To the abject dismay of the Cobh team and the amusement of his own, Ivan was awarded a drop goal. The referee had mistaken Ivan's unusual style of kicking for that of a drop kick and, as the ball had crossed between the posts, gave the score.

The Minors. From 1965 onwards Bandon fielded a second or minor XV and, although they enjoyed little success in competition. they were an integral part of the club as many of the stars of later years learned their rugby at this level. John O'Driscoll, then Honorary Secretary of the club and Donough Coughlan were the prime motivators and, while Donough was a regular, 'Doc' was often called up to tog out.

Others who were regular minor players but who also played on the junior team in competition included Dan O'Brien, M. O'Leary, Tony Gaffney, Ted Lucitt, Donal Crowley, Barry O'Farrell, Ray Mullen, Get Coakley, Finbarr Creedon, Dan Lynch and Joe McLoughlin. Tadhg Twomey, the Irish 56 lbs. over-the bar champion played in the back row and such was his immense strength that on many occasions he actually hooked the ball himself as the entire scrum would buckle when he shoved. His brother, acting on the instructions "Tackle anybody not wearing the blue jersey", is reputed to have levelled' the referee in one game as the unfortunate man was passing the ball to the opposition scrum half following a mis-put-in. Although their knowledge of the game was limited, these players paved the way for the 1971-72 team that won the minor league and were beaten finalists in the Cup under the captaincy of Niall O'Driscoll.