Lyre Rovers and Drinagh Rangers take charge of Women’s Cup semi-finals
JUST one week on from losing the Beamish Cup final on penalties, Ardfield suffered more shoot-out heartbreak.
In a Championship Cup semi-final, Ardfield took on a Lyre Rovers team closing in on promotion to the Premier Division. Ben Linehan nudged Ardfield in front just after the break, but Mark Kelly struck in the 75th minute to level the tie, 1-1. Extra time was needed to find a winner, and with neither grabbing a goal, this semi-final went to penalties. Here, it was Lyre that won 4-3 to advance to the final.
To add to Ardfield’s woes on Sunday, they dropped to bottom of the Championship after Aultagh Celtic B beat Skibbereen 3-0 – James Iddon, Kevin Murphy and Daire Hayes all scored in Aultagh B’s third win of the league campaign, though Ardfield, just one point behind, have five games in hand.
Back to the Championship Cup, and Lyre will take on Bay Rovers in the final after their lightning start to their semi-final against promotion-chasing Baltimore set up a 4-2 win. Goals from Eli Reynolds (2), Eoin Bowden and Barry O'Driscoll saw Bay Rovers race 4-0 ahead inside 31 minutes, and this was the half-time score too. Baltimore pulled two goals back in the second half through James O'Neill and Kieran Lynch (penalty), but Bay Rovers goal blitz sent them into the final.
The first legs of the WCL Women’s Cup semi-finals were both one-sided games. Lyre Rovers defeated Aultagh Celtic 8-1 with goals from Meadhbh Coomey (4), Gene Crowley (2), Ellen Hall and Laura Cooke. Julia Alfonso Hegarty was on target for Aultagh. In the other semi-final first leg, Drinagh Rangers won 6-0 against Beara United, as Lorraine O’Neill (2), Marie O’Driscoll, Rachel O’Donovan, Caroline Beamish and Ciara Galvin all scored.
In the PremierHiSpecCars.com Premier Division, Togher Celtic beat Bunratty United 4-2 to push the latter closer to relegation. Niall Hurley, Luke Hurley, Euan Lehane and Paudie Crowley all scored for Togher, with Paddy O’Driscoll and Keith O’Driscoll on target for Bunratty, who are seven points behind Drinagh Rangers B with three games left.
