Our Junior Ladies made the long trip to Carrigaline on Sat evening for the final of this year's Division 3 Senior Football County League campaign.

With both teams coming into this game in impressive form, finishing joint top of the league with 18 points each, this turned out to be a cracking game of football that went down to the wire.

Carrigaline started the brighter with an early point after two minutes but a Sarah Bishop free and a fine goal from Eve Murphy soon settled Bantry into the game.Points followed from the impressive Megan McSweeny and another Sarah Bishop effort before Carrigaline scored a well worked goal on sixteen minutes.Bantry however responded immediately with a cracking goal from Zara Barry and further points from Emma Spillane,Megan McSweeny and the in form Sarah Bishop saw Bantry go in at half time leading on a scoreline of 2.6 to 1.2.

This flattered Bantry slightly and but for three outstanding saves from goalkeeper Seadhna o Sullivan Carrigaline would have been well in contention at the break.

Bantry started the second half well with another point from Sarah Bishop but Carrigaline started to dominate affairs and scored 1.5 without reply until Bantry could register another score on twenty minutes from a Sarah Bishop free.

This game was now really in the melting pot with Bantry defending heroically and both teams matching each other on the scoreboard with further points from Megan McSweeny and Caitlin o Mahony for Bantry.

Just as this game looked like it was heading for extra time Carrigaline were awarded a dubious penalty in the thirty second minute which they duly converted to break Bantry's hearts and finally swing the game in Carrigaline's favour winning on a scoreline of 3.11 to 2.10.

This was a heartbreaking result for the girls in blue but they can take great heart going into this year's County Championship after a fine league campaign in which they have played some outstanding football.

Scorers for Bantry

Eve Murphy 1.0

Zara Barry 1.0

Sarah Bishop 0.5(3 frees)

Megan McSweeny 0.3

Emma Spillane 0.1

Caitlin o Mahony 0.1

Bantry Blues Ladies Sponsored by : John McSweeney Plant Hire & Tree Cutting Service