CLANN na nGael clinched top spot in Group 3 of the McCarthy Insurance Confined Junior B Football Championship after a tight 1-7 to 1-4 win over Garnish in wintry Bantry.
Both teams were already assured of their place in the county quarter-finals, as both had beaten Shanballymore in this three-team group, so top spot was on offer to the winner.
The Scorchers led 0-2 to 0-1 at half time, Jerome O’Dwyer from a free for the Beara club. Clann na nGael stretched the lead to three early in the second half before Garnish hit back with a quick 1-2 to lead 1-3 to 0-5 at the three-quarter mark, Donnacha Lowney with the goal.
The teams were level, 1-4 to 0-7, with minutes left, before Ryan O’Donovan struck the winning goal for Clann na nGael. Paddy McCarthy (0-3), Daniel McCarthy (Leitra) with 0-2, and Donal O’Donovan and Daniel McCarthy (Toureen) with 0-1 apiece were also on target for the Scorchers.
Clann na nGael will now play Group 4 runners-up Deel Rovers in the county quarter-finals, while Garnish will take on St Catherine’s who lost 0-9 to 1-3 against Deel last weekend.
Goleen and Muintir Bháire have both emerged from Group 2, with Goleen to play Doneraile in the quarter-finals while Muintir Bháire play Ballyphehane. Sticking with Group 2, Glengarriff lost their third game when going down 3-10 to 0-10 against Tracton in Kilmichael – it’s a game Philip Harrington will never forget as he made his adult championship debut for the Beara club.
McCarthy Insurance Confined Junior B FC quarter-finals: Clann na nGael v Deel Rovers, Garnish v St Catherine’s, Muintir Bháire v Ballyphehane, Goleen v Doneraile.
