Paddy Cronin stars as Bantry Blues end wait for Carbery U21 football title

Bantry Blues 2-9   

Bandon 2-7

TOM LYONS REPORTS

A BRACE of goals from dynamic corner forward Paddy Cronin in the first half proved to be the winning of this hard-fought Clona Milk U21B1 football final in Dunmanway on Sunday afternoon.

The fact that the first of these goals came in the very first minute gave Bantry a cushion that saw them holding the lead on the scoreboard all through an entertaining first half. The Bantry lead was down to two points by the 20th minute when Cronin struck for his second goal, following a good save by Bandon goalkeeper Oisín Doyle.

Bantry Blues' Jack Sheedy is stopped by Bandon's Sean Ahern during the big game.

Bantry led 2-5 to 0-5 at the break, and when they stretched it to eight points shortly after the restart, the cup certainly looked destined for the harbour town. However, Bandon rallied. They rattled home 1-2 without reply, the goal coming in the 39th minute from a Cathal Lynch penalty. Again, that single goal stood between the sides, 2-7 to 1-7, but Bantry regained the initiative, despite Bandon setting up a tense finish after scoring a late goal.

‘That was a really tough battle, a real test for the lads, but the lads never panicked and came back well in the last quarter,’ said Bantry manager Ger O’Brien.

‘We needed this one, our first U21 win in ten years and a good boost following the intermediate defeat. Some of these lads were playing that day and have put in a lot of work. The side is very young, only two overage next season, so, hopefully we’ll build on this and take it from here. A great way to finish a long season.’

The going was understandably heavy but the sides started this game at a blistering pace, especially the Blues for whom the Sheedy brothers, Jack and Darragh, and Paddy Cronin were outstanding in attack, while Bandon corner forward Jake Lillis had the beating of the Bantry backline whenever he got the ball.

Bantry Blues' Luke Salter-Townshend in possession held by Bandon's Jack Cullinane during the Clona Milk U21 B1 FC final at Dunmanway on Sunday.

Following Cronin’s first-minute goal, Bandon responded with points from Lillis and Charlie Long (free). Cronin had Bantry’s first point and Bandon were unlucky when Lillis saw his effort rebound off the butt of the upright.

The talented Jack Sheedy kicked a pair of class points and the strong Charlie Long responded for Bandon. It was 1-3 to 0-3 at the end of a lively first quarter, and when Long kicked two frees to sandwich a Darragh Sheedy point, the gap was down to two. Cronin’s second goal in the 21st minute opened a gap of five points. The unstoppable Sheedy finished the half with his third point to leave the Blues leading by 2-5 to 0-5 at the break. Killian O’Brien, Mark Óg O’Sullivan, John Crowley, Patrick Goggin and Darragh McCarthy were others to shine for the winners in that half.

Don Desmond secretary of the SW Board presents the trophy to Patrick Goggin captain of the Bantry Blues team that defeated Bandon in the Clona Milk U21 B1 FC final at Dunmanway on Sunday.

Points from Darragh Sheedy and Paddy Cronin (free) had the Bantry supporters singing in the large crowd early in the second half as they looked set to cruise to the finish line.However, Bandon had other ideas and with their strong midfielders, Cathal Lynch and Tim Twohig, grabbing control at midfield, they launched a determined offensive on the Bantry goal. Under pressure, a Bantry defender picked the ball off the ground in the small parallelogram in the 39th minute and the resulting penalty was lashed to the net by Cathal Lynch. Tim Twohig followed with a point and when Long pointed a free, Bandon were within a goal of the Blues. It was game on again as the last quarter began.

It was Bantry who began to show the better pace and skill at that critical juncture of the game and with young Darragh Sheedy playing a leader’s role in both attack and defence, they steadied the ship and struck two vital points, Cronin and Jack Sheedy obliging.

Bandon did come again, Tim Twohig scoring a controversial late goal, but it was Bantry who were celebrating their first U21 title in ten years when Don Desmond, secretary of the Carbery Board, presented the cup to winning captain, Patrick Goggin.

Scorers

Bantry Blues: Paddy Cronin 2-3 (2f); Jack Sheedy 0-4; Darragh Sheedy 0-2.

Bandon: Charlie Long 0-5 (4f); Tim Twohig 1-1; Cathal Lynch 1-0 (1-0 pen);  Jake Lillis 0-1.

Bantry Blues: Ben Clancy; Ruairí O’Shea, Conor Cronin, Killian O’Brien; John Crowley, Mark Óg O’Sullivan, Patrick Goggin; Darragh McCarthy, Daithi Shiels; Jack Sheedy, Darragh Sheedy, Luke Salter-Townsend; Paddy Cronin, Noel Cronin, Ted Wiseman.

Subs: Conor O’Callaghan for N Cronin (40), Michael O’Donovan for P Goggin (52), Fionn Barry for J Crowley (56), Chris Cronin for K O’Brien (58), James Crowley for T Wiseman (59).

Bandon: Oisín Doyle; Ralph O’Mahony, Eamonn Twomey, Oisín O’Mahony; Seán Ahern, Conor Twomey, Danny Crowley; Cathal Lynch, Tim Twohig; Rory Desmond, Charlie Long, Jack Cullinane; Jake Lillis, Daithi Collis, Jack Callinan.

Subs: Cian Burke for R O’Mahony, Kevin O’Hannon for O O’Mahony, Darragh Collins for J Lillis, Stephen Collins for R Desmond.

Referee: Connie Murphy (Kilmeen).