Back Row ( L to Right )Andy OShea, Coleman Keohane, Kieran Cronin, Mark OConnor, Sean McCarthy,, Mick Moran ( decd) , Philip Clifford,Stephen Dineen, Jeremy Canty, Des McAuley,Paul ORourke, Eugene Connolly, Stephen Moloney, Timmy OMahony. Front Row ( L to R) Alan Farrelly,Seamie Culloty , Mike Lynch,Gerdie Barry,Eric Sheehan, Niall Twomey, Damian ONeill ( C ) ,Henry Deane Jnr ( Mascot) Padraig ORegan, Declan OShea, Graham Canty,Eamon McCarthy, Shane ONeill
The 1998 Cork Senior Football Championship was the 110th staging of the Cork Senior Football Championship since its establishment by the Cork County Board in 1887. The draw for the opening fixtures took place on 14 December 1997. The championship began on 1 May 1998 and ended on 4 October 1998.
Beara entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were defeated by Nemo Rangers in a second round replay.[1]
On 4 October 1998, Bantry Blues won the championship following a 0-17 to 2-06 defeat of Duhallow in the final.[2] This was their second championship title overall and their first title since 1995.
Philip Clifford scored a total of 2-23 (29) over 5 games averaging 5.8 pts per game and Declan OShea contributed 1-23 over 5 games with a games average of 4.6 pts.
Blues for Duhallow ( IRISH INDEPENDENT : Mon 5 Oct 1998 )
Cork SFC final BANTRY BLUES 0-17 DUHALLOW 2-6 A SEA of blue and white swept across the Páirc Uí Chaoimh turf yesterday as supporters of the Bantry Blues celebrated the club's second ever Cork senior football championship title.
And the victory was achieved in emphatic fashion as the Blues brushed aside the challenge of North West divisional side, Duhallow.
Bantry Blues far superior forward line paved the way for their success with all but two of their forwards scoring from play.
They were truly a magnificent sight to behold as they surged upfield at every available opportunity, leaving a shell-shocked Duhallow side in their wake.
Bantry led at half-time by 0-8 to 1-1, but this could have been far greater but for some erratic defending that allowed John Paul O'Neill to score Duhallow's opening goal after 17 minutes.
That was Duhallow's only score from play in the opening 30 minutes and with Padraig O'Regan excelling at centre half-back and Damien O'Neill and Mick Moran lording matters at midfield, Bantry's success looked a foregone conclusion even at this early stage.
Duhallow introduced a new midfield pairing of Andreas O'Sullivan and Denis O'Connor for the second half and they had an immediate effect in breaking up the supremacy enjoyed by Bantry for that first 30 minutes.
Duhallow began to gain heart from their performances and a second O'Neill goal just eight minutes after the resumption further fuelled their appetite.
Two successive points from Duhallow's Mark O'Sullivan gave the divisional side hope but once again the Bantry machine went into overdrive and a succession of points from Philip Clifford (2), Denis O'Shea (2) and a superlative effort from their captain Damien O'Neill sealed victory.
Bantry Blues Sponsored by : The Westlodge Hotel
SCORERS Bantry: P Clifford 0-6 (4f), D O'Shea 0-4 (2f), P O'Rourke 0-2, D O'Neill 0-2, M Moran 0-1, S McCarthy 0-1, A O'Shea 0-1. Duhallow: JP O'Neill 2-1, M O'Sullivan 0-4 (3f), D Bucley 0-1.
BANTRY D McAuley; N Twomey, M O'Connor, E McCarthy; G Canty, P O'Regan, E Sheehan; D O'Neill, M Moran; S McCarthy, S Dineen, P O'Rourke; P Clifford, J Canty, D O'Shea. Subs: A O'Shea for S McCarthy.
DUHALLOW J O'Leary; D Moynihan, J Walsh, D Riordan; S Walsh, M Angland, A Keane; D Culloty, D O'Sullivan; JP O'Neill, J Buckley; D Buckley, M O'Sullivan, A O'Sullivan. Subs: D O'Brien for A Keane, D O'Connor for P Murphy.
REF J Cummins, Glanworth.
READ IRISH TIMES COVERAGE HERE :
Bantry refuse to panic << CLICK to READ
McAuley superb as Bantry Blues roll on << CLICK to READ
WATCH BACK THE SECOND HALF & THE AFTER MATCH CELEBRATIONS << CLICK HERE
& for those who want to reminisce the 1995 GAME is here << CLICK TO VIEW
Read Award winning article by Southern Star Sports Editor KIERAN MCCARTHY
LONG READ: How Bantry boys became Blues’ legends in 1995
‘It’s only when you look back now that you realise how good fellas were and how good that team was,’ Paraic O’Regan adds. Bantry would win a second senior county title in 1998, with an even better team, but that first success in 1995 was a breakthrough moment for the club.
LET US NOT FORGET :
