Heartbreak for brave Bantry Blues in U16 county final

BANTRY Blues’ hopes of winning a Cork LGFA U16 county championship title were dashed by Douglas recently.

The West Cork club qualified for this year’s Cork U16D final following a 4-16 to 1-4 quarter-final defeat of Knocknagree. That win preceded an equally impressive 3-8 to 2-4 victory over Ibane Ladies in the penultimate round.

Bantry’s opponents, Douglas, were firm favourites heading into last weekend’s U16D decider. That tag was merited on the back of a high-scoring county semi-final victory ( 5-13 to 4-14) over Donoughmore.

The city club got off to the perfect start and led 1-1 to 0-0 inside the second minute of Saturday’s final on Bishopstown’s 4G pitch. A rampant Douglas burst through for three additional goals to end a dominant opening half 4-8 to 1-3 in front.

Admirably, Bantry Blues fought back in the second period but had left themselves with too big a mountain to climb.

Douglas ran out 6-16 to 1-9 winners despite a gallant Bantry effort. Aoidhe Murphy netted the West Cork side’s solitary goal on an afternoon Aoife Kingston kicked all six of the Blues’ points. Bantry’s standout players included Cliodhna O’Shea, Ruby O’Sullivan and Aoife Kingston.

‘Today really was not our day,’ Bantry Blues manager Ivan Kingston told The Southern Star.

‘To be fair to Douglas, they were the better team on the day. Our girls never stopped trying right up until the end. I couldn’t be prouder of them.’

Bantry Blues: Ella Foley, Keelyn O’Connor, Anna O’Brien, Lucy Harrington, Ruby O’Sullivan, Cliodhna O’Shea, Faye Hurley, Meadhbh Sammon (captain), Molly O’Sullivan, Katie Russell, Aoife Kingston, Aoidhe Murphy, Ciara Kelly, Emma Kelly, Lauren Connell, Emma Barry, Riona Harrington, Leah Cotter, Caoimhe McCarthy, Ava Clancy.