BY KIERAN McCARTHY
TOGHER Celtic came from two goals down to beat Bunratty United 5-2 in an epic PremierHiSpecCars.com Premier Division clash on Sunday.
As the new West Cork League season kicked into life there were goals galore, with seven alone in Togher’s opening win. Cathal Newman and Lorcan O'Brien fired Bunratty into a 2-0 lead before Ian Crowley pulled one back on 45 minutes. Togher moved up the gears in the second half as Adrian Hurley hit a brace in a five-minute spell to push his side in front, before Robbie Lucey rattled the net twice in three minutes late on to complete the comeback.
Dunmanway Town went goal crazy in their 6–0 rout of Kilgoban Celtic. Johnny Kelly (2), Eoin Buckley (2), Will Hennigan and Shane Barry all scored for the winners. Meanwhile, two first-half goals from Niall O’Halloran and Padraig Delaney helped Castletown Celtic defeat Skibbereen 2-0.
Clonakilty Soccer Club, one of the title challengers last season, suffered an early setback with a dramatic 3-2 loss against Mizen Hob A at Goleen Community Field on Sunday. Johnny Leahy and Connie McKahey scored either side of half time to put the Clon team in control. Ryan O'Neill pulled a goal back for the home side with 15 minutes left, before Gerald O'Callaghan struck twice in injury-time to snatch victory for Mizen Hob A.
There were goals, too, in the OBrienWaterServices.com Championship on Sunday, including a late Colm O’Neill winner for Aultagh Celtic against Sullane. The teams were tied at 3-3 before O’Neill hit a 90th-minute winner. Colm Roche, George Lowrey and Dan Kelly were on target for Sullane who led 2-0 at one stage, while Brian Dineen, Cian Kennefick and Colm O’Neill (2) scored for Aultagh.
There was late drama, too, in Drinagh Rangers B’s 2-1 win against Castlelack. Paddy Taylor had given Castlelack a first-half lead, but Rob O’Mahony-Self levelled for Drinagh in the 82nd minute. Four minutes later Mark Grace scored Drinagh’s winner.
Elsewhere, Beara United beat Mizen Hob B 2-1 with goals from Dean Murphy and Tsvetelin Ventsislavov, and this was another come-from-behind victory as Dave O'Mahony had given Mizen Hob B a sixth-minute lead.
Meanwhile, in round one of the FAI Junior Cup, Clonakilty United defeated Ballinhassig AFC 3-2. David O’Sullivan struck twice, including an 84th-minute penalty, while Adam Hunt was also on target for the WCL outfit.
