Bantry pip injury-hit Kilshannig in semi-final thriller
Kilshannig's Tom Cunningham scores his side's goal against Bantry Blue's during the Bon Secours Cork PIFC semi final at Coachford.
A year after losing the Bon Secours Cork Premier IFC to Kanturk, Bantry Blues are back in the decider after they edged out Kilshannig at Coachford today. Cork star Ruairí Deane was passed fit, and he played his part in a brilliant match that couldn’t be decided until Peter O’Leary’s final whistle.
Bantry’s hearts were in their mouth when Kieran Twomey’s free came back off the post into the path of Jack Twomey, his effort narrowly wide in the last play.
Moments earlier, Bantry Blues were awarded a penalty when skipper Seanie O’Leary was fouled. Paddy Cronin went for goal but his shot came back off the woodwork - when surely a tapover point would have given them insurance.
For a moment, we must pay tribute to the 2022 IAFC winners Kilshannig who were forced to field without their county star and captain Killian O’Hanlon after he got injured last weekend playing hurling.
Seven minutes into this semi-final, Eanna O’Hanlon - who had just scored a marvellous point - pulled up with a similar hamstring injury to his brother Killian.
In the first minute of stoppage, defender Brian Guerin, who was marking Deane, left the field with another leg injury.
As well, Darragh O’Sullivan was unable to start due to injury, but was introduced in the second half.
Despite their ill-luck, you would have to admire their spirited display in a match that went one way, and then the other.
Have to mention too that Bantry Blues goalkeeper Mike Casey went off injured midway through the first half. To give them their dues, as they had several missed goal chances, they had to show a lot of mental strength.
They await Castletownbere or Cill na Martra in the final.
Deane scored a well-taken goal in the fifth minute, but a brace of points either side ensured a strong reply from Kilshannig. The teams were all square after a quarter of an hour, 1-2 to 0-5, following Ciarán O’Sullivan’s point.
Bantry were more clinical as they curled over some lovely points from Deane, Cronin, Kevin Casey and Arthur Coakley to lead 1-6 to 0-6 at the interval.
On the resumption, Kilshannig took the game by the scruff of the neck, kicking 1-2 - the goal from Tom Cunningham amid a goalmouth scramble. Great work too by Eoghan Burke who defended stoutly.
Bantry Blues were on the front foot again, four points without reply, including a brace of frees from Deane, pushed them 1-10 to 1-8 up at the three-quarter mark.
Substitute Conor McMahon then landed Kilshannig’s first point in 15 minutes to reduce the arrears to the minimum.
It was end-to-end stuff.
On the 60 minute mark, O’Leary stretched the advantage to two. A minute later Kilshannig lifted the siege once more through Kieran Twomey, 1-12 to 1-11.
R Deane (1-3, 0-3 frees), A Coakley (0-5, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark), P Cronin (0-2, 0-1 mark), S O’Leary and K Casey (0-1 each).
T Cunningham (1-2, 0-1 free), K Twomey (0-3, 0-1 free), B Curtin, J Twomey, C O’Sullivan, A O’Connell, E O’Hanlon and C McMahon (0-1 each).
M Casey; S Thornton, T Cronin, C O’Brien; J O’Neill, M Óg O’Sullivan, E Minihane; B Foley, D McCarthy; K Casey, S O’Leary (Capt), S Keevers; P Cronin, R Deane, A Coakley.
E O’Donoghue for M Casey (18 inj).
G Creedon; C O’Shea, E Burke (Capt), S O’Connell; B Curtin, B Guerin, M Twomey; J Twomey, C O’Sullivan; A O’Connell, E O’Sullivan, T Cunningham; K Twomey, E O’Hanlon, Diarmuid O’Sullivan.
B Creedon for E O’Hanlon (7 inj), K O’Connell for B Guerin (30+1 inj), C McMahon for Diarmuid O’Sullivan (33), Darragh O’Sullivan for M Twomey (42).
Peter O’Leary (Cloughduv).
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