Scaffolding’s climb halted by in-form Abtran! Cork Business League Weekly Round-up!
Sports Gear Direct First Division
OBS 0 – 3 Abtran
THIRD from bottom Abtran left O’Brien’s Scaffolding’s title aspirations hanging by a thread following their three-nil defeat in the Sports Gear Direct First Division at Mayfield Pk. last Saturday afternoon, writes Finbarr Buckley.
The home team started brightly but were undone on the break in the 25th minute when a Shane Bowles free-kick skimmed off the head of a defender to wrong foot Keith Daly who couldn’t adjust his angles in time to save. OBS stepped up the tempo for the remainder of the half and despite the efforts of Jack Cotter and Sean Moore on the right flank, could find no way past the inspired Muiris O’Choncuir who, recently returned from injury, made a string of fine saves.
The visitors went two up on the hour mark following a scramble in the area in which Daly picked up a head injury but could do nothing to prevent Dale O’Donoghue scoring from a tight angle. O’Donoghue bagged his second and his side’s third with fifteen minutes remaining, reacting quickest to slot home after the ball came back off the crossbar and Daly got his leg tangled in the side-netting in attempting to get to the rebound.
Cork Eagles PFC 4 – 1 20/20 Glazing
In the early part of the season both The Eagles and Glazing had been the pacesetters. However, both teams’ form dipped alarmingly after the Christmas break with the Eagles at last finding their form by winning for the second time in a week. The hosts struggled with only ten starters before the additions of long serving Jacek Worwa and Piotr Sekula helped secure a convincing win with Worwa, Pawel Orlowski and two from Grzegorz Witowski all scoring. Adam Kenneally replied for the visitors.
Sports Gear Direct Premier Division
Healy O’Connor Solicitors 2 – 4 Satellite Taxis
Satellite still have their sights focused on the title after coming away with all three points from their visit to Garryduff. Shane Hennessy and Breffni McCarthy scored inside the first ten minutes to give Healy’s a mountain to climb before Keith O’Donovan pulled one back from a fine free-kick. Hennessy and Red Geaney tagged on two more for the visitors leaving Brendan Buckley to score again for Healy’s in the final quarter. The evergreen Robert Healy impressed for the home side along with Shane Doody and Mark Maher for Satellite.
Mid-week Round-up
Healy’s remained locked in the battle to stay up by losing 3-1 to UCC. Eric Montgomery netted twice for the champions with Kevin Murphy also among the goals.
Co. Council leapfrogged Crookstown to go back on top on goal difference after Jason Crowley’s superb free-kick found the top corner of the net in the 70th minute to clinch the win over Dell EMC at The Regional Pk. Colin Galvin and Ian Scott excelled for the winners.
Cork Eagles picked up a much needed win over VoxPro after goals from Grzegorz Witkowski and Pawel Orlowski, two each, and Robert Susek sealed a 5-2 victory. The visitors had led 2-1 with twenty minutes, Albert Morros and Mathieu Lair on target for VoxPro. The Eagles wish to thank their opponents for the use of their second choice strip after their own kit was mislaid.
Cup specialists Satellite Taxis were made to work hard by Cork International before advancing to the last four of this season’s Jackie O’Driscoll Cup competition. The visitors had a player sent off early on and lost another through injury but still managed to keep their in-form hosts at bay until the 75th minute when four unanswered goals from Alan O’Donovan (2), Shane Hennessy and Ross Healy carried the tie for the Mooney finalists. Goalkeeper Barry Sheehan and central defender Ian Harris were superb for International who’ve endured a tough season in the top flight.
FOOT-NOTE : The Jackie O’Driscoll Premier Cup Final has been re-scheduled for Tuesday, June 4th at Turner’s Cross (kick-off 7pm). The AGM and end-of-season award presentations with take place on the following night, Wednesday, June 5TH in the meeting rooms at Turner’s Cross also at 7pm.