2012 WEST CORK MASTERS LEAGUE ROUND-UP
ROUND 5 - Mon June 25th / Wed June 27th 2012
LEAGUE SPONSORED BY: O'BRIEN'S BAR, ROSSCARBERY
CUP SPONSORED BY: BERNARD HAYES TRAVEL, CORK
SHIELD SPONSORED BY: A CUT ABOVE SALON
Round 5 of the West Cork Masters League sponsored by O'Brien's Bar Rosscarbery produced the most exciting week of the summer so far writes Ger McCarthy.
Wed June 27th
Dunmanway Town 1 Drinagh Rangers 2
Drinagh Rangers opened up a 3 point gap at the top of the West Cork Masters League table following their 5th consecutive victory of the 2012 campaign. The Canon Crowley Park side maintained their impressive 100% record at the expense of local rivals Dunmanway Town but were fortunate to withstand a late onslaught from the Mohona club. In-form striker Liam Curran broke the deadlock after 20 minutes having latched onto a Philip Clifford pass before finishing confidently to push Drinagh 1-0 in front.
Rangers' joint-top goal scorer Mike Doolan made it 2-0 courtesy of a spectacular bicycle kick shortly after the interval to seemingly guarantee the points. Dunmanway fought back however and a spectacular long-range effort from Derek Keane reduced the deficit. Town pushed everyone forward in search of a late equaliser with Kevin Hurley and John Kelly rattling the Drinagh upright but the visitors defence held firm for a merited 2-1 victory and outright lead of the West Cork Masters League. Best for Dunmanway included Tony Walsh, Martin O'Sullivan and Noel Collins while Alan Shorten, Mike Doolan and Liam Curran were the pick of Drinagh's top performers.
Clonakilty Town 3 Cloughduv Celtic 4
Clonakilty Town and Cloughduv Celtic produced the match of the 2012 West Cork Masters at a rain-sodden Darrara on Wednesday night. The visitors travelled to Clonakilty knowing a victory over their previously undefeated opponents was imperative to keep alive their hopes of retaining the League title. What followed was a classic encounter, filled with attractive football, seven goals and plenty of talking points.
Cloughduv hit the front on the quarter hour when a pin-point Mervyn Beasley pass found Clement Doyle in space and the visiting striker made no mistake with a cracking finish. Cloughduv looked comfortable with the cushion of a deserved one goal lead until a defensive error presented Kevin Kingston with a simple tap-in to level the score. The sides looked set to go in level at the break until Dermot Crowley sprung the Clon Town offside trap and buried the ball into the net with an assured finish. The deteriorating weather made playing conditions difficult yet Cloughduv continued to create the better chances. Only the brilliance of goalkeeper Ger O'Sullivan and a stunning goal line Jason Kidney clearance kept Clon in touch before the game turned in 5 dramatic minutes.
Eamon Hurley was brought down in the penalty area and Kevin Kingston made it 2-2 with an assured spot-kick minutes before Hurley burst through the Celtic defence and saw his deflected shot roll over the line for a 3-2 lead. Clonakilty wasted a glorious chance to make it 4-2 before Cloughduv Celtic moved up a gear and netted twice in the final 2 minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Micheal Hurley and Dermot Crowley found the net to seal a memorable and deserved 4-3 win, consigning Clonakilty Town to their first defeat of the campaign. Best for Cloughduv included Fiachra Kierse, Clement Doyle and Micheal Hurley with Kevin Kingston, Ger O'Sullivan and Jason Kidney on top form for Clonakilty Town.
Castletown Celtic 2 Bunratty United 3
Castletown Celtic and Bunratty United played out a 5-goal thriller in Castletown with the visitors taking all 3 points on offer following a hard fought encounter. Ray Kingston opened the scoring for United after 5 minutes had elapsed but Castletown regrouped and equalised shortly afterwards through a fine Padraig Condon effort. Dan Bailey pushed the home side in front midway through the opening half and Castlletown comfortably held their lead until the interval.
Bunratty played the entire fixture with only 10-men yet managed to produce a heroic second half display and drew level courtesy of a second Ray Kingston effort after good approach play from Terence O'Reilly. 2-2 became 3-2 shortly afterwards when Nick Cole was on hand to glance home a header from a Joel Davies free-kick. United withstood a late barrage from Castletown Celtic but heroically defended their penalty box to see out an unlikely 3-2 victory. Bunratty enjoyed superb displays from T.J. O'Donovan, Larry Sheehan and Kendrick O'Sullivan under the expert tutelage of manager Dermot Sheehan while John O'Sullivan, Barry Buckley and Gordon Anderson impressed for Castletown Celtic.
Clonakilty AFC 1 Courtmacsherry 1
It ended all square in Ballyvackey between Clonakilty AFC and Courtmacsherry ensuring both sides earned their first points of the summer following an entertaining 1-1 draw. Declan Hennessey reacted quickest to a Neil Sexton free-kick delivery to fire Courtmacsherry ahead and the visitors held their lead until just before half time when Paul McCarthy netted to level the score. Both sides wasted chances to win it in the second period and an entertaining game eventually ended 1-1 highlighted by excellent displays from Clonakilty AFC's Chris McCarthy, Brendan McCarthy and Conal O'Donovan and Norman Fleming, Brian Whelton and Pat Sexton for Courtnacsherry.
The draw proved a fair result for two teams desperate for points that have each produced spells of excellent football since the campaign began. This result should inspire confidence in both team's as we head towards the second half of the summer season where Clon AFC and Courtmac will prove difficult opponents for any side they encounter.
Mon June 25th - Ardfield 2 Rosscarbery 2
Monday night football came to Carrigroe on June 25th with an earlier than usual weekly match-up between two sides struggling for form in the West Cork Masters League. Both sides had nothing to lose following an indifferent start to the campaign so a cracking local derby developed and produced four goals before the full time whistle. Paul McShane fired the hosts into an early lead courtesy fo a fine long range effort only for Geoff Wycherley to equalise shortly before the interval. There was still nothing to choose between two committed sides as the second period progressed until Rosscarbery's Enda Favier was brought down in the area and Michael Keohane converted the resulting spot-kick to fire push the visitors 2-1 in front.
A rip-roaring encounter produced a second equaliser when Ardfield's top scorer Diarmuid 'Super' Keohane netted from yet another penalty to earn his side a share of the spoils. Rosscarbery were delighted to pick up a long overdue first point of the season thanks to the efforts of Donal Santry, Enda Favier, Noel O'Donoghue and Peter Hayes. Ardfield's best players included Steve Frost, Bernard Hayes, Noel O'Donovan and Pearse O'Sullivan.
CLICK here to view all results in the results section.
CLICK here to view the latest League Table standings in the league table section.
CLICK here to view the latest GOLDEN BOOT standings in the golden boot section.
CLICK here to view next week's fixtures in the fixtures section.
CLICK here to view red and yellow cards handed out during the season in the discipline section.
LEAGUE SPONSORED BY: O'BRIEN'S BAR, ROSSCARBERY
CUP SPONSORED BY: BERNARD HAYES TRAVEL, CORK
SHIELD SPONSORED BY: A CUT ABOVE SALON
