Our u16 lads travelled to the 4G in Bishopstown yesterday to face Aghada in their Division 2 County final.

In blustery conditions Bantry started well with a well worked point from Jack Manning in the first minute.Aghada however countered immediately with a goal and two points inside the next two minutes before Oisín Murphy split the posts with a free for Bantry in the fifth minute.This game was being played at a frantic pace and Aghada registered the next score with a pointed free on six minutes before Oisín Murphy scored two beautiful points in the tenth and fourteenth minutes.Aghada again pressed forward to score a point on fifteen minutes before Oisín Murphy converted beautifully from a mark in sixteenth minute to keep the lads in Blue well in contention.

Things took a turn for the worst for Bantry when Oisín Murphy was shown a straight red card from the referee in the nineteenth minute in what could only be described as a very harsh decision.Bantry now had to dig deep and a lovely point from Dan Joe o Neill on twenty one minutes kept them well in the game.Aghada were beginning to utilise their numerical advantage despite the best efforts of Bantry's defence where Owen Crowley,Patrick Harrington,Shay o Donovan,Connor Young,Paddy Russell and Dara Dullea alongside goalkeeper Luke o Sullivan were all putting in a tremendous effort.

Bantry's midfield pairing of Colin McCarthy and Timmy Mulhall were also putting in a serious shift and good ball into the forwards was rewarded when Dan Joe o Neill again pointed from a free on the stroke of half time to leave Bantry trailing at the break on a scoreline of 3.4 to 0.7.

Bantry now had it all to do and despite being a man down and playing into a strong wind these lads really gave it their all in the second half.Captain Billy Sheehan was putting in some great tackles and Tom Murphy,Jack Manning,Fionn Goggin and Dan Joe o Neill were all winning good ball and were working tirelessly but scores were hard to come by as Aghada dropped men behind the ball.The numerical advantage of Aghada was paying off and they scored five unanswered points before Bantry won a penalty on twenty four minutes which was expertly dispatched by Dan Joe o Neill to give Bantry a lifeline.

Aghada replied immediately with a point before Dan Joe o Neill again pointed beautifully on twenty eighth minutes and again on twenty nine minutes from a free to close out Bantry's scoring.Aghada were not to be denied and ran out winners on the day on a scoreline of 3.11 to 1.9 but credit has to go to each and every one of these young Blues who never gave up the fight despite the odds and can hold their heads up high after a battling performance.

Scorers for Bantry

Oisin Murphy 0.4(1f 1m)

Jack Manning 0.1

Dan Joe o Neill 1.4(1 pen 2f)

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