Aghada secure vital PIFC victory over Bantry with six-goal haul

Aghada 6-8 (6-0-8) Bantry Blues 1-17 (1-2-13)

Aghada are off the mark in this year’s McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier IFC thanks to a six-goal blast and victory over Bantry Blues in Kilmichael.

A crunch Group 1 encounter, given the two clubs lost their Premier IFC opening round ties, saw the East Cork side emerge deserving winners.

Three goals in either half did the damage with the winners finding the net three times in the closing 10 minutes thanks to Diarmuid Phelan (2) and Jamie O’Hanlon.

Crestfallen at the final whistle, Bantry Blues know that nothing less than victory in their final group outing against Nemo Rangers will suffice if the prospect of a relegation play-off is to be avoided.

Bantry began without an injured Ruairí Deane and lost Billy Foley in the warmup. Yet, the Blues, thanks to the aid of a strong wind, were quickly ahead thanks to Eoghan Minihane and Shane Keevers.

Jamie O’Hanlon pointed at the opposite end before his Agahda opened up Bantry’s defence for Diarmuid Byrne to goal.

Paddy Cronin responded before three unanswered Pearse O’Neill, O’Hanlon and Byrne scores pushed Aghada 1-4 to 0-3 ahead after 11 minutes.

Arthur Coakley kept the West Cork club in touch via a two-point free. Yet, Agahda’s ability to expose the Blues’ defence saw the East Cork side raise a second green flag when corner back Kyle O’Shea finished off a flowing move after 13 minutes.

Coakley and Keevers responded before Jack Colbert and Cork U20 Dara Sheedy swapped points.

The scores kept coming at the end of high-octane opening half as Jamie O’Hanlon landed a free. Bantry were back in the game when Coakley landed his second two-point free, only for former Cork star Pearse O’Neill to find the net and send Aghada in 3-8 to 0-12 ahead.

A low-scoring third quarter ended with Bantry in front after Arthur Coakley reacted quickest and rattled the net after Jack Sheedy’s initial point attempt came back off a post.

Diarmuid Phelan and Coakley (free) exchanged scores and Bantry were looking good, 1-16 to 2-8 in front, with less than eight minutes of normal time remaining.

Alas, the defensive lapses that blighted the West Cork club’s first half display reoccurred as Jamie O’Hanlon and Diarmuid Phelan (twice) found the net via scrappy goals in the closing stages to win it for Aghada.

Scorers for Aghada: D Phelan 2-1, J O’Hanlon 1-3 (0-2 f), D Byrne, P O’Neill 1-1 each, K O’Shea 1-0, J Colbert, S Morrissey 0-1 each.

Bantry Blues: A Coakley 1-8 (2 2pt f, 0-1 f), D Sheedy (0-1 f), P Cronin 0-3 each, S Keevers 0-2, E Minihane 0-1.

AGHADA: C Ó Sé; R Murphy, J Colbert, K O’Shea (jc); E Leahy, J Tynan, C O’Driscoll; J O’Donoghue, D Phelan; S Moloney, T Hartnett (jc), D Byrne; S Morrissey, J O’Hanlon, P O’Neill.

Subs: S Whyte for R Murphy (35), C Hegarty for C O’Driscoll (38), J McKenna for J O’Hanlon (52, inj), D Wallace for S Moloney (56), T Condon for J Tynan (61).

BANTRY BLUES: S Murray; K Coakley, S Thornton, C Cronin; R O’Mahony, M Óg O’Sullivan, C O’Brien; S O’Leary, K Casey; E Minehane, S Keevers, J Sheedy; D Sheedy, A Coakley (c), P Cronin.

Subs: M O’Donovan for E Minihane (h-t), D Daly for J Sheedy (54).

Referee: Peter O’Leary (Cloughduv).