Bantry Blues 2-13
Nemo Rangers 1-11
TOM LYONS REPORTS
THERE was heartbreak for Bantry Blues in the county premier intermediate football championship in Rosscarbery on Saturday.
Facing the final group game with zero points from the opening two rounds, Bantry faced a relegation play-off but were still in a position to qualify for the play-offs.
Giving their best performance of the championship, and courtesy of two lightning goals in 75 seconds after the break, Bantry had one hand on the qualifying place with five minutes remaining.
Then the bubble burst, as Nemo struck for a goal and a two-pointer that snatched the qualifying spot out of the Blues’ grasp. In the dying seconds, Bantry came within inches of grabbing a goal that would have put them through.
As the final whistle sounded, phones were being scanned all around to see how other games had finished, who had won through to the play-offs, and who was doomed to a relegation play-off.
In the end, it was Aghada – on points scored after they shared the same scoring difference with Nemo – who pipped both Nemo and Bantry to the runner-up spot in the group behind Aghabullogue. While Bantry were safe from relegation, it was little comfort to a visibly upset Bantry manager Mark O’Donovan.
‘We came here looking for qualification to the play-offs, not a thought of relegation,’ said O’Donovan.
‘Those three goals against Aghada in the last ten minutes in round two have really come back to haunt us now. The lads were super today. We’ll regroup, look at what happened, and start planning for next season.’
Indeed, what could one say as the Blues gave everything against Nemo, left nothing on the pitch. They might have done better on the scoreboard in the opening half, with only four points to show, against seven for Nemo.
The lively Dara Sheedy, dangerous Arthur Coakley (two), and hard-working Seánie O’Leary found the target for Bantry while former Cork player Barry O’Driscoll (three), Liam Healy (free) and Oisín Whyte raised white flags for the city men, who also had a vital two-pointer from Healy. It was 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time, Bantry looking a relegation play-off in the face.
Whatever was said to the Blues at the break worked because within two minutes of the restart, they had found the Nemo net twice.
The introduction of the injured Ruairí Deane at half-time seemed to inspire the Blues. He combined with Seánie O’Leary to set up Arthur Coakley for the first goal. One minute later, Paddy Cronin was celebrating after finishing off a Mark Óg O’Sullivan pass.
The large Bantry support was really cheering now but Nemo refused to buckle as they struck back with two frees from Conor O’Donovan and Barry O’Driscoll.
An Arthur Coakley free saw Bantry leading by 2-5 to 0-9 at the three-quarter stage, still not enough to give them a play-off place. But Bantry kicked six unanswered points in the last quarter from Coakley (3), Dara McCarthy, and a great two-pointer from Dara Sheedy.
This put the Blues eight points in front, 2-11 to 0-9, with only six minutes remaining, the qualifying place in their grasp.
Unfortunately, they failed to press home their advantage in those closing minutes and Nemo lifted themselves off the floor. It was a disaster for the Blues when Tim O’Brien finished a Nemo attack to the net in the 55th minute. When Conor Shalloe kicked a vital two-pointer, the qualifying place had migrated from Bantry to Cork city.
Bantry did their level best to win it back, with Dara Sheedy and Arthur Coakley (free) kicking late points, but it was too little, too late as the last missed goal chance was the clincher.
The match was won, relegation avoided but that was of little consolation to the heartbroken Blues as qualification slipped from their grasp. As manager O’Donovan stated, the real damage was done in an earlier round of the championship.
OUR STAR: Dara Sheedy, Seánie O’Leary, and Ruairí Deane from Bantry Blues stood out but Arthur Coakley was the player who nearly did it for Bantry with a haul of 1-7.
Scorers
Bantry Blues: Arthur Coakley 1-7 (4f); Dara Sheedy 0-4 (1 2pt); Paddy Cronin 1-0; Seán O’Leary, Dara McCarthy 0-1 each.
Nemo Rangers: Barry O’Driscoll 0-4 (2f); Tim O’Brien 1-0; Liam Healy 0-3 (2pt); Conor Shalloe 0-2 (2pt); Oisín Whyte, Conor O’Donovan (1f) 0-1 each.
Bantry Blues: Shane Murray; Seth Thornton, Billy Foley, Conor Cronin; Eoghan O’Shea, Kevin Coakley, Mark Óg O’Sullivan; Ronan O’Mahony, Seánie O’Leary; Eoghan Minihane, Kevin Casey, Jack Sheedy; Dara Sheedy, Arthur Coakley, Paddy Cronin.
Subs: Ruairí Deane for E Minihane (ht), Cillian O’Brien for B Foley (40), Dara McCarthy for J Sheedy (42), David Daly for P Cronin (51), Shane Keevers for E O’Shea (56).
Nemo Rangers: Joe Lyons; Dan Quinn, Charlie Coughlan, Tim O’Brien; Neville Ó Sé, Conor Shalloe, Callum O’Neill; Dave Coughlan, Billy O’Neill; Shane Burke, Barry O’Driscoll, Oisín Whyte; Alan Cronin, Conor O’Donovan, Liam Healy.
Subs: Conor Yellend for L Healy (40), Fiachra Twohig for B O’Driscoll (42), Rory Hogan for D Coughlan (51), Eoin Kelly for S Burke (51).
Referee: John Enright (Glengarriff).
