Uibh Laoire Defeats Bantry Blues in McCarthy Insurance PIFC

Uibh Laoire are safely back in the McCarthy Insurance PIFC knock-out stages, and they’ve done it with a statement win. A 3-18 to 2-12 victory over Bantry Blues in Ballingeary backed up their earlier success against Glanmire and keeps a semi-final berth firmly in their sights.

For Bantry, it’s a very different picture. Two games, two defeats – Rockchapel first, now Uibh Laoire – and the relegation playoffs are looming into view.

Lightning start, relentless pace

The game exploded into life inside 40 seconds. Bantry struck first, Arthur Coakley reacting quickest after Billy Sheehan’s shot was saved by Joe Creedon, drilling the rebound to the net. When Jack Sheedy tacked on a point, Uibh Laoire were suddenly 1-1 to 0-0 down before they had even settled.

They didn’t stay rattled for long.

With three minutes gone, Sean O’Leary sliced open the Bantry defence and slipped in Ian Jones, who buried Uibh Laoire’s first goal. Points from Chris Óg Jones and Cathal Vaughan followed in a blur, and after just five frantic minutes it was 1-2 apiece.

Uibh Laoire then landed a second hammer blow. Sam Pickering picked out Chris Óg, and the Cork forward finished with the composure you’d expect, netting their second goal. Bantry tried to steady themselves through another Sheedy point, but Pickering answered with a two-pointer at the other end to twist the knife.

Kevin Casey and Ruairí Deane, from a free, kept Bantry in touch, 2-4 to 1-5 after 15 minutes. Chris Óg added two more points to stretch the lead, only for Sheehan and Coakley to respond again for the West Cork men.

Bantry punch back – but can’t hold it

Missing Cork man Dara Sheedy, Bantry needed a spark from somewhere. It came on 24 minutes. Mark Óg O’Sullivan surged forward, played a neat one-two with Sean O’Leary and slammed home Bantry’s second goal. Suddenly they were back in front, 2-7 to 2-6.

The lead didn’t last. Chris Óg levelled, Ian Jones nudged Uibh Laoire ahead again, but Bantry refused to fold. Coakley clipped over the final score of the half to leave it perfectly poised, 2-8 apiece at the break after a breathless opening period.

Uibh Laoire came out for the second half like a team intent on ending the argument. J Sweeney struck the first point, Pickering followed with his second two-pointer, and the favourites began to pull clear.

Coakley and Conor Cronin hit back to drag Bantry within two, 2-12 to 2-10 with 37 minutes gone. The contest still hung in the balance.

Then came the turning point.

Vaughan’s goal breaks Bantry resistance

Two minutes later, Uibh Laoire finally tightened their grip. Vaughan burst through and fired for goal; the shot took a touch off a Bantry defender and flew in. It didn’t matter how it went over the line – it made it 3-12 to 2-10 and shifted the whole feel of the game.

From there, Bantry were chasing shadows and chances.

They did carve out two lifelines. First Arthur Coakley, then Kevin Coakley, each went agonisingly close to finding the net, both shots skimming narrowly wide, with Arthur’s miss the one that will haunt Bantry most.

Uibh Laoire showed no such wastefulness. Chris Óg tacked on two more points to push the gap out again. Arthur Coakley and Paddy Cronin replied to keep the scoreboard moving for Bantry, but the outcome was no longer in doubt.

Ian Jones made it 3-16 to 2-12 as the clock ticked down. Fittingly, it was Chris Óg Jones who had the final say, knocking over the last two points to bring his personal tally to 1-8 and seal Uibh Laoire’s passage to the knockouts.

Star turns and stark realities

For Uibh Laoire, this was exactly what you want from last year’s runners-up: ruthless finishing, a marquee forward in full flow, and a supporting cast that never stopped asking questions. Chris Óg led the line brilliantly, Vaughan and Ian Jones hit 1-5 between them, and Pickering’s 0-4 – including those two two-pointers – proved hugely valuable.

Bantry, stripped of the influence of Dara Sheedy, leaned heavily on Arthur Coakley’s 1-4 and Mark Óg O’Sullivan’s goal. They battled, they created chances, but they couldn’t live with Uibh Laoire’s firepower for 60 minutes.

Uibh Laoire now head into their final group game with momentum and a semi-final spot within reach. Bantry, still pointless, must regroup quickly with the spectre of relegation playoffs now very real.