Matchday 01

AS APPEARED IN THE EVENING ECHO EDITION: Fri 28th May 2010

The opening round of the O’Brien’s Bar West Cork Over33 League took place on Wednesday night with ten clubs in action.

League debutantes Castletown Celtic and Cloughduv met in Crookstown with Castletown edging the result 2-1 thanks to a well-taken Paul Walsh brace. Cathal Hughes replied with a converted penalty for Cloughduv but Celtic held on to claim their first 3 points of the campaign. Paudie Ahern, Barry Buckley and Paul Walsh were the pick of Castletown’s best players with Cathal Hughes impressing for Cloughduv.

Skibbereen travelled to Ballyvackey and defeated hosts Clonakilty AFC 2-0 to go top of the table on goal difference. First half strikes from PJ Collins and an own goal earned the Baltimore Road club an impressive opening day victory. PJ Collins and Jack Carroll stood out for Skibb with Martin Dlouhy and Tony Blinstson best for the AFC.

Champions Clonakilty Town and Ardfield served up a five goal thriller in Carrigroe. Jonathan Hunt broke the deadlock for Clon in the first half but goals from Diarmuid Keohane and an own goal put Ardfield deservedly 2-1 ahead with only 5 minutes left. Brian O’Donovan proved the hero for Clon Town however when the midfielder scored twice in the dying embers of an entertaining encounter to turn defeat into a 3-2 victory. Kevin Kingston, Brian O’Donovan and Gordon Harte impressed for Clon Town while Diarmuid Keohane, Jonathan O’Donovan, Bernard Hayes and Alec Butler shone for Ardfield.

Courtmacsherry got their season off to a flyer with a hard-fought 1-0 win at home to Rosscarbery. John O’Donovan’s header 10 minutes into the second half was enough to separate two evenly matched sides. William Madden, Norman Fleming and Mick Hanly were the pick of Courtmac’s best players but Ross goalkeeper Aidan Roycroft was the best player on the pitch ably assisted by Pascal O’Brien, Geoff Wycherley and Tim Hayes.

Dunmanway Town and Drinagh Rangers’ local derby finished 1-1 after a cracking game in the Race Field. Colm Daly fired Drinagh ahead shortly after the interval but a late Kieran O’Leary effort earned Dunmanway Town a deserved share of the spoils. Kevin Marron, Don Hurley, Martin Cronin and Kenneth Kingston were best for Drinagh with Kieran O’Leary the pick of Dunmanway’s best performers.

O’Brien’s Bar West Cork Over33 League Results

Matchday 1 - Wednesday 26th May

Castletown Celtic 2 Cloughduv 1, Clonakilty AFC 0 Skibbereen 2, Clonakilty Town 3 Ardfield 2, Courtmacsherry 1 Rosscarbery 0, Dunmanway Town 1 Drinagh Rangers 1.

Ger McCarthy

A big thanks to the sponsors of the 2010 West Cork Over33 Tournaments:

• • The West Cork Over33 League is kindly sponsored by O'Briens Bar, Rosscarbery.

  • The West Cork Over33 Cup is kindly sponsored by Bernard Hayes Travel, Cork.

  • The West Cork Over33 Shield is kindly sponsored by A Cut Above, Clonakilty.

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