Rockchapel 0-17

Bantry Blues 1-12

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

BANTRY BLUES’ failure to convert several gilt-edged goal chances proved costly as Rockchapel claimed victory in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier Intermediate Football Championship at Cill na Martra on Saturday.

Bantry will reflect on this group opener as a missed opportunity, as they have handed themselves a tough assignment next time out against Uibh Laoire.

As early as the opening minutes, Conor Cronin set up Mark Óg O’Sullivan for a goal opportunity, but Conor Casey produced the first of a string of fine saves to deny Bantry.

The lack of finishing was not lost on Bantry manager Shane O’Neill, who gave an honest assessment of his side’s lack of finishing in front of goal.

‘To lose it by two points is very disappointing. We controlled it there in the first half and we weren’t clinical enough when we got into the shooting zone,’ he said.

‘We could have had a couple of goals there in the first half, which would have given us a great platform in the second half.

‘Maybe the wind was a factor for the outside shots, but close in we could have raised a couple of green flags, for sure.’

The early O’Sullivan opportunity set the tone, and three wides in as many minutes during the opening stages eventually allowed the opposition to open the scoring. However, Bantry bounced back and led 0-3 to 0-1 after ten minutes, with Ruairi Deane (2) and Arthur Coakley on target.

Ronan O’Mahony marshalled his defence, but the Duhallow men were beginning to find the range and levelled proceedings on 23 minutes.

Deane and Shane McSweeney combined two minutes later to set up Jack O’Neill for a goal chance, but Casey produced a superb save.

Rockchapel regained the initiative on 26 minutes, as Cronin failed to make use of another goal-scoring opportunity, but McSweeney levelled the contest a minute later.

However, a late score from Mikey McAuliffe gave the North Cork side the advantage at the interval, leading 0-5 to 0-4.

Bantry were first out of the traps after the break as Owen O’Neill found the back of the net. Another green flag almost followed immediately, but Arthur Coakley saw his shot saved.

The resulting 45 was sent over by Coakley. Additional scores from either side left the score at 1-6 to 0-6 on 35 minutes before Kevin Casey received a black card.

Despite Ruairi Deane matching a two-point score from the opposition, the black card seemed to hand Rockchapel the initiative as they claimed the next six scores. O’Neill had a goal ruled out for a square ball on 49 minutes.

Indeed, it was 56 minutes before Bantry managed their next score, leaving 0-14 to 1-9 between the sides.

Two scores from Coakley (2pt) and O’Neill were not enough to bridge the gap, as their opponents added three points of their own.

Scorers 

Rockchapel: J McAuliffe, M McAuliffe 0-3 each; C Casey (tpf), C Curtin (2f), J Curtin, S Hickey, S Walsh 0-2 each; P Curtin 0-1 each.

Bantry Blues: A Coakley 0-5 (2ptf, 1f, 1 45); O O’Neill 1-1; R Deane 0-3 (2ptf, 1f); D McCarthy, K Casey, S McSweeney 0-1 each.

Rockchapel: C Casey; B Carroll, E O’Callaghan, P Curtin; J O’Callaghan, S Curtin, M O’Keeffe; E Murphy, C Curtin; J Curtin, S Hickey, F Murphy; A Carroll, M McAuliffe, J McAuliffe.

Subs: J Walsh for A Carroll and D Lenihan for F Murphy (both 39), D Carroll for M McAuliffe (55).

Bantry Blues: B Clancy; C O’Brien; R O’Mahony, T Cronin; D McCarthy, M Óg O’Sullivan, C Cronin; J O’Neill, K Casey; B Sheehan, R Deane, K Coakley; A Coakley, S McSweeney, O O’Neill.

Subs: S O’Leary for B Sheehan (45), P Cronin for S McSweeney (53).

Referee: P O’Leary (Casletownbere).