AS APPEARED IN THE EVENING ECHO EDITION: Fri 23rd July 2010
Courtmacsherry qualified for the last four of the ‘A Cut Above’ sponsored West Cork Over33 Shield tournament following a thrilling quarter-final victory over Dunmanway Town.
Last season’s ‘A Cut Above’ Over33 Shield winners Dunmanway Town travelled to Courtmacsherry last Wednesday evening to take on the hosts for a spot in the semi-finals of the 2010 competition. The solitary fixture of Matchday 9 didn’t disappoint and turned out to be a cracking seven goal thriller between two attack-minded sides.
There was an exciting opening to proceedings with Courtmacsherry’s Kieran McCarthy and Dunmanway’s Martin O’Sullivan each finding the net early on to leave the score tied at 1-1. The home side edged in front courtesy of a fine Neil Sexton effort but the reigning Shield holders equalised right on half time with Aidan McCarthy netting. Two evenly matched sides changed ends level at 2-2 but the goals kept coming during a dramatic second period.
Denis Whelton fired Courtmacsherry 3-2 in front and the hosts looked set for victory heading into the latter stages of the tie. Dunmanway’s Aidan McCarthy had other ideas, bagging his second of the evening with only 5 minutes remaining to tie the score for a third time. A terrific semi-final looked set for extra time until Norman Fleming pounced in the last minute to send Courtmacsherry through to the last four of the Shield tournament following a 4-3 win. Best for Courtmacsherry included each of their goalscorers as well as John O'Donovan and Declan Hennessy. Aidan McCarthy, Kieran O'Leary and Joe Kelly were the pick of Dunmanway Town’s top performers.
Courtmacsherry’s reward for knocking out the Over33 Shield holders is a semi-final tie at home to Rosscarbery on Wednesday August 11. On the same evening Castletown Celtic and Ardfield will do battle in Carrigroe in the second semi with the Shield decider tentatively pencilled in for either August 21 or August 28 in Canon Crowley Park, Drinagh.
The biggest match of the 2010 West Cork Over33 League sponsored by O’Brien’s Bar in Rosscarbery takes place in the Baltimore Road next Wednesday night. Current league leaders Skibbereen play host to the reigning Champions Clonakilty Town in what has the potential to be a tremendous encounter. Skibb have been in superb form this season amassing 16 points (5 wins and 1 draw) from a possible 18. Clon Town are only a point behind but will need to be at their very best to inflict a first defeat of the season on Skibbereen and overtake the leaders. Courtmacsherry can solidify third spot with victory away to Clon AFC while fourth placed Dunmanway Town travel to Crookstown to take on Cloughduv.
‘A Cut Above’ West Cork Over33 Shield Results
Matchday 9 – Wed July 21
Preliminary Round: Courtmacsherry 4 Dunmanway Town 3
O’Brien’s Bar Rosscarbery West Cork Over33 League Fixtures
Matchday 10 – Wed July 28
Ardfield vs. Rosscarbery in Carrigroe, Castletown Celtic vs. Drinagh Rangers in Canon Crowley Park, Clonakilty AFC vs. Courtmacsherry in Ballyvackey, Cloughduv vs. Dunmanway Town in Crookstown, Skibbereen vs. Clonakilty Town in the Baltimore Road, Skibbereen.
Visit http://sites.google.com/site/wcover33/ for further details.
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.
Follow the West Cork Over33 Season every FRIDAY exclusively in the