Bantry Bay are spot-on in U13 cup final

Ardfield 1

Bantry Bay Rovers 1 

(Bantry won 4-1 on pens aet)

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

BANTRY Bay Rovers needed penalties to see off Ardfield’s determined challenge following an absorbing SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys U13 Cup final at Turner’s Cross.

This was a cracking final that began with Paddy Cronin walloping the Ardfield crossbar with a thunderous effort after 12 minutes. The Carrigroe club required a magnificent Darragh Twomey save to prevent Eoghan O’Sullivan from scoring soon after but created plenty chances of their own too with John O’Donovan and Conor Twomey each going close.

Both goalkeepers produced excellent displays throughout the hour, Ardfield’s Darragh Twomey and Bay’s Ciarán O’Sullivan underlining their growing reputations with a string of top class saves. Bbut neither team could unlock their opposing defence, so an entertaining final ended scoreless and required 20 additional minutes of extra time to decide the outcome. The cup final’s first major turning point arrived deep into the second half of extra time when Ardfield’s failure to clear a corner was punished. Paddy Cronin had a superb game and was brought down in a crowded penalty area resulting in the award of a penalty.

Cronin dusted himself down and finished confidently from 12 yards to edge Bay Rovers 1-0 in front. Alas, with victory in sight, the Kealkil side were guilty of mentally switching off and gave away a penalty in the dying embers of extra time. 

Conor Twomey took responsibility for the kick and made no mistake to conclude a superb game 1-1 after an intense extra time period. 

Unfortunately for the Carrigroe side, they struck a post and saw another penalty saved in the ensuing penalty shootout whilst Bantry Bay Rovers converted all four of their efforts to win the 2017 SuperValu U13 Cup trophy.

SuperValu Man of the Match: Bosco Alonso Marterina (Ardfield).

Ardfield: Darragh Twomey, Andrew Kevane, Adrian Whelton, Luke O’Regan, Cormac McCarthy, Killian Eady (captain), Tomás O’Donnabhain, John O’Donovan, Conor Twomey, Anraoi Creedon, Eamonn Hodnett.

Subs: Bosco Alonso, Dennis White, Darrell Foley, Daniel Bennett, Liam Murphy, Cian Hurley.

Bantry Bay Rovers: Ciarán O’Sullivan, Soni Gaffney, Robert Cronin, Alan Kelleher, Darren Harrington (captain), Cillian O’Brien, Paddy Cronin, Eoghan O’Sullivan, Gearoid Cronin, Joey O’Sullivan, Owen O’Neill.

Subs: Kyle O’Leary, John Bryden O’Connell, Sean Power, Marc O’Shea, Ben Horgan, Anthony Juozapavicius, Ronan O’Sullivan, Sean Cronin.

Referee: John Corcoran.