'Brilliant day' for Uibh Laoire with victory over 'proper' Bantry
Bantry Blues' Ruairi Deane is tackled by Uibh Laoire's Barry O'Leary. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Uibh Laoire knocked Bantry Blues out of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC following a fractious quarter-final at St. Colum’s GAA grounds in Kealkill on Saturday.
The Inchigeelagh club ended a run of two consecutive Premier IFC losses to the Carbery outfit and, more importantly, setup a mouth watering last-four encounter with Killshannig.
“It was an unbelievable battle but we are delighted to be there (semi-finals) now,” Uibh Laoire manager Barry Oldham said.
“Sure we know that coming down the road today. This is their back yard so to beat them here is fantastic. It is a brilliant day for the club.
“This is the first time we have beaten a ‘proper’, established, premier intermediate team, no disrespect to the other teams we have played. It is time Iveleary did it because Bantry had beaten us twice and Cill na Martra last year.”
A dissappointing quarter-final, blighted by far too many yellow cards and petty fouls, only came to life in the second period when Uibh Laoire punished defensive errors and netted three goals to qualify for the penultimate round of the championship.
A poor first half saw the eventual winners lead 0-6 to 0-3 despite losing centre back Sean O’Leary to a nasty ankle injury.
Chris Óg Jones caused Bantry issues whenever in possession but it was Barry Oldham’s side’s defence that shone. Uibh Laoire held the Blues scoreless from open play during the entire first half.
The intensity ratcheted up in the second half, as did the foul count but at 0-7 apiece, it was anyone’s game.
Then, two goals in as many minutes decided the outcome. First, Chris Óg Jones forced the ball over the line from close range prior to the Cork senior setting up full back Daniel O’Riordan to palm into an empty net.
A succession of points, amid multiple stoppages, petty fouling and yellow cards, saw Uibh Laoire lead 2-9 to 0-9 with 10 minutes to go.
The Inchigeela side moved seven clear once Timmy Roberts punished another Bantry turnover prior to two Arthur Coakley frees reducing the deficit.
Any faint hopes of a Bantry comeback were extinguished close to the end. The west Cork club was guilty of coughing up possession and Chris Óg Jones galloped clear.
With his Cork senior manager John Cleary watching on, Óg Jones made no mistake to take his personal total to 2-4 and rubber-stamp a hard earned Uibh Laoire win.
The closing minutes were blighted by a series of flare-ups and fouls before Bantry’s Conor Cronin was sent to the line.
Kilshannig stand in the Gaeltacht club’s way of qualifying for a Premier IFC county final just three years after capturing the Intermediate AFC trophy.
C Óg Jones 2-4 (1f), D O’Rioran 1-0, I Jones 0-3 (1m), T Roberts 0-2, B O’Leary 0-1.
A Coakley 0-8 (7f), R Deane 0-4 (3f), K Casey 0-1.
J Creedon; B Murphy, D O’Riordan, C Galvin; K Manning, C O’Riordan, S O’Riordan; T Roberts, C O’Leary; A O’Donovan, B Cronin, B O’Leary; S O’Leary (captain), C Óg Jones, I Jones.
D O’Donovan for S O’Leary (11, inj), S Pickering for B O’Leary (47), K Jones for B Cronin (53, inj), C Vaughan for I Jones (59).
M Casey; S Thornton, R O’Mahony, C Cronin; M Óg O’Sullivan, B Foley, E Minihane; S O’Leary, K Coakley; S Keevers, R Deane, D McCarthy; A Coakley (captain), K Casey, J Casey.
J Sheedy for J Casey (ht), E O’Shea for S Thornton (47), D Daly for K Coakley (47), P Cronin for R O’Mahony (47).
John Enright (Glengarriff).
A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
