Our u14 Ladies played Beara in their West Cork semi final last Thursday evening in the park.
Having been beaten by Beara earlier in the campaign the girls in Blue were looking to turn the tables on our neighbours and book a place in this year's final.
They got off to a great start with a fine point from Emma Harrington in the second minute and this settled them well into this game.
Bantry were playing some great football and contesting every ball and further points from Caitlin o Neill,Emma Harrington, Sophie o Donnell and Kacey Cotter put them six points up with fifteen minutes gone.
Bantry's defence was putting in a serious effort,keeping the Beara forwards well shackled with goalkeeper Layla Rose Kingston Fitzgerald pulling off some fine saves to deny Beara on several occasions.Indeed they limited Beara to just one point in the first half thanks to the efforts of Bantry's full back line of Aoife o Donovan,Alex Manning and Aoibhinn o Connell.
Sara Murphy and Hailey Hegarty were winning the battle at midfield and driving Bantry forward.In the forwards Noelle Hurley and Donna French were winning some great ball and a Sophie o Donnell pointed free put Bantry further ahead in the twenty first minute.
A cracking goal from Sara Murphy on twenty four minutes followed by a lovely point from the hard working Emily o Neill on twenty eight minutes saw Bantry go in at half time leading on a scoreline of 1.8 to 0.1.
The second half saw Beara throwing everything at Bantry and when they goaled in the fifth minute it seemed a comeback was on the cards.
Bantry were up for it though and responded with another well taken pointed free from Sophie o Donnell on nine minutes.
Beara were now putting serious pressure on the Bantry defence but the girls in blue were coping admirably with Caragh McCarthy,Áine Courcey,Alex Manning,Saoirse Cooke and Caitlin o Neill all putting in a tremendous effort.
Beara registered the next two points to give them a lifeline but again Bantry responded well with a beautiful point from Sophie o Donnell on twenty four minutes. Bantry now introduced fresh legs off the bench, and when substitute Anna Russell delivered a sublime pass into Emily o Neill who duly finished to the Beara net in the thirty second minute the girls in blue were not to be denied.
Bantry were able to close out the remaining minutes of the game winning on a scoreline of 2.10 to 1.4.
Well done to each and every one of the girls on a fantastic win and they can now look forward to a West Cork final against Dohenys.
Scorers for Bantry
Emily o Neill 1.1
Sara Murphy 1.0
Sophie o Donnell 0.5(3f)
Emma Harrington 0.2
Caitlin o Neill 0.1
Kacey Cotter 0.1
Having been beaten by Beara earlier in the campaign the girls in Blue were looking to turn the tables on our neighbours and book a place in this year's final.
They got off to a great start with a fine point from Emma Harrington in the second minute and this settled them well into this game.
Bantry were playing some great football and contesting every ball and further points from Caitlin o Neill,Emma Harrington, Sophie o Donnell and Kacey Cotter put them six points up with fifteen minutes gone.
Bantry's defence was putting in a serious effort,keeping the Beara forwards well shackled with goalkeeper Layla Rose Kingston Fitzgerald pulling off some fine saves to deny Beara on several occasions.Indeed they limited Beara to just one point in the first half thanks to the efforts of Bantry's full back line of Aoife o Donovan,Alex Manning and Aoibhinn o Connell.
Sara Murphy and Hailey Hegarty were winning the battle at midfield and driving Bantry forward.In the forwards Noelle Hurley and Donna French were winning some great ball and a Sophie o Donnell pointed free put Bantry further ahead in the twenty first minute.
A cracking goal from Sara Murphy on twenty four minutes followed by a lovely point from the hard working Emily o Neill on twenty eight minutes saw Bantry go in at half time leading on a scoreline of 1.8 to 0.1.
The second half saw Beara throwing everything at Bantry and when they goaled in the fifth minute it seemed a comeback was on the cards.
Bantry were up for it though and responded with another well taken pointed free from Sophie o Donnell on nine minutes.
Beara were now putting serious pressure on the Bantry defence but the girls in blue were coping admirably with Caragh McCarthy,Áine Courcey,Alex Manning,Saoirse Cooke and Caitlin o Neill all putting in a tremendous effort.
Beara registered the next two points to give them a lifeline but again Bantry responded well with a beautiful point from Sophie o Donnell on twenty four minutes. Bantry now introduced fresh legs off the bench, and when substitute Anna Russell delivered a sublime pass into Emily o Neill who duly finished to the Beara net in the thirty second minute the girls in blue were not to be denied.
Bantry were able to close out the remaining minutes of the game winning on a scoreline of 2.10 to 1.4.
Well done to each and every one of the girls on a fantastic win and they can now look forward to a West Cork final against Dohenys.
Scorers for Bantry
Emily o Neill 1.1
Sara Murphy 1.0
Sophie o Donnell 0.5(3f)
Emma Harrington 0.2
Caitlin o Neill 0.1
Kacey Cotter 0.1
