“Hail Hail” shout the victors as Satellite call an early cab for UCC!

#MickMooneyCup – Semi-Finals

Satellite Taxis 2 – 1 UCC United

FOLLOWING a weekend of dramatic semi-final action, holders Satellite Taxis edged out premier champions UCC Utd. 2-1 in their Saturday afternoon encounter at Mayfield Pk. to set up a final date with Quinlan’s Bar, extra-time winners over Doolan’s Cow on the Sunday, at Turner’s Cross on Sunday, April 14th next, (kick-off 11am), writes Finbarr Buckley.

In a fine advertisement for the Business League, Satellite and UCC got the weekend off to flyer with a fine display of imaginative football from both sides which burst in life when Simon Irwin’s beautiful weighted cross was headed in by Shane Dorgan on the half hour. United responded in kind by levelling before half-time through Eric Montgomery who finished a neat move from close range. The second 45 continued the relentless pace of the opening half with Satellite again edging in front on the hour , Alex Coughlan this time drilling a low cross from the right across the face of the goal for Pa Horgan to fire past Brian Burke at the far post. Montgomery was denied late on the opportunity to take the tie to extra-time by a spectacular reflex save from Cian Hammond. Emmet O’Neill was outstanding for the winners while Kevin Murphy and Wassim Magnin shone for UCC.

Doolan’s Cow 1 – 2 Quinlan’s Bar (aet.)

Quinlan’s finally got the better of their arch rivals in cup competition to return to head quarters for the second time in the last three seasons. The victory could not have come at a better time for the visitors who have avenged the memory of their shield and Mooney Cup defeats of 2017 while remaining hot of the heels of their opponents in the title race. Before a fervent support for both teams at Mayfield Pk., Doolan’s hit the front on ten minutes when Aaron Hennessy swept the ball past Aaron Spriggs from a Craig Keegan assist. The action remained at times frantic but absorbing to watch but continued without a goal until the 60th minute. The industrious Robert O’Rourke picked up the ball twenty-five yards out and unleashed a pile driver which flew past Doolan’s keeper James Murphy for was must undoubtedly be a contender for goal of the season. Both teams went close in the final quarter with Darren Hosford and Owen Forde forcing Murphy into saves while Tony O’Reilly and James Cotter carried Doolan’s biggest threat up front. In the 5th minute of extra-time the deadlock was finally broken when Damien O’Mahony’s cross was reached first by the head of Gary Gould. 2016 and 2017 winners Doolan’s threw everything at their opponents in the dying embers and O’Reilly almost conjured up a second equalizer only for a defender to clear off the line. O’Rourke, Gould, Spriggs and Hosford were immense throughout for the winners.

Sports Gear Direct First Division

Cork Eagles PFC 2 – 3 Dell EMC

A Kevin O’Connor brace, the first a penalty on twenty minutes after Sean Holmes was taken down, was followed by a second ten minutes later from a long range free-kick. Robert Susek supplied Pawel Orlowski with the chance to reduce the deficit for the Eagles before half-time with Michal Pekala equalizing on the hour after Lukasz Cebula carved out the opening. A last ditch goal-line clearance by EMC’s player-manager Mike Donegan kept the visitors in the hunt going into the last ten minutes. With two minutes remaining a Matt Tiffany corner was thumped in by Mark Foley to seal a consecutive win for Dell who jumped two places to fifth as a result. Holmes and Brian Walsh impressed for the visitors who lost 5-2 in the corresponding fixture back in the end of October.

Planet (Cork) 4 – 3 20/20 Glazing

Planet moved above Abtran and Cork Eagles in the table courtesy of only their fifth win of the campaign. Sub Darragh O’Rourke came off the bench to score two for the hosts after Robert Egan and Darren Dineen had netted earlier. Brian Gunning, Fionn Hennessy and and Jer Cahill registered the goals for the visitors whose title challenge has been severely dented after a third loss in the last four.