Bantry hold off brave Clyda fightback to squeak home

Bantry Blues 1-13
Clyda Rovers 0-15
By Brendan Larkin
AFTER the disappointment of the county senior team in this year’s championship, Cork needed a good football match to get the game back on track and they certainly got it in this rousing TSB SFC tie at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.

Bantry had to pull out all the stops to get the better of a dogged Clyda Rovers who deserved something out of the game, if only for their refusal to lie down after the West Cork side stormed into a five point lead with 12 minutes to go playing against the wind.

This was a marvellous contest played with tremendous passion and no little skill. Unfortunately for the Blues their victory was at enormous expense as they lost centre back Andy O’Shea with a suspected broken leg late in the first half which will keep him out of action for the rest of the season.

Yet again Damien O’Neill was hugely influential at midfield, where he got tremendous assistance from Graham Canty. It would be fair to say in the high fielding stakes Canty outshone O’Neill for once.

Up front the excellent free taking by Jeremy Canty was crucial to the Blues win while Philip Clifford showed a greater appetite for work and took his goal as only he can, racing clear before unleashing a powerful kick into the roof of the Clyda net after 18 minutes.

Timmy O’Mahony, Padraig O’Regan, Niall Twomey and Eric Sheehan also make big contributions to Bantry’s victory, which unfortunately for them was overshadowed by the injury to their centre back Andy O’Shea. Clyda will be disappointed at not getting a draw at least from this contest.

Twice they found themselves four points in arrears but, renowned for their battling qualities, they pulled that deficit down only for time to eventually run out on them.

Indeed their sheer persistence looked to have earned them what would have been a shock result when full back Brendan Walsh, fisted home Paul Holland’s cross but he was adjudged to be in the square before the ball came and the goal was rightly disallowed.

However, the Mourneabbey side lost no face in this defeat. Indeed they won many admirers with their excellent style of football and never-say-die attitude that should be a lesson to others.

They had outstanding players in Brendan Walsh, Niall Mullane, Cormac O’Sullivan, Fergal Dorgan and Johnny Walsh while Paul Holland’s contribution of eight points from placed ball showed just how invaluable a good freetaker is to a team.

Bantry had the advantage of the strong wind in the opening half, but it was Clyda who started better and were well worth their 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes with Fergal Dorgan involved in three of those points.

However, Damien O’Neill’s midfield influence was very apparent and using the long ball to great effect, the Blues were level at the end of the first quarter before O’Neill’s long delivery was misjudged by the Clyda defence which let Philip Clifford a clear run on goal and he made no mistake from close range.

Unfortunately Bantry’s rhythm was clearly upset by the injury to Andy O’Shea which happened shortly after their goal, and when play resumed five minutes later, Clyda took full advantage of the added time to score three points without replay to leave the sides deadlocked on 1-6 to 0-9 at the break.

Bantry took up the running on the change over and three points in a row with Damien O’Neill involved in all three, put them 1-9 to 0-9 in front and they went five in front by the end of the third quarter as Clyda turned the ball over through careless short passing in defence which ended in scores for the Blues.

However, the North Cork side refused to panic, and urged on by their huge following, they laid siege to the Bantry goal for the last 10 minutes scoring four points without replay.

As the tension became unbearable, Clyda kicked three wides in a row and had Brendan Walsh’s goal ruled out before time finally ran out.

Scorers — Bantry: J. Canty 0-5 (0-4 frees); P. Clifford 1-1; P. O’Rourke 0-2; S. McCarthy, D. O’Neill, D. Barron, P. Canty, G. Canty 0-1 each.

Clyda Rovers: P. Holland 0-9 (0-8 frees); J. Walsh 0-2; N. Mullane, F. Dorgan, D. O’Brien, C. O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

BANTRY BLUES: A. Farrelly, E. McCarthy, T. O’Mahony, N. Twomey, G. Barry, A. O’Shea, P. O’Regan; D. O’Neill, G. Canty, P. O’Rourke, S. McCarthy, E. Sheehan; D. Barron, P. Clifford, J. Canty. Sub. P. Cremin for O’Shea.

CLYDA ROVERS: D. Fitzgerald; T. Walsh, B. Walsh, A. Carey; N. Mullane, M. O’Shea, D. Cronin; C. O’Sullivan, P. Kissane, P. Holland, T. McGlinchey, F. Dorgan, P. Mullane, D. O’Brien, J. Walsh. Subs: D. O’Shea for McGlinchey; K. Cronin for O’Brien.

Referee: D. Linehan (Nemo Rangers).