Uibh Laoire Triumphs Over Bantry Blues 3-18 to 2-12

Uibh Laoire are safely through to the knock-out stages of the McCarthy Insurance PIFC, and they did it with a statement win. Last year’s beaten finalists cut loose in Ballingeary on Saturday, overpowering Bantry Blues in an open, breathless contest that finished 3-18 to 2-12.

They’ve now beaten both Glanmire and Bantry, and a semi-final place is firmly on the table if they can finish the group job. Bantry, by contrast, are in trouble. Two games, two defeats – Rockchapel first, now Uibh Laoire – and the relegation playoffs are looming.

At the heart of it all was Cork forward Chris Óg Jones. He ran the show, hit 1-8, and never let Bantry settle. His brother Ian and the sharp-moving Cathal Vaughan gave him strong support, constantly stretching a Bantry defence that never looked fully comfortable.

Bantry were already under-strength. The absence of Cork’s Dara Sheedy through injury stripped them of a key attacking option, and while his brother Jack and Arthur Coakley battled hard, they were always chasing.

Goals from the off

The game exploded into life inside a minute. Just 40 seconds gone when Bantry struck: Billy Sheehan’s effort was well saved by Joe Creedon, but Coakley pounced on the rebound and buried it. A perfect start for the West Cork men.

Jack Sheedy added a point and Uibh Laoire suddenly trailed by four before they had even drawn breath. They didn’t panic. With three minutes on the clock, Sean O’Leary sliced Bantry open and slipped in Ian Jones, who finished clinically for their first goal.

That settled them. Points from Chris Óg and Vaughan followed, and by the five-minute mark it was already 1-2 apiece.

Uibh Laoire smelled blood. A minute later, Sam Pickering drove through and teed up Chris Óg for their second goal. Bantry hit back through Sheedy, but Pickering answered with a two-point score at the other end to keep the Muskerry men in charge.

The game swung from end to end. Kevin Casey and Ruairí Deane clipped over for Bantry to make it 2-4 to 1-5 after 15 minutes. Chris Óg, now in full flow, knocked over two more to stretch the lead again, only for Sheehan and Coakley to respond.

Then Bantry landed a big punch. With 24 minutes gone, Mark Óg O’Sullivan played a neat one-two with Sean O’Leary and drilled home their second goal. Suddenly Bantry were back in front, 2-7 to 2-6.

Uibh Laoire answered through Chris Óg to level, and Ian Jones nudged them ahead again, but Bantry refused to fold. Coakley, a constant threat, clipped the last score of the half to send the sides in level at 2-8 each. A shoot-out, and very much alive.

Uibh Laoire pull clear

On the restart, Uibh Laoire went up a gear. J Sweeney opened the second-half scoring, and once again Pickering struck with a two-pointer to give them daylight.

Bantry tried to hang on. Coakley and Conor Cronin kept the scoreboard ticking, and with 37 minutes gone Uibh Laoire’s lead was still just two, 2-12 to 2-10.

Then came the turning point. Two minutes later, Vaughan burst through and let fly; his effort took a deflection off a Bantry defender and flew in. Uibh Laoire’s third goal. The gap stretched to 3-12 to 2-10, and the tone of the afternoon changed. From that moment, Bantry were chasing shadows.

They did carve out two lifelines. Both fell to the Coakleys. Arthur went closest, dragging his shot narrowly wide when the goal opened up. Kevin also saw a chance slip past the post. Those misses hurt.

Uibh Laoire were ruthless in response. Two more points from the unerring Chris Óg pushed them further clear. Arthur Coakley and Paddy Cronin did their best to keep Bantry’s total respectable, but the damage was done.

Ian Jones made it 3-16 to 2-12, and fittingly, it was Chris Óg who had the final say. He tapped over the last two points of the game, underlining both his dominance and Uibh Laoire’s authority as they cruised into the knockout stages.

Scorers

• Uibh Laoire: Chris Óg Jones 1-8, Cathal Vaughan 1-3, Ian Jones 1-2, Sam Pickering 0-4 (two 2-pointers), J Sweeney 0-1.
• Bantry Blues: Arthur Coakley 1-4 (0-2f), Mark Óg O’Sullivan 1-0, Jack Sheedy 0-2, O O’Neill, Kevin Casey, Ruairí Deane (f), Billy Sheehan, Paddy Cronin, Conor Cronin 0-1 each.

Teams

• Uibh Laoire: J Creedon; C Galvin, D O’Donovan, D O’Riordan; K Manning, C O’Riordan, S O’Leary; T Roberts, C O’Leary; J Sweeney, C Vaughan, S Pickering; S O’Riordan, I Jones, C Óg Jones. Subs: B Cronin for K Manning (42), B Murphy for C O’Riordan (50), B O’Riordan for J Sweeney (56).
• Bantry Blues: B Clancy; C O’Brien, R O’Mahony, T Cronin; D McCarthy, M Óg O’Sullivan, C Cronin; J O’Neill, K Casey; B Sheehan, R Deane, S O’Leary; A Coakley, J Sheedy, O O’Neill. Subs: P Cronin for O O’Neill (half-time), K Coakley for D McCarthy (39), E O’Shea for B Sheehan (50).

Referee: Jerry Kelleher (St John’s, Millstreet).

Uibh Laoire now look like a side intent on going one better than last year. Bantry, meanwhile, must quickly decide if this season is about survival or something more.