Junior B – Club Co Championship: Round 1 Bantry Blues 3-13 Gleann na Laoi 0-10.

On Sunday afternoon in Newcestown, our junior hurlers opened their Bon Secours County club championship campaign against Gleann Na Laoi. Before the Blues left the dressing room, team management stressed the value of getting off to a strong start, and the team did not let them down. With the halfback line of Connie O’Leary, Seanie O'Leary, and Robyn McCarthy on top, ably assisted by midfielders Jack McCarthy and Dara McCarthy, there was a plentiful supply of quality ball going into the Bantry forward line, which allowed newcomers Jack Sheedy, Daithi Shiels, and Sean Cronin and Paddy Cronin to utilize their pace to telling effect, while Tim Foley and Cathal McCarthy both led the lines at center and full forward, respectively, to give Bantry a halftime lead of 2-8 to 0-6 with goals from Dara McCarthy and Jack Sheedy . The halftime message from the Bantry management was simple: “more of the same,” but the Kerry Pike based side dropped back an extra defender to cut off the supply to the forward, and a cross field breeze made it more difficult to deliver the same quality ball in the second half, but points by Jack Sheedy, Cathal McCarthy, and Dara McCarthy kept the scoreboard ticking over, and a goal from a penalty finally saw off the city side on a full time score of 3-13 to 0-10. Next up in the County Championship for Bantry Blues is a local West Cork derby clash against O’Donovan Rossa on May 27th in Drimoleague.

Team: Alan O’Sullivan, Killian O’Sullivan, Jimmy O’Leary, Robyn McCarthy, Seanie O’Leary, Connie O’Leary, Dara McCarthy, Jack McCarthy, Jack Sheedy, Tim Foley, Daithi Shiels, Sean Cronin, Cathal McCarthy, Paddy Cronin. Subs Gerdie Barry, Eamon McCarthy and Kieran Collins.

Team Management: Conor Cronin, Kieran Collins & Cathal McCarthy

Thanks to our Team sponsor: Danny Collins, The Boston Bar, Bantry

Back Row ( (L-R) Alan O’Sullivan, Gerdie Barry, Sean Cronin, Killian OSullivan,Seanie OLeary, Jack McCarthy Cathal, McCarthy, Eoghan Minehane, Tim Foley,

Front (L-R) Daithi Shiels, Jimmy OLeary, Connie OLeary, Paddy Cronin, Dara McCarthy, Jack Sheedy, Robyn McCarthy, Eamon McCarthy