Dunmanway on
last Sunday evening was the venue for the meeting of Bantry Blues U12
footballers with Sam Maguire’s in the league semi final. After a great battling
performance from the Blues they went down by 2-07 to 1-5.
Up against a
physically much bigger side Bantry held their own in the first quarter. Maguire’s
went two points up early on but Blues fought back with scores from Paddy
O’Neill and Shane Crowley. However the home team finally broke down the Bantry
Blues defence getting two goals to leave the half time score 2-05 to 0-2.
After the half
time team talk, the Bantry lads took to the field with a resolve that they were
not going down easily. They piled on the pressure but the excellent Dunmanway
keeper made save after save. Ayrton Doyle reduced the deficit with a pointed
free and eventually Blues made the breakthrough with the smallest man on the
field, Aiden O’Sullivan beating the Sam Maguire’s goalie from close range. The
lads in blue gave a great second half performance with further points from
Ciaran Thornton and Ayrton Doyle but in the end the comeback too much to ask for.
Great displays
all around with Matthew Harley very safe in goals, Jack O’Brien, Ted Wiseman,
Greg Cotter, Paddy O’Neill and Charlie Lavin very strong in defence. Midfielders
Shane Crowley and Ayrton Doyle fought to the end and up front Ciaran Thornton,
Kevin Clifford, Daniel Downey, Aiden O’Sullivan and Keelan Lynch were tigerish.
Team: Matthew
Harley, Charlie Lavin, Greg Cotter, Ted Wiseman, Paddy O’Neill (0-1), Jack
O’Brien, Shane Crowley (0-1, F), Ayrton Doyle (0-2, 1F), Daniel Downey, Ciaran
Thornton (0-1), Kevin Clifford, Aiden O’Sullivan (1-0), Keelan Lynch.