? CBL Weekly Round-Up: Marlboro Beef Up to Beat the Cow!

? Finbarr Buckley

? Radim Doutnac | Rad Sports Photography #RadSportPhotography

Mooney Cup – Second Round

Doolan’s Cow 2 – 3  Marlboro Trust

PERFORMANCE of last weekend belongs to Marlboro Trust who dumped fancied Doolan’s Cow out of the cup following last Friday night’s second round tie at Mayfield Community School, writes Finbarr Buckley.

Trust manager Aidan Kelleher was forced to plan without the services of injured goalkeeper Stephen Jones, experienced defender Brian Gilhooley and suspended captain Daniel del Blanco and turned to veteran goalkeeper Paudie Morris and striker Pat McSweeney to come into the fray and help steer the visitors into the last eight . The script appeared to go to plan for Doolan’s when Tony O’Reilly started and finished the move which led to his team’s opener in the 13th minute. Trust responded by getting back on level terms within six minutes when Kevin O’Sullivan, having earlier hit the crossbar, finished from close range. The hosts regained the initiative three minutes before half-time with James Cotter’s speculative lob going in off the head of a defender. O’Sullivan pounced with an 80th-minute equalizer for the visitors before grabbing the winner three minutes from time. Morris, O’Sullivan and subs McSweeney, Paul O’Keeffe and Adolfo Roldan were immense for the winners while Doolan’s were best served by Darren Geraghty, and the two O’Leary’s, Dylan and Stephen.

Sports Gear Direct Premier Division

UCC United 3 – 3  Doolan’s Cow

2018 champions UCC made the most of Doolan’s’ Friday night cup exit by rocking the champions with two goals inside the opening half-hour. First, Cathal Doherty sent Ali Ahmidat in over the top to beat Stephen O’Leary low into the bottom corner after twenty minutes. Ten minutes later, Ian Matthews dispossessed a defender to release Ahmidat who rounded O’Leary for a second. Doolan’s worked their way back into the contest and Liam Horgan reduced the deficit before half-time with a neat finish. The visitors brought on strikers James Cotter and Tony O’Reilly for the second 45  and their presence led to O’Reilly adjusting his feet at the far post to knock in an equaliser. However, the College went back in front in the 75th minute when Brice Pinel’s free-kick was headed in off the underside of the crossbar by Doherty. The champions were not to be denied and deservedly came away with a share of the spoils following a last-minute corner which was headed in off the post by Darren Geraghty.  Ahmidat, Doherty, Mo El Shouky and Gokan Dumlupiner shone for Stephen Moynihan’s charges.                                                             

Co. Council 1 – 3 SCS Crookstown United

Crookstown shook off the rustiness of been with a match for three weeks to go three up through a  Michael Deasy header from a Martin O’Sullivan corner, a Lloyd Asling second from a Liam Wall cross and a third from Darren Ambrose before Wojtek Dabrowiak replied with a superb finish for Council. Ambrose and Colm Crowley were powerhouses in the centre for the visitors with Liam Buckley and Cian Creedon the pick of Tony Byrd’s home side.

Sports Gear Direct First Division

CPL 1 – 2 Planet Entertainment (Cork)

Joint leaders Planet were given a stern test in tough conditions at Douglas Community to come away with another three vital points in the race for the title. Following a corner, Joe Cullagh’s knockdown led to Shaun Healy volleying the visitors in the 28th minute. The hosts got back level before the half ended though captain Alan Nugent who reacted quickest to get a touch to Jason O’Driscoll’s free which came back off the crossbar. Planet gained the upper hand in the second-half and found a winner from another set-piece situation, this time captain Gary McCarthy netting from the spot after Dylan Sheridan was taken down.

PepsiCo 2 – 3 Janssen

Janssen showed they will be well up for the fight by coming back from two down at half-time to topple fellow title contenders PepsiCo at Mayfield Community School. One of the previous week’s scorers, Gonzalo Vidal, and Adam Kenneally gave PepsiCo the advantage at the break but a brace from top scorer  Alan Murphy and a third from debutant full-back Michael Ibitoye secured an eighth win for the visitors who remain top on goal difference but with two games more played than joint leaders Planet who they must still play after their one-one draw earlier in the season. Ibitoye and centre-back Chris Dunne gave outstanding displays in the winner’s second-half revival.

Abtran 8 – 0  Martin Harvey Solicitors

Abtran bounced back from the previous weekend’s loss to fellow title contenders Planet (Cork) to regain top spot overnight after last Saturday afternoon’s comfortable win over Martin Harvey Solicitors. After  returning Aidan Fogarty went close early on, Kieran Buckley and Danny O’Brien sent the hosts in two-nil ahead at the break. The visitor’s staunch resistance wasn’t helped by an injury to their goalkeeper and from then on the goals flowed courtesy of Buckley and substitute Fred Morris, two each, and one apiece from Dale Dalton and Michael O’Connor. The in-form Eoghan O’Sullivan had a hand in four of his team’s goals.

 VoxPro 0 – 2 Cork Hospitals

Cork Hospitals recorded a rare win on the road in horrendous overhead conditions at the G.A.C.A. Grounds. Noel Sheridan and Neil O’Donovan capitalized on defensive errors to net twice in the second half and take the hosts to within a point of third from bottom The Weigh Inn Dripsey.