Season Preview

AS APPEARED IN THE EVENING ECHO EDITION: Tues 25th May 2010

The West Cork Over33 League, Cup and Shield competitions kick off for a second season this summer with ten teams taking part writes Ger McCarthy.

BACKGROUND

Ardfield AFC’s Noel O’Donovan and Diarmuid Keohane’s idea of a summer soccer tournament for Over33’s in the West Cork region proved a massive success in 2009. This year’s tournament sees the number of clubs increased to ten with the addition of Castletown Celtic and Cloughduv to the 2010 entrants.

O'Brien’s Bar in Rosscarbery have kindly agreed to sponsor the Over33’s League for the second season running while fellow sponsors Bernard Hayes Travel and ‘A Cut Above’ Salon are also returning to sponsor the Over33’s Cup and Shield tournaments.

Fixtures will take place every Wednesday night at 7:30pm and will be 30 minutes a half in duration with interchangeable substitutes. Each team will play nine league fixtures and at least two Cup / Shield knockout ties. The Shield tournament is for any sides that lose their opening round Cup match.

LAST SEASON

Clonakilty Old Boys won the 2009 O’Brien’s Bar Rosscarbery West Cork Over33 League winning seven and drawing one of their eight league fixtures. The most crucial result of the Old Boys’ march to the championship came on Matchday 5 with a 2-1 victory away to fellow title contenders Dunmanway Town. Cathal Crowley fired the hosts in front but second half goals from Martin Crowley and Arthur Andrzeyewski earned Clon a crucial victory in Mohona and the Old Boys saw out their remaining games to claim top spot. Leo Flynn and Martin Crowley were top scorers last term and the Old boys will look to both strikers again this season to fire in the goals.

Ardfield caused a huge shock in defeating hot favourites Drinagh Rangers to win the 2009 Bernard Hayes Travel West Cork Over33 Cup on August 1st. The Carrigroe club defeated Dunmanway Town (1-0) and Courtmacsherry (2-0) to reach the decider while Drinagh overcame the challenges of Skibbereen (on penalties) and Clon Old Boys (1-0). The two sides faced off in the Cannon Crowley Park decider before a large attendance with Ardfield eventually edging a tight encounter 1-0. There was nothing to choose between two evenly matched sides until Alec Butler saw an audacious chip from 25 yards nestle in the back of the net and his solitary goal proved sufficient to win the cup for Ardfield.

The curtain raiser to last season’s Cup decider saw Dunmanway Town and Skibbereen battle it out for the ‘A Cut Above’ Salon Over33 Shield. Both sides exited the Over33 Cup competition at the quarter final stage but were each offered a second chance of knockout glory in the Over33 Shield tournament. Skibbereen proved too strong for Clonakilty Masters (5-1) to make it to the final and Dunmanway Town joined them courtesy of a penalty shoot-out victory over Rosscarbery. A terrific Shield final remained scoreless on the excellent Cannon Crowley Park playing surface until the 47th minute. Ex-Cork city legend John Caulfield found Cathal Crowley with his back to goal on the edge of the Skibb penalty area. Crowley turned a defender before sending an unstoppable effort into the net for the only goal of the final. Skibbereen pushed hard for an equaliser but Dunmanway held on to claim the ‘A Cut Above’ Salon Over33 Shield trophy.

AWARDS

An awards ceremony was held at the beginning of May in O’Brien’s Bar in Rosscarbery to honour the top scorers and player of the year from last season’s Over33 tournament. Vince Collins of Drinagh Rangers won the overall award for best player while the following received plaques for finishing top scorer with their respective teams: Mike Doolan (Drinagh Rangers), Brian Carroll (Skibbereen), Leo Flynn and Martin White (Clonakilty Old Boys), Vince Hayes (Rosscarbery), Brian Whelton (Courtmacsherry), Aidan Whelton (Ardfield), Mike Johnson (Clonakilty Masters), Cathal Crowley (Dunmanway Town).

The draw for the opening rounds of the 2010 Bernard Hayes Travel West Cork Over33 Cup also took place on the same evening.

Preliminary Round: Ardfield vs. Cloughduv and Drinagh Rangers vs. Castletown Celtic.

Quarter finals: Ardfield or Cloughduv vs. Drinagh or Castletown, Rosscarbery vs. Skibbereen, Dunmanway Town vs. Clon Masters and Courtmacsherry vs. Clon Old boys.

LOOK AHEAD

Tomorrow night’s opening round of league fixtures sees reigning Champions Clonakilty Old Boys at home to Cup holders Ardfield on the Carrigroe pitch the two clubs will share for the duration of the summer. The most appetising fixture of the opening round is the local derby between Drinagh Rangers and last season’s league runners-up and Shield winners Dunmanway Town in the Race Field. Over33 debutantes Castletown Celtic and Cloughduv square off in Crookstown while Clonakilty Masters welcome Skibbereen to Ballyvackey. The clash of Courtmacsherry and Rosscarbery completes the first round of fixtures.

It is difficult to pick an outright winner ahead of what promises to be another competitive battle for league honours this summer. Clonakilty Old Boys start as slight favourites having remained unbeaten en route to claiming last year’s title. League runners-up Dunmanway Town will also be one of the favourites to finish top but can expect a tough battle from the Old Boys and neighbours Drinagh Rangers.

Clonakilty Masters possess a talented squad and are capable of improving from last summer’s 4th position. The remaining sides contain enough potential to upset the favourites with Castletown Celtic and Cloughduv still unknown quantities.

The Evening Echo will provide comprehensive coverage of the West Cork Over33 tournaments every Friday throughout the summer.

GMC

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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