WILL it be third time lucky for Bantry Blues as they embark on their McCarthy Insurance Premier IFC campaign having finished runners-up in the past two seasons?
A 3-11 to 1-10 defeat at the hands of Kanturk in the 2022 county final was followed by a heart-breaking 3-11 to 2-13 loss to Cill na Martra at the same juncture last season. On both occasions, Bantry natives from near and far came out in huge numbers to support their footballers. A sea of blue and white filled SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for both finals. It is against that backdrop that Blues manager David O’Donovan is preparing his squad for another tilt at premier intermediate glory.
Despite a forgettable Division 4 league campaign, there is more than enough quality within Bantry’s ranks to go one better in 2024.
‘It is year three for this group and we think we have ascertained what’s required to be successful now at this level,’ O’Donovan informed The Southern Star.
‘We could have gone one of two ways. We could be feeling sorry for ourselves with what happened last year and the year before. Once the initial disappointment (of last year) was overcome we just took whatever learnings we could from it and moved on.
‘As well as we played, we were still second best. Now it is a case of we go again and look to see if we can improve this time around.’
Bantry have been ramping up preparations for the upcoming Premier IFC campaign. Bar one or two long-term injuries, the Blues possess a full squad to select from ahead of their Group 2 opener against Nemo Rangers in Enniskeane on Sunday evening (7.30pm).
There is plenty of depth to the Blues’ panel but, as ever, Cork senior Ruairí Deane will be pivotal to their chances.
‘Ruairí sets the tone for everything we do,’ O’Donovan added. ‘That’s the bar that our lads, both individually and collectively, want to get to as well. Obviously, we don’t have Ruairí for the first six months of the year due to his Cork senior inter-county commitments. The minute Cork were beaten (by Louth) on the Sunday, he was back in with us the following Tuesday, that says everything about the man.’
Ruairi Deane remains a key man for Bantry Blues.
Reaching consecutive premier intermediate county deciders, despite failing to get over the line, has galvanised the West Cork club. From underage to senior and their ladies football set-up included, Bantry Blues are enjoying positive results across the majority of their age-grades. That’s vital to sustain the next generation of Bantry footballers and hurlers. For now, O’Donovan and his players are focussed on succeeding in a grade they’ve impressed in for the last 24 months.
‘If your flagship team is going well then everything around and underneath will get an extra lift and incentive to do well,’ the Bantry Blues manager noted.
‘The fact the lads have played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh the past two years, a lot of our underage and juvenile sections of the club would have been up there supporting them. You hope that it would be every young Bantry player’s dream, one day down the line, to represent their club in that stadium as well.’
Bantry Blues have been knocking on the Premier IFC door for the past two years. Reaching a third consecutive final is well within the scope of one of West Cork’s best supported clubs.
BANTRY’S PIFC GROUP 2 FIXTURES: Sunday, July 28th – v Nemo Rangers in Enniskeane at 7.30pm; Sunday, August 18th – v Bandon in Dunmanway at 2pm; Saturday, September 14th – v Naomh Abán in Newcestown at 6.30pm.
