? CBL Weekend Round-Up: Fehily is Spot On as Scaffolding Hold Steady in the Top Half!
? Finbarr Buckley
? Nicky Mulcahy: O’Brien Scaffolding squad photo taken before their First Division cup final last season in Turners Cross
Sports Gear Direct Premier Division
OBS 3 – 2 Satellite Taxis
An under-strength OBS put a huge dent in Satellite’s title aspirations by toppling last season’s shield and cup winners at Ballea Pk. last Friday night, writes Finbarr Buckley.
With champions Doolan’s Cow behind in fixtures due to cup commitments, OBS’s Donal Coakley employed players behind the ball in an attempt to stifle Satellite’s possession game but was unable to prevent Breffi McCarthy opening the scoring in the 10th minute with an unerring finish at the far post. Within ten minutes, Coakley got on the end of a long throw only to be pulled back for Philip Fehilly to despatch the resultant penalty for one-one. Nyall O’Brien’s persistence to win possession on the end-line led to his cross catching the keeper off guard allowing Jack Cotter to provide the lead for the hosts before half-time. OBS continued to press on the break in the second 45 but were caught by a ball over the top which was clinically put away by Aaron West to level up matters with twenty minutes remaining. With the home side hanging on a rare corner-kick in the 90th minute fell at feet of O’Brien who was pushed in the back as he attempted to shoot. Once again Fehilly tucked away his second penalty of the night to seal a morale-boosting win for last season’s Lenihan Cup runners-up.
SCS Crookstown United 2 – 2 UCC United
Last season’s First Division champions held the 2018 Premier Division champions UCC to a draw in the team’s first meeting at Crookstown last Saturday afternoon. After a bright opening by the hosts, the visitors went in front against the run of play in the 6th minute when Ali Ahmidat broke down the wing to cross for Eric Montgomery to slot the opener from close range. After Lloyd Asling equalized for Crookstown who lost John Angland and Stephen Payne to injuries during the game, Jack Murphy set up Montgomery who restored UCC’s lead again with ten minutes still to play in the first half. Tim Irwin’s Crookstown came back again at their opponents and levelled again before the breakthrough Charles Kenneally. With Michael Deasy excellently deputizing in goal for the home team, Irwin’s introduction almost paid dividends with a late winner when his long throw eluded Pa O’Sullivan from getting the merest of touches at the far post.
Marlboro Trust 6 – 3 Healy O’Connor Solicitors
Goals from Francis O’Callaghan and Steven Kavanagh had the visitors in front inside the first ten minutes before Trust rallied to go 3-2 up, Kevin O’Sullivan (2) and Daniel del Blanco on target for the home team. Alan Golden looked to have secured a share of the spoils for Healy’s with a third in the 81st minute by a rousing finish by Aidan Kelleher’s charges produced three goals in the last five minutes from O’Sullivan (2) and del Blanco to help Marlboro to their best start in recent seasons.
Sports Gear Direct First Division
Martin Harvey Solicitors 0 – 9 Janssen
Ladies and gentlemen, the real Janssen are back. After the hesitant floundering of two successive defeats to VoxPro and Abtran, a second win couldn’t have come at a better time to bridge the nine-point gap between themselves and unbeaten leaders Abtran. Top scorer Eoghan Markey got six, the last on the stroke of full-time, to lead the swagger of an in-form side, with Cormac Dervin, Alan Murphy and Stephen Crowley were also among the goals.
PepsiCo 1 – 0 Voxpro
PepsiCo inflicted a first defeat on joint leaders VoxPro to move onto ten points from five matches and into the promotion race. Darren O’Connor netted the decisive goal for the winners.
CPL 2 – 0 Dell EMC
In an ever contest, CPL came away with all three points courtesy of goals from Alfonse Gasper who played a one-two with Chris Brant to superbly lift the ball over the advancing keeper and Brant who latched onto Gavin Delaney’s kick-out with ten minutes remaining. CPL started with six players over thirty-seven but the central defensive partnership of Ashley Todd and Gerard Quigley and keeper Delaney continued hugely to keeping the opposition scoreless.
Abtran 2 – 2 Colso Celtic
Abtran dropped their first points of the season but remain top after being held by Colso at Mayfield Community School. Danny O’Brien edged Abtran ahead on the half-hour but after William Corcoran and Chris Coughlan were denied a second by superb saves, Shaun Lawson equalized for Celtic on the 65th minute. O’Brien beat three defenders to set up sub Shane Bowles for a second for the visitors in the
73rd minute but Alex Cummins popped up with a leveller deep into added time. Craig Murphy, Ger McCann and Gary O’Sullivan shone for the home side.
Munster Junior Cup –Third Round
Leeds 1 – 2 Doolan’s Cow
The Doolan’s Cow juggernaut continues to sweep all before it following another notable scalp in the form of MJL premier opponents Leeds at Leeds Pk. last Saturday afternoon. The northside outfit now have three huge outings to look forward to in the open draw of both national competitions and in the last four of the MFA League Champions Trophy. Tony O’Reilly and Jamie Murphy combined to split open the defence for Murphy to coolly open the scoring in the 18th minute. With six minutes remaining O’Reilly volleyed in Aaron Hennessy’s cross for two-nil before Niall Murphy reduced the deficit for Leeds in the 89th minute. The two McCarthy’s Stephen and Roy along with Alan Monaher were superb for the winners.