AGHADA 6-8
BANTRY BLUES 1-17
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
BANTRY Blues’ hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC are hanging by a thread. In fact, a relegation play-off is on the cards unless Bantry get a result in their final group game against Nemo on September 13th.
The concession of six goals saw Bantry lose out to Aghada at Kilmichael on Saturday afternoon, and leave the Carbery club on zero points after two rounds.
Having fought back to lead by two points with eight minutes remaining, poor defending saw Bantry concede three late goals, as Aghada picked up their first points in Group 1.
After a disjointed opening half, Bantry were 3-8 to 0-12 in arrears. The Blues’ capitulation in the closing stages was eminently preventable however, as goals four, five and six were all scrappy finishes.
Ahead 1-16 to 3-8 after 52 minutes, Bantry allowed an unmarked Jamie O’Hanlon palm the ball to the net after Sean Morrissey’s initial effort came back off the crossbar. Midfielder Diarmuid Phelan, moved to the edge of the square, then twice forced the ball over the line, despite the presence of numerous Bantry defenders.
Bantry Blues' Jack Sheedy goes past Aghada's Jordan Tynan.
Despair for Bantry at the final whistle, and now the prospect of a must-win final Group 1 match against Nemo Rangers to avoid the possibility of a relegation play-off.
‘We had a bad start and conceded a couple of early goals,’ Bantry manager Mark O’Donovan told The Southern Star.
‘Even though we started the second half very well, we conceded six goals – two or three of those were poor ones to give away. Look, we have to dust ourselves down and go into round three to play Nemo – that is what it is all about for us now.’
The pressure was palpable ahead of throw-in, as both Bantry and Aghada tasted defeat in their opening Group 1 games. Already without an injured Ruairí Deane, the Blues lost full back Billy Foley in the pre-match warm-up.
Aided by a strong wind, Eoghan Minihane and Shane Keevers fired the Blues in front before a Jamie O’Hanlon point and Diarmuid Byrne goal made it 1-1 to 0-2.
Paddy Cronin responded before three unanswered Pearse O’Neill, O’Hanlon and Byrne scores pushed Aghada 1-4 to 0-3 ahead after 11 minutes.
Arthur Coakley landed the first of his two-pointer frees but Aghada exposed the Blues’ defensive shortcomings for a second time when corner back Kyle O’Shea finished a flowing move to the net.
Bantry were back in the game when Coakley landed his second two-point free, only for former Cork senior Pearse O’Neill to billow the net and send Aghada in 3-8 to 0-12 in front.
Aghada's Pearse O'Neill powers his way past Bantry Blues' Cillian O'Brien.
A low scoring third quarter ended with Bantry ahead after Arthur Coakley reacted quickest to Jack Sheedy’s point attempt that rebounded off a post, and rattled the net.
Diarmuid Phelan and Coakley (free) exchanged scores and Bantry were looking good, 1-16 to 2-8 in front, with less than eight minutes left.
But the defensive lapses that blighted their first-half performance came back to haunt Bantry, as Jamie O’Hanlon and Diarmuid Phelan (twice) found the net via scrappy goals in the closing stages.
OUR STAR: Aghada’s Diarmuid Phelan gets the nod for his two late goals and all-action display around the centre of the pitch.
Scorers
Aghada: D Phelan 2-1; J O’Hanlon 1-3 (2f); D Byrne, P O’Neill 1-1 each; K O’Shea 1-0; J Colbert, S Morrissey 0-1 each.
Bantry Blues: A Coakley 1-8 (2 2ptf, 1f); D Sheedy (1f); P Cronin 0-3 each; S Keevers 0-2; E Minihane 0-1.
Aghada: C Ó Sé; R Murphy, J Colbert, K O’Shea; E Leahy, J Tynan, C O’Driscoll; J O’Donoghue, D Phelan; S Moloney, T Hartnett, D Byrne; S Morrissey, J O’Hanlon, P O’Neill.
Subs: S Whyte for R Murphy (35), C Hegarty for C O’Driscoll (38), J McKenna for J O’Hanlon (52, inj), D Wallace for S Moloney (56), T Condon for J Tynan (61).
Bantry Blues: S Murray; K Coakley, S Thornton, C Cronin; R O’Mahony, M Óg O’Sullivan, C O’Brien; S O’Leary, K Casey; E Minihane, S Keevers, J Sheedy; D Sheedy, A Coakley, P Cronin.
Subs: M O’Donovan for E Minihane (ht), D Daly for J Sheedy (54).
Referee: Peter O’Leary (Cloughduv).
