Bantry’s teams
were out in championship again and it was a case of win, lose and draw in a
weekend of mixed fortunes.
On Saturday the
U16 footballers had a comprehensive win over Thomas Russell’s in Macroom. After
a shaky start when they went 1-3 down, Shane McCarthy settled things with a
point. Moments later Tim Foley cut through the Russell’s defence to shoot a
goal. Shane Keevers move to defence worked a treat as he swept up a lot of ball
and settled things defensively. Blues moved into control and two more goals
from Shane McCarthy and points from Tim Foley and Killian O’Sullivan put Bantry
into a 3-6 to 1-8 lead at half time.
Arthur Coakley
popped over a point to open the second half but there then followed a period
where Thomas Russell’s hit four points without reply to come within a point of
the Blues. Once again Bantry got to grips and enjoyed a spell where they put
the game out of reach with an unanswered 3-8. They ran out winners on a final
score of 6-13 to 2-13 with notable displays by Gavin Cronin and Nicholas
O’Sullivan.
Team: Patrick
Casey, Eoghan O’Shea, Owen O’Flynn, Fionn O’Driscoll, Sean Hodnett, Kieran
Hanley, Ronan O’Mahony, Killian O’Sullivan (0-4), Gavin Cronin (1-0), Shane
Keevers, Arthur Coakley (1-1), Tim Foley (2-6,4F), Daniel Murray (0-1), Shane
McCarthy (2-4), Nicholas O’Sullivan(0-1). Subs: James Lavin, Michael Healy,
Aaron Barry, Aiden O’Sullivan, Sean Thornton, Russell Barry.
Ballydehob was the venue for two hurling
championship games played on Sunday. In the morning the U13’s took on Tadhg
MacCarthaigh. After a hectic first half Bantry were 1-1 to 0-5 behind, Shane
Murray the Blues scorer. Billy Foley equalised with a free early in the second
half only for Caheragh to pull ahead again with a pointed free of their own. Shane
Murray shot Blues into the lead with a goal, once again the Caheragh lads came
back and cancelled this out with another green flag. Then came score of the day
when James Crowley flicked to the net and Bantry were back in front by two
points. Unfortunately this proved to be Blues last score as Tadhg MacCarthaigh
got into gear and closed out the game shooting points to give them a four point
win.
Team: James O’Shea, Charlie
Lavin, Billy Foley (0-1,F), Tom Flynn, Shane Crowley, Oisin Bennett, David O’Sullivan,
James Crowley (1-0), Shane Buckley, Shane Murray (2-1), Patrick Barry, Tim
O’Driscoll.
On Sunday evening our minor
hurlers were up against St Patricks in a West Cork
semi final. Bantry started brightly and went into a 5-1 lead courtesy of points
from Jimmy and Seánie O’Leary and James Foley before St Pats got back into the
game with a goal. They pointed a free before the break to leave the teams’
level at five points to 1-2.
From the restart Bantry were on
the attack and when Jimmy O’Leary was hauled down in the square, Seánie stepped
up and buried the resultant penalty. A few minutes later St Patricks got a
fortuitous goal to put them back on parity. They tacked on two points with
James Foley pulling one back for Bantry. When St Patricks added two more points
to give them a three point lead as the clocked ticked down it did not look good
for the Blues. With time up, Bantry were awarded a free about 25 metres out.
Seanie O’Leary had no choice but to go for goal and he saved the day when he
drilled to the net to draw the game at 2-6 each.
Team: Cathal McCarthy, Owen O’Flynn, Eoin Lynch, Killian
O’Sullivan, Kieran Hanley, Tim Cronin, Shane Keevers, Seán O’Leary (2-1,1Pen.,1F) James
Foley (0-3), John Lavin, Gerald
O’Sullivan, Sean Hodnett, Shane McCarthy, Jimmy O’Leary (0-2), Arthur Coakley. Sub
used: Paul Hennessy. Kieran Daly, Paddy O’Shea, Danny Hutchinson, Aaron Barry,
Tom Daly, James Lavin, Robyn McCarthy, Daniel Murray.
On Monday evening the U13 footballers welcomed
Clonakilty to Wolfe
Tone Park
for a league game. Up against a physically much bigger side, Bantry did well in
the first half with Shane Crowley, Cillian Crowley and Shane Murray scoring
points to leave Clon ahead by 1-4 to 0-3 at the break. In the second period the
visitors were in control and were well ahead at the final whistle but Bantry
battled to the end with James Crowley making a series of saves to keep his goal
intact.
Team: James Crowley, Charlie Lavin, Greg
Cotter, Shane Buckley, James Buckley, Tom Flynn, Matthew Harley, Billy Foley,
Shane Crowley, Shane Murray, Ayrton Doyle, James O’Shea, Cillian Crowley, Tim
O’Driscoll, Paddy O’Neill.