Jeremy Canty saves day for Bantry Blues

Overplaying foils Dohenys chances

Bantry Blues 1-10 Dohenys 1-10

In an absorbing first round senior football championship game at Rossa Park, Skibbereen, last Sunday evening, a great last seconds' point by Jeremy Canty saved the day for Bantry Blues and so the teams must meet again. The teams swapped scores in the first half and were level at the break, but Dohenys went into the lead by a point just after the restart, but thereafter came their worst spell with the Blues being inspired by a fine goal by Philip Clifford and at the three-quarter stage, Dohenys had fallen five points behind. That was the high water mark for Bantry.

Ten minutes from time, Dohenys got a fine opportunist goal from full-forward Kevin Murray and thereafter they came at Bantry in waves but an amount of overplaying in front of the goal was nearly their undoing. Pressure told, however, and the teams were level with time running out and it was on the dot of the hour when the same Kevin Murray put them into the lead and it appeared that they could not be caught. It was a couple of minutes over the hour when Jeremy Canty became the Bantry saviour, with a point resulting from a movement initiated by Damien O'Neill.

The under-21 success of Dohenys has rubbed off on this senior team and they were not intimidated by playing against a team, five of whom have played senior for Cork and we will hear of those Dohenys lads in the near future. It was experience that saved Bantry last Sunday, keeping their heads when the Blues' house seemed to be falling around them and they know they can't afford to be complacent the next day. They were lucky last Sunday to draw, but forewarned is forearmed and, despite the excellence of Dohenys play in the last quarter, the wise men would be inclined to tip Bantry Blues for the replay. The game was played at a very fast pace and Dohenys stuck the pace better, despite the fact that Bantry got the last score. The exchanges were tough and uncompromising but there was never any rancour and if there were any transgressions, it was through excess of zeal rather than animosity.

Des McAuley was again rock solid in the Bantry goal as was Darragh Farr at the other end, the goals that beat them being unstoppable. Timmy O'Mahony, as usual at corner back, stood out for Bantry. Mark O'Connor, at full-back for most of the game, was in control but his concentration lapsed in the closing stages. Graham Canty, at wing-back, was the pick of the defence and maybe man of the match and though Stephen Maloney at centre-back had a tough opponent to mark, he did very well. When it was needed, the skills of Damien O'Neill came to the fore and Paul O'Rourke grafted well, both at centrefield. Philip Clifford again showed his class, getting five of his side's six scores in the first half and got the goal that, at the time, seemed to turn the tide in the second half. Jeremy Canty, by his standards, was quiet enough, but tight marking kept him scoreless until he got the invaluable score at the end.

He could have a bigger influence the next day. Paudie Murray was an excellent full-back for Dohenys and Michael O'Donovan and Denis Lyons, the latter at centre-back, showed their class. Pat Connolly showed well, Michael Farr contributed so much to Dohenys' cause at centrefield as did Padraig Hurley up against a talented and experienced duo. David Nyhan was the marksman supreme at centre-forward from frees, but in his general play he also excelled. To his right, Pat Collins played well and Donal O'Sullivan earned a lot of ball and Kevin Murray, at full-forward, proved his worth in the closing stages, as Dohenys' great effort just failed to earn ultimate triumph. Both teams have more to offer and the replay will be well worth seeing. Dohenys were quickly off the blocks and had two early points, one from a free by David Nyhan and the other from play by Pat Collins.

Philip Clifford replied from Bantry from play. Another point from a free by David Nyhan was answered by Declan O'Shea from play. Then Nyhan and Clifford exchanged points from frees and then Nyhan again from a free. Then came Bantry's best spell with three points from Philip Clifford, two from frees. David Nyhan had the last point of the half for Dohenys from a free to make it 0-6 each at the break. Dohenys re-started well with a point from a free by David Nyhan but they were soon rocked by a penalty goal splendidly taken by Philip Clifford after he himself had been brought down.

Bantry capitalised immediately with three points from Declan O'Shea, sideline, Paul O'Rourke and Philip Clifford again. Dohenys had a point from Donal O'Sullivan and then Kevin Murray's goal ten minutes from time threw the game wide open again, as Bantry began to falter or Dohenys found their feet. David Nyhan got the equaliser from a free and then the lead point by Kevin Murray. Yes, it looked all over but the ref added some time, enough to allow Jeremy Canty to get the leveller. Bantry had nine wides to Dohenys six.

Bantry Blues: P. Clifford 1-6 (1-0 penalty), D. O'Shea, P. Collins, P. O'Rourke, J. Canty 0-1 each. Dohenys: D. Nyhan 0-7 (frees), K. Murray 1-1, P. Collins and D. O'Sullivan 0-1 each.

Bantry Blues: Des McAuley, Timmy O'Mahony, Mark O'Connor, Eamonn McCarthy, Graham Canty, Stephen Moloney, Eric Sheehan, Damien O'Neill, Paul O'Rourke, Sean McCarthy, Stephen Dineen, Padraig Healy, Philip Clifford, Jeremy Canty, Declan O'Shea.

Dohenys: Darragh Farr, Fachtna McCarthy, Paudie Murray, Michael O'Donovan, Patrick Connolly, Denis Lyons, Conor Collins, Michael Farr, Padraig Hurley, Pat Collins, David Nyhan, Donal O'Sullivan, John Collins, Kevin Murray, Cathal Crowley, and sub, Noel Collins for C. Crowley.

The referee was Noel Barrett. It was a good evening for a game and the big crowd enjoyed it even if there were a few near heart attacks near the end.