2012 WEST CORK MASTERS CUP PREVIEW
QUARTER-FINALS - Wed July 11th 2012
LEAGUE SPONSORED BY: O'BRIEN'S BAR, ROSSCARBERY
CUP SPONSORED BY: BERNARD HAYES TRAVEL, CORK
SHIELD SPONSORED BY: A CUT ABOVE SALON
The 2012 West Cork Masters Cup sponsored by Bernard Hayes Travel, Cork, semi-finalists will be decided on Wednesday night with four mouth-watering quarter-finals down for decision writes Ger McCarthy.
Wed July 11th
Drinagh Rangers vs. Skibbereen - (Ref: A Mc.D)
The meeting of old rivals Drinagh Rangers and Skibbereen in Canon Crowley Park is the stand-out tie from this summer's Cup quarter-finals. Rangers are this season's runaway league leaders having won all six of their fixtures to date. Liam Curran and Mike Doolan have each found the net 5 times in a free-scoring Drinagh side that are currently favourites to claim their first Masters League crown. The Cup has proven a bogey competition however, with defeats in the 2009 and 2010 deciders before bowing out in last year's semi-finals to a rampant Castletown Celtic. Drinagh qualified for this year's quarter-finals by defeating local rivals Dunmanway Town in the previous round.
Skibbereen are enduring a topsy-turvy Masters campaign but will be hoping for a big performance away to Drinagh and to build on their penalty shoot-out defeat of Ardfield in the opening round. The Baltimore Road club has found goals hard to come by this summer but with Billy Flaherty and Ger Murray hitting form Skibbereen will relish an opportunity to get one over their great rivals. Skibb have only ever once reached the semi-finals stages of the Masters Cup so expect plenty of fireworks on Wednesday evening where home advantage and a greater goal scoring threat should see Drinagh safely through.
Cloughduv Celtic vs. Clonakilty AFC - (Ref: P Mc.D)
A Clonakilty AFC side yet to register a league win this summer faces the daunting prospect of taking on the in-form Cloughduv Celtic on their home patch. The AFC earned a creditable draw away to Courtmacsherry a fortnight ago before falling 5-2 at Rosscarbery last time out. The Ballyvackey club reached the cup semi-finals two seasons ago only to lose out to close rivals Clonakilty Town. Tom Houlihan and Lorne Edmeade will need to be at their best if Clon are to have any chance of springing a surprise.
The reigning West Cork Masters League title-holders have never been beyond the quarter-finals stages of the Cup but are odds-on to progress on Wednesday night. Since their surprise 2-2 draw with Ardfield in week 4 Celtic have rebounded with a big 7-0 defeat of Bunratty in the first round of the Cup before denting Clonakilty Town's title aspirations with a merited 4-3 win in Darrara. Dermot Crowley tops the Cloughduv scoring charts with 5 while Donal Collins, Martin McCarthy and Clement Doyle have also chipped in with some notable strikes. Anything other than a Cloughduv victory on Wednesday night would constitute a major shock.
Courtmacsherry vs. Clonakilty Town - (Ref: L. W.)
Two sides that previously crossed swords in Round 2 of the League meet once again for a place in the last four of this summer's Masters Cup on Wednesday night. An improving Courtmacsherry host a Clonakilty Town side looking to rebound from their previous defeat at home to Cloughduv in what should be a cracking tie. Courtmac proved more than a match for leaders Drinagh in their most recent league outing until a second half scoring burst from the Canon Crowley Park side secured a 4-0 win. Scoring goals has been the seasiders big problem this year but in Norman Fleming and Declan Hennessey Courtmac possess two capable forwards.
Clonakilty Town will need to reproduce their early season form to have any chance of making this summer's Cup semi-finals. Eamon Hurley, Kevin Kingston and Karl Kurowski have regularly been amongst the goals for a side that has reached the Master Cup semi-finals every year and won the actual trophy in 2010 after a 2-1 defeat of Drinagh in the final.There will be nothing between the sides on Wednesday night where a single goal may well prove sufficient to decide the outcome. Current form suggests Clonakilty Town will progress.
Castletown Celtic vs. Rosscarbery - (Ref: M.C.)
Castletown Celtic are the surprise package of the 2012 West Cork Masters League. Whilst Drinagh, Cloughduv and Clonakilty Town have regularly hogged the headlines, Castletown have quietly and efficiently moved into third place in the table following an excellent run of results. Celtic's recent 3-2 over Dunmanway Town elevated the Castletown based club to their highest league position of the summer and the squad are anxious to go one better in the Cup having lost out in last year's final to their Mohona rivals. Joe Gallagher and Dan Bailey are Celtic's most potent scorers so far this term and another high-scoring tie is expected on Wednesday night.
Standing in Castletown's way of a place in the last four are one of the most improved team in this year's Masters League. Rosscarbery recovered from a disappointing start to the campaign by walloping 5 past Clonakilty AFC to earn their first league victory of 2012 last week. Geoff Wycherley, Sean Hearne and Michael Keohane have rediscovered their goal-scoring touch of late and with the tireless Maurice Moore pulling the strings in midfield Rosscarbery will be anxious to go beyond the Masters Cup quarter-finals for the very first time.
The two sides previously met in Round 3 of this summer's league with Castletown emerging 3-1 winners and Celtic should have enough fire-power once again on Wednesday night to book their place in the last four.
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
