Bantry Blues 0-10 Dohenys 0-7

Referee Jeremiah Harrington was not the most popular man in Dunmanway, last Saturday, after Dohenys had lost by three points to Bantry Blues, at Rossa Park, Skibbereen, in the senior football championship replay. In the twentieth minute of the game, Kevin Murray caught the Blues defence flatfooted and tore through for what looked like the perfect goal but the goal was not allowed and the resultant free, which was converted for a point, was poor consolation - in effect, Dohenys were penalised. Murray was touched by a defender on the way in but he seemed certain to score anyway. We don't write this introduction as a criticism of the ref, they have problems enough, God knows, but the decision could well have had a bearing on the subsequent result.

Credit to Bantry, however, they are great survivors, they came back from the brink in the drawn game and took the best that Dohenys could throw at them in the last ten minutes in the replay. At that stage, Bantry defenders stuck like limpets after being a little indecisive early on and some Doheny efforts for 'near goals' were denied while 'fairly sure' points were scorned. Overall, this was a backs game - we saw much more brilliant forward play in the drawn game and the game was something of an anti-climax after the champagne fare of Sunday week. Both sides had the same number of wides, six each. Dohenys did not fail because of inaccuracy, but pure bad finishing in good build-ups and, again, it was experience that stood to Bantry Blues in a game that brought a good crowd again to the venue on an ideal evening for football.

Over the hour, Dohenys played slightly more ball in the Bantry half than their opponents did in theirs, but it was David Nyhan in the centre forward position who posed any real threat in the scoring stakes. Bantry Blues again kept their heads under pressure and, with greater economy of effort, powered their way to a deserved victory. Bantry Blues are now in the third round while Dohenys still have another chance to advance when they meet Carbery in the second round.

The two games against Bantry will have brought them on a lot and if they could add some little more power in attack are capable of beating anything the division can put out but Carbery teams are unpredictable. It took Bantry a long time to get going in the first half but around midway they asserted themselves more to lead 0-3 to 0-1, but Dohenys narrowed the gap before the break to one point, 0-3 to 0-4, very poor scoring from both sides. Bantry had the best of the third quarter and went into a four point lead and seemed likely to coast to victory, but Dohenys dug deep and battled away with a will, but with little purpose, as both sides added points in the last quarter, though there was one very near chance of a goal but there was no one at hand to finish off the move.

Still, make no mistake, Dohenys did much better than most people anticipated and the spirit of the green and white is still vibrant, but there is no gainsaying that the laurels rest where they belong. Bantry had a few changes from the drawn game. Though lining out at corner-back, Tim O'Mahony moved to full back and Mark O'Connor moved to centre back where he was more at home than in the confines of the square, but the move was not to prove really successful until the closing stages as they withstood great pressure. Eamonn McCarthy did very well in the left corner and Graham Canty and Eric Sheehan did Trojan work in the half back line.

At centrefield, Damien O'Neill seems to be edging back to his best form and we saw some exhibitions of his silken skill. Paul O'Rourke played a lot of ball. Stephen Dineen, at centre-forward, did not look like scoring much but his point near the end was a real gem and was vital to the result at that stage. Gerdie Barry also figured well, but Philip Clifford had a quiet game by his high standards. Jeremy Canty and Declan O'Shea were always a danger around the goal area. Michael O'Donovan had a great game for Dohenys at left half back and kept a tight rein on Philip Clifford and Paudie Murray was again a tower of strength at full back and Patrick Connolly and Denis Lyons in the half back line kept their end up well. Michael Farr, as ever, did a fine job at centrefield.

In the attack, David Nyhan at centre forward was the most serious threat once again to the Bantry defence and got five of his side's seven points, three from frees. He got a particularly brilliant point from play in the second half after a great run and if there was a suitable lay-off, it could well have been a goal. At full forward, Kevin Murray always posed danger and with a little luck, could have achieved more. It was a sporting game all things considered and the inevitable tension of a replay and both sides have reason enough to hope for better before the year is out, but for now it is Bantry clear ahead in the title race.

John Collins had the first point for Dohenys but the next three points were for Bantry per Philip Clifford (2) frees, and Eamonn McCarthy out from his full back line to sore. Then David Nyhan had a point from a free, Paul O'Rourke had a Bantry point, then David Nyhan again from a free, then Kevin Murray for Dohenys to make it 0-4 to 0-3 for Bantry. Jeremy Canty had a Bantry point, then David Nyhan for Dohenys. Bantry had three points from Jeremy Canty, Declan O'Shea and Damien O'Neill.

David Nyhan had a Dohenys point. Declan O'Shea hit back with a point from a free, then it was David Nyhan again, then Stephen Dineen's fine point and the last to score was David Nyhan from a free for Dohenys.

Bantry Blues: P. Clifford 0-3 (0-2 frees), D. O'Shea 0-2 (0-1 free), E. McCarthy, J. Canty, P. O'Rourke, D. O'Neill and S. Dineen 0-1 each. Dohenys: D. Nyhan 0-5 (0-3 frees), K. Murray and J. Collins 0-1 each.

Bantry Blues: Des McAuley, Timmy O'Mahony, Mark O'Connor, Eamon McCarthy, Graham Canty, Niall Twomey, Eric Sheehan, Damien O'Neill, Paul O'Rourke, Sean McCarthy, Stephen Dineen, Gerdie Barry, Philip Clifford, Jeremy Canty, Declan O'Shea and sub, Padraig Healy for S. McCarthy.

Dohenys: Darragh Farr, Fachtna McCarthy, Paudie Murray, Michael O'Donovan, Patrick Connolly, Denis Lyons, Conor Collins, Michael Farr, Padraigh Hurley, Pat Collins, David Nyhan, Donal O'Sullivan, John Collins, Kevin Murray, Noel Collins and subs, Paul Deane for Hurley, Stephen Collins for J. Collins and Sean Farr for J. Collins. Referee was Jeremiah Harrington, Carrigaline