Castlehaven 1-8
IT WAS hard to believe that Bantry came within one magnificent save of losing this cracking U21 A football final in Aughaville on Sunday afternoon last.
Shrugging off the tag of underdogs and trying to bridge a fifteen-year gap since they last lifted the title, Bantry took control of this game from the first whistle. Despite a delay of almost an hour while the Haven’s Niall O’Leary was being treated for a neck injury, Bantry refused to be ruffled and led by four points at the break.
They faced the strong breeze in the second half but with their midfield pairing of county U21 player, Rory Deane, and Mark Delaney, dictating terms and their lively attack looking much more dangerous than the opposition, the Blues continued to control matters and led by six points at the three-quarter stage.
The Haven did up their disappointing challenge in the last quarter as they cut the lead to four points with three minutes left on the clock. There seemed little danger to the Blues at that stage as they had succeeded admirably in curtailing the threat from the Haven’s main attacker, Brian Hurley, who managed only a single point from play throughout the hour.
However, there’s many a slip between cup and lip, and Damian Cahalane, very subdued on the day, put the cat among the pigeons when he struck for goal in the 30th minute. Now only a single point separated the sides and it looked like the Haven, doughty battlers but hardly deserving of a draw, were about to escape with just that.
A Haven free 45m out on the left wing gave Brian Hurley the chance to level the game but his effort went narrowly wide. It was into injury time when Bantry conjured up a great point from sub, Shane Delaney, to open up a two-point gap.
The Haven now needed a goal as the final seconds ticked away and they very nearly got it. A fast attack saw sub, Darren Collins, let fly on the ground from 10m out and it took a magnificent save at the butt of the upright by Bantry goalie David Casey, to prevent a goal. It was that close as the final whistle blew on the kick-out but it would have been a travesty of justice had Bantry lost this game.
Grabbed control
From the throw-in Bantry grabbed control of this final with Deane and Delaney rampant at midfield. Up front, although ace forward David Power was quieter than usual, Joe Murphy was the main man with four points to his credit, while Gearóid Hurley and Gavin O’Shea were also causing problems. The tactic of playing a two-man full forward line, with full forward Tadhg Downey acting as an extra defender to cut off the supply of ball to Brian Hurley, worked very well for the winners.
Points from Murphy, O’Shea and Deane had the Blues three points in front before the game was stopped in the tenth minute for an injury to Niall O’Leary, Castlehaven, and the break lasted almost an hour as the player couldn’t be moved until the ambulance arrived. Thankfully, reports are positive on his condition.
When the game resumed the Haven seemed in a much more determined mood and had their first point from a Brian Hurley free. Play was much more even now with Michael Dineen and Jack Nolan finally coming to grips with Bantry’s powerful midfield.
The Blues still looked more dangerous in attack and points from Cathal Power and Delaney opened up a four-point lead. Eoin Dennehy, the liveliest of the Haven attack, swapped points with Deane and when Hurley pointed his second free, the Haven were only three points in arrears despite limited possession.
The Haven moved Brian Hurley to centre forward in an effort to get him into the game but it still wasn’t happening for the U21 county star as full back, Donagh O’Sullivan, did a fine marking job. When Joe Murphy, free, and Gearóid Hurley pointed, the Blues were five to the good and worth every point but the Haven got a boost just before the break when Hurley pointed his third free.
It was 0-8 to 0-4 at the break and despite playing second fiddle for most of that long, drawn-out half, the Haven were still well in contention as they had the advantage of the strong breeze in the second half.
Six-point gap
When Brian Hurley kicked his only point from play in the 33rd minute, it seemed the Haven would drive on but the opposite was the case as it was again Bantry who gained control.
With Donagh O’Sullivan, Tadhg Downey, Cathal Power and Connie O’Leary doing great work in defence Bantry kicked the next three points from Gearóid Hurley, Rory Deane and Joe Murphy to open up a six-point gap, 0-11 to 0-5, at the three-quarter stage.
At that stage it looked like a decisive victory for the Blues but the Haven never die easily, and with Cahalane finally asserting himself and good work from Dineen, John O’Regan, Bobby Nolan, Hurley and Eoin Dennehy, the Hoops began to battle back. Mike Dineen and Darragh O’Mahony kicked points to close the gap to four with eight minutes remaining but the impressive Joe Murphy answered with a Blues’ point.
Five points to the good with three minutes left on the clock, Bantry seemed to have done enough to win their first title in fifteen years but then came the hectic finish as a Hurley free cut the gap to four and the Haven very nearly snatched the cup from the Blues, so it was a relieved and delighted Bantry camp that celebrated a great win afterwards.
There were tremendous scenes of delight as the Liam Farr Cup was presented to outstanding captain, Mark Delaney, by Bantry chairman, Patjoe Connolly, treasurer of the SW Board.
The best wishes of all GAA people go to Niall O’Leary, Castlehaven’s injured player, on a swift recovery.
Referee: David Whyte, St Mary’s.
Scorers — Bantry Blues: Joe Murphy 0-4, 0-1 free, Rory Deane 0-3, Gearóid Hurley 0-2, Mark Delaney, Gavin O’Shea, Cathal Power and Shane Delaney 0-1 each. Castlehaven: Brian Hurley 0-5, 0-4 frees, Damian Cahalane 1-0, Michael Dineen, Darragh O’Mahony and Eoin Dennehy 0-1 each.
Bantry Blues: David Casey, Connie O’Leary, Donagh O’Sullivan, Shane Edgeworth, Cathal Power, Colm O’Sullivan, Timmy O’Brien, Mark Delaney, Rory Deane, Gavin O’Shea, Alan Keane, Gearóid Hurley, Joe Murphy, Tadhg Downey, David Power. Subs: Shane Delaney, David Daly and Kieran Darcy.
Castlehaven: Brian O’Donoghue, John O’Regan, Stephen Collins, Adam Davis, Darragh Leonard, Bobby Nolan, Damien Cahalane, Michael Dineen, Jack Nolan, Darragh O’Mahony, Patrick O’Brien, Darragh Cahalane, Niall O’Leary, Brian Hurley, Eoin Dennehy. Subs used: Darren Collins, Jonathan Burns.