AS APPEARED IN THE EVENING ECHO EDITION: Sat 4th September 2010
IMAGES OF BOTH CUP FINALS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE GALLERY SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE
Clonakilty Town 2
Drinagh Rangers 1
Clonakilty Town came from a goal down to defeat Drinagh Rangers 2-1 following a thrilling Bernard Hayes Travel West Cork Over33 Cup final in Canon Crowley Park on Saturday evening writes Ger McCarthy.
Drinagh kicked off in front of a vociferous crowd on their home patch and had the better of the opening exchanges. The hosts created a succession of early chances from dead-ball situations and one free-kick had the Clonakilty Town defence in a panic. A curling in-swinger fell to the feet of Mike Doolan and his goal-bound effort took a wicked deflection out for a corner.
Town responded well to that early scare with Nick Harrison and Kevin Kingston pushing Clon forward. Kingston fired a long range effort just wide after 21 minutes and the combined efforts of Jonathan Hunt and Leo Flynn kept the Drinagh back four busy.
There was nothing between the sides until the cup final exploded into life shortly before the interval with two goals in as many minutes. Rangers’ constant threat from free-kicks produced the opening strike when Mike Doolan pounced to finish from close range after Town’s defence failed to clear. Drinagh’s delight was short-lived however as Clon went straight down the other end of the pitch to equalise with their next attack.
The ball was moved to Jonathan Hunt on the edge of the Drinagh area and his deft touch released Donal O’Donovan who was brought down by a rash challenge. The referee had little option but to award a penalty and Leo Flynn made no mistake to tie the score at 1-1.
The second half was played at a high tempo with both sides exchanging chances in a cracking finale. Clonakilty Town wasted a series of opportunities before Brian O’Donovan finished off a flowing move with a fine volley to edge Clon 2-1 ahead. Drinagh threw numbers forward in search of an equaliser but the determined defending of the excellent Nick Harrison helped Clon repel their attacks.
Town were reduced to 10 men late on but defended manfully to see out the remaining minutes and deservedly claim the 2010 Bernard Hayes Travel West Cork Over33 Cup trophy.
Clonakilty Town: John Leahy, Micheal Griffin, Nick Harrison, Michael Hurley, Ger McCarthy, Diarmuid Hayes, Lorne Edmeade (Captain), Kevin Kingston, Brian O’Donovan, Jonathan Hunt, Declan Cox, Leo Flynn, Ger O’Sullivan, Donal O’Donovan and Keith Collins.
Drinagh Rangers: Danny McQueen, Cathal McCarthy, Brian McCarthy, Colm McCarthy, Phil Allison, Don Hurley, Jim Collins, Denis Nolan, Mike Doolan, Dean Simpson, Kenneth Kingston, Declan Deasy, Vincent Collins, Martin Cronin, Kevin Marron (Captain), Colm Daly, Denis Hurley, James Walsh, Alan Shorten, Connie Keane, Ian O'Callaghan, Seamus Daly and Brendan McCarthy.
Referee: Terry Minihane, Assistants: Anthony McDermott and Steven McDermott
Ardfield 1
Rosscarbery 0
A converted Tony Hayes penalty proved enough to win the 2010 ‘A Cut Above’ West Cork Over33 Shield final for Ardfield at the expense of a gallant Rosscarbery in Drinagh last Saturday writes Ger McCarthy.
Canon Crowley Park provided a perfect playing surface in brilliant sunshine for the West Cork Shield decider. Ardfield began confidently and had the ball in the net after 2 minutes but Aidan Whelton was correctly adjudged to have been offside.
Rosscarbery survived that early scare and settled into the final with Michael Keohane, Geoff Wycherley and Pascal O'Brien prominent. Roy Hawkins' perceptive passing was at the hub of Ross's best moves early on as Ardfield struggled to get a foothold in the game. John O'Regan had loud appeals for a penalty waved away and then Geoff Wycherley was denied by the feet of Andy Beattie as Ross continued to dominate.
Ardfield conjured up their first clear cut chance on the quarter hour mark when Paul McShane and Alec Butler combined brilliantly to find Diarmuid Keohane at the far post but the striker's diving header floated wide of the upright. Noel O'Donovan, Damien Dooley and Tony Hayes' influence began to grow but the Rosscarbery centre-back pairing of Pascal O'Brien and Denis Calnan kept their opponents at bay with some competent defending. When Ardfield did manage to get in behind the Ross back four they found goalkeeper Mike Hubbard in excellent form.
Ross created the best chance of the opening half shortly before the interval when Ardfield failed to clear a free-kick and Eugene Daly's instinctive first-time effort fizzed narrowly wide. An unfortunate injury to Vince Hayes halted play for some time before the sides eventually went in tied 0-0 at the break.
The second period began with an Ardfield corner deflected onto the crossbar as Rosscarbery struggled to rediscover their first half form. Diarmuid Keohane burst through the Ross defence in the 38th minute but angled his effort wide of the upright with only the keeper to beat. The Carrigroe club continued to dominate with Damien Dooley bringing the best out of Mike Hubbard and then having another goal ruled out for offside. Ross finally broke from defence and a Geoff Wycherley effort whistled across the area with no one on hand to finish.
The goal Ardfield’s second half performance had been threatening arrived with only 5 minutes remaining. A lightening Ardfield counter-attack stretched the Rosscarbery defence and a defender was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and Tony Hayes stepped forward to beat Mike Hubbard from the resulting spot-kick.
Ardfield held on to win 1-0 despite a late and spirited rally from Rosscarbery to deservedly win the 2010 West Cork Over33 Shield trophy.
Ardfield: Andy Beattie, Bernard Hayes, Denis O'Donovan, Jonathan O'Donovan, Steve Frost (Captain), Tony Hayes, Paul McShane, Noel O'Donovan, Damien Dooley, Aidan Whelton, Diarmuid Keohane, Alec Butler, John Lawless, Wayne Howard, Patrick Griffin, Pearse O'Sullivan, Simon Whelband.
Rosscarbery: Mike Hubbard, Eugene Daly, Tim Hayes, Pascal O'Brien (Captain), Denis Calnan, John O'Regan, John Fitzpatrick, Roy Hawkins, Geoff Wycherley, Vince Hayes, Michael Keohane, Denis McSweeney, Dermot Kerr, Sean Linehan, Bart Kerrisk, Jerry McCarthy and Ray Hayes.
Referee: Patrick Hurley, Assistant Referees: Michael Daly and Martin Coakley.
Ger McCarthy
IMAGES OF BOTH CUP FINALS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE GALLERY SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE
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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