ROUND 8 - Wed 25th July 2012
LEAGUE SPONSORED BY: O'BRIEN'S BAR, ROSSCARBERY
CUP SPONSORED BY: BERNARD HAYES TRAVEL, CORK
SHIELD SPONSORED BY: A CUT ABOVE SALON
Round 8 of the West Cork Masters League sponsored by O'Brien's Bar Rosscarbery sees Castletown Celtic, Clonakilty Town and Cloughduv Celtic looking to close the gap on leaders Drinagh Rangers writes Ger McCarthy.
Wed July 25th
Ardfield vs. Clonakilty AFC - Ref: M. Coakley
An Ardfield side without a win from their last three league fixtures will be anxious to record only their second victory of the campaign at home to joint-bottom of the table Clonakilty AFC in Carrigroe. Despite conjuring up a string of battling displays in recent weeks Ardfield have been unable to reproduce the early season form which included a victory away to Dunmanway Town and a superb point at the champions, Cloughduv Celtic. Clonakilty AFC regularly produce some of the most attractive football in the Masters League but an inability to convert chances into goals leaves the Ballyvackey based club languishing at the wrong end of the table. Wednesday night's visit to Ardfield represents the visitors best chance of an away win before the summer concludes but Ardfield' striker Diarmuid Keohane is in a decent run of form and should fire his team to an expected home victory.
Bunratty United vs. Dunmanway Town - Ref: P. Hurley
The current West Cork Masters League top goal-scorer, Kevin Hurley, leads his Dunmanway Town side into battle away to Bunratty United in Schull. The two sides are seperated by a single point in the current standings which should make for a tight encounter. Bunratty are coming off the back of consecutive wins over Castletown and Courtmacsherry thanks to an even spread of goals amongst Ray Kingston, Ger O'Donovan and Nick Cole. The goalscoring prowess of Kevin Hurley helped Dunmanway Town return to winning ways last Wednesday night with a narrow 1-0 defeat of Clonakilty AFC following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Castletown and Drinagh. Victory for either side will elevate the winner (potentially) into third place but Bunratty are always difficult opposition on their home pitch so a narrow home win looks the most likely outcome.
Castletown Celtic vs. Clonakilty Town - Ref: T. Minihane
A crucial game for two sides at the top end of the table with Castletown Celtic entertaining Clonakilty Town in Castletownkenneigh.The home side will be desperate to re-enter the title race having been denied a victory by a last gasp Cloughduv equaliser only seven days ago. Clonakilty Town proved too strong for Ardfield on the same evening in Carrigroe and a similar performance is needed to gain the three points needed to join Drinagh at the summit of the standings. Joe Gallagher is Castletown's in-form player with 5 goals already this summer while Clonakilty's Eamonn Hurley and Kevin Kingston are joint-top of their side's scoring charts with 4 strikes apiece. There is never much to choose whenever these two sides clash - underlined by last year's epic Masters Cup semi-final - so both teams may have to settle for a share of the spoils from this encounter.
Cloughduv Celtic vs. Rosscarbery - Ref: A. McDermott
Nothing but 3 points will suffice for Cloughduv Celtic at home to Rosscarbery in Cloughduv otherwise the current champions can kiss goodbye any hope of retaining their title. A 1-1 draw away to Castletown last Wednesday evening proved a serious dent in Cloughduv's championship ambitions and a much improved performance will be needed to overcome an in-form Ross. Cloughduv's opponents are enjoying something of a late-season renaissance following a gutsy draw with Ardfield and a magnificent 5-2 defeat of Clon AFC in recent weeks. Geoff Wycherley, Denis McSweeney and Maurice Moore have been amongst Ross's most consistent performers and should ensure a tough assessment of Cloughduv on Wednesday night. Celtic will look to Clement Doyle, Donal Collins and Dermot Crowley to net the goals which would move the champions within 4 points of leaders Drinagh plus a game in hand. It will be close but Cloughduv should shade this one.
Drinagh Rangers vs. Skibbereen
POSTPONED - Due to bereavement
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LEAGUE SPONSORED BY: O'BRIEN'S BAR, ROSSCARBERY
CUP SPONSORED BY: BERNARD HAYES TRAVEL, CORK
SHIELD SPONSORED BY: A CUT ABOVE SALON
