Sadly for them, they lost Philip Clifford with a back injury and he had to be stretchered off. It was a pity for Clifford as he opened the scoring with a great point and was shaping up to have a good match.

Carbery won the toss and elected to play with the wind and should have a goal after just 15 seconds when Vincent O’Brien found himself with just Bantry Keeper to beat but Danny Murray brought off a great save.

The divisional side were lively in the opening minutes and were level after two points when Frank Arundel pointed a close-in free. Two minutes later Bantry lost Clifford and to add to their problems they lost goalkeeper Danny Murray to injury also. But they regrouped and with Graham Canty and Damien O’Neill giving them a grip on midfield, the Blues forged a 0-3 to 0-1 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

After their excellent start, Carbery began to struggle for scores and they went 15 minutes without one, before county minor Colm O’Driscoll pointed twice in quick succession to tie the game for the second time.

However, Canty’s brilliance kept the pressure on the Carbery defence and with Declan Barron scoring freely, the club side led 0-8 to 0-5 approaching half time. The divisional side finally got a point back when substitute Tadgh Deasy kicked a score but they were in trouble as Bantry retired two points to the good and turning to play with the wind.

It was a sorry sight to see Philip Clifford being carried off at the break on a stretcher after the Bantry medics had worked on him for most of the first half. Carbery switched Cathrach Keane to full forward for the second half but with little effect as Kevin Harrington continued to excel at full back for the Blues and with the magnificent Canty orchestrating midfield, they stretched their lead with points by Damien O’Neill and Declan Barron. The signs looked ominous for the divisional side.

In an effort to try and break Canty’s stranglehold on midfield, Carbery moved Tadhg Deasy and Cathrach Keane out but the Cork full back continued to weave his magic, and with Declan Barron sparkling on the 40, from where he kicked three points in a row, Bantry forged 0-13 to 0-7 in front by the end of the third quarter.

There wasn’t the same fluency in Bantry’s play for the remainder of the half but they had done enough to ensure their passage to the last eight. Carbery to their credit finished strongly. Alan O’Connor kicked two points in a row, which might have yielded goals had he kept his kick just a foot lower on each occasion, but there was no disputing Bantry’s victory, which was cemented with a late point by substitute Alex Hamilton.

Scorers: Bantry: D. Barron 0-7 (0-2 frees); P. Clifford, D. O’Neill, D. McGrath, G. Canty (0-1 45) 0-2 each; J. Griffin, D. O’Shea, A. Hamilton 0-1 each. Carbery: F. Arundel 0-3 (frees); C. O’Driscoll, T. Deasy, A. O’Connor 0-2 each; S. Levis, M. Fehilly 0-1 each.

CARBERY: P. Prendergast (Bandon); B. O’Brien (Barryroe), O. Sexton (Kilbrittain), R. Barrett (St. Oliver Plunketts); M. Fehilly (O’Mathunas), S. Levis (Muintir Bhaire), G. O’Sullivan (St. Colums); D. O'Donovan (Kilmacabea), A. O’Connor (St. Colums); F. Arundel (Muintir Bhaire), C. Keane (Newcestown), C. O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaighs); J. O’Connell (Bandon), V. O’Brien (Kilbrittain), B. Kearney (Bandon).

Subs: A. O’Sullivan (Bandon) for G. O’Sullivan; t. Deasy (Tadhg MacCarthaighs) for Kearney.

BANTRY: D. Murray; T. Hurley, K. Harrington, K. Deane; J. Griffin, K. O’Sullivan, R. Hennessy; D. O’Neill, G. Canty; D. McGrath, D. Barron, R. Lynch; D. O’Shea, P. Clifford, J. Canty.

Subs: S. Drummy for Clifford; J. Harrington for Murray; A. Hamilton for Drummy.

Referee: N. Barrett (Carrigtwohill).