BANDON 2
DRINAGH RANGERS 3
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
TOMÁS Connolly’s brace of goals helped Drinagh Rangers defeat Bandon in the West Cork League Masters Cup final at Canon Crowley Park on Tuesday.
Last year’s league champions Bandon and cup winners Drinagh squared off to decide the first trophy of the 2024 summer campaign. It was Rangers who came out on top, recording a 3-2 victory at the end of an entertaining contest.
Keith Jagoe tested goalkeeper Ronan Crowley and Gearoid White saw a free-kick deflected over during a bright Drinagh start.
West Cork League Vice-Chairman Don Hurley presents Drinagh Rangers captain Denis O’Driscoll with the Masters Cup trophy.
Kyle O’Donovan arrowed a volley wide in response but it was the hosts who deservedly hit the front after 16 minutes. Liam O’Brien’s corner was headed home by Tomás Connolly to cap a dominant spell.
Bandon threatened sporadically with goalkeeper Rob Oldham doing well to prevent a Richie Holland free-kick from hitting the net. An improving Bandon came within the width of a post from equalising when Keith Holden’s shot rattled the woodwork just before the break.
The chances kept coming as Danny Lynch curled a superb effort narrowly wide to start the second period. Yet, Drinagh’s set-piece proficiency saw Tomás Connolly connect with another free-kick and head in his second of the evening.
Admirably, their opponents responded in their next attack. Andrew Daunt fired into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 after 35 minutes. The visitors completed a marvellous comeback when Kyle O’Donovan thundered a header in from a corner.
An evenly fought cup final was delicately poised at 2-2 when Gearoid White broke into the penalty area only to be brought down by Bandon’s goalkeeper. A penalty was awarded which White expertly dispatched to edge Rangers back in front.
They had their chances but Bandon couldn’t find a late equaliser and Rangers held out for a 3-2 win.
The two sides will meet again in the Masters League final at the end of August. If it is half as good as this cup final, we are in for another cracker.
Bandon: R Crowley, J Coughlan, D Crean, M Ahern, D Lynch (captain), K O’Donovan, R Holland, K Holden, A Daunt, L Sheehan, J Lynch.
Subs: C O’Donoghue, D Deegan, S Holland, G Keohane, D O’Mahony, E Andepu, D Cullen.
Drinagh Rangers: R Oldham, S Connolly, JJ Collins, B O’Donovan, D O’Driscoll (captain), G White, J O’Regan, L O’Brien, T Connolly, K Jagoe, M Beamish.
Subs: D Beamish, L Curran, D Curran, G Beamish, M Hurley, E Connolly.
Referee: Tim McDermott.
