BUNRATTY UNITED 3

ARDFIELD 5

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

DIARMUID Kerr’s hat-trick has fired Ardfield into the West Cork League Championship Cup final.

Kerr’s first-half treble and a superb Paul Hodnett brace were enough to see off Bunratty United in an eight-goal thriller at Drinagh Rangers’ Canon Crowley Park ground.

As well as a Championship Cup final against Beara United and a Beamish Cup semi-final against Castletown Celtic, Ardfield are also in the Championship promotion hunt. So, last year’s Beamish Cup runners up are eager for silverware.

‘I’d love to finish the fairytale that we started by reaching last year’s Beamish Cup final,’ Ardfield coach John Lawless admitted to The Southern Star.

‘That would be one of our main goals. If we could, it would be lovely to finish out that fairytale.

‘We are still up there in the Championship division (fifth) and with games in hand too. The quality of this season’s Championship is unbelievable. It could go any way with four or five teams fighting for two promotion places.

‘We have Castletown Celtic in a Beamish Cup semi-final too. We will be underdogs as they are a Premier Division team. Hopefully, we get over the line. Winning the Championship Cup would achieve another of our goals.’

As for Bunratty, despite the loss, the current Championship leaders remain focused on promotion, as well as contesting a Parkway Hotel-Maybury Coaches Cup semi-final against Clonakilty Soccer Club.

‘We started off the season with the goal of gaining promotion,’ Bunratty United coach Calvin McSweeney said.

‘Things are fairly tight. Ardfield, Bay Rovers and a few others have games in hand. We are also still in the Parkway Hotel-Maybury Coaches Cup even though we could be up against it when playing Clonakilty.

‘As for tonight, we had a few injuries coming into it but we are disappointed with the result. Ardfield played very well and they are a good side. Bunratty are hoping to push on, gain promotion and see if we can hold our own in the Premier Division.’

A high-tempo tie’s early attacking endeavour was rewarded with three goals in five minutes. Bunratty’s Conor Brosnan reacted quickest to a blocked effort and found the bottom corner after 11 minutes.

Ardfield’s response was instant as Diarmuid Kerr swept home a leveller 60 seconds later. Worse was to follow for United when Kerr walloped an angled drive high into the net three minutes later.

United enjoyed a decent spell and equalised from a Killian O’Brien free kick on the half hour. That goal prompted a dominant Bunratty period in which O’Brien, Sean Evans and Milan Vearncombe all went close.

Ardfield had two penalty claims waved away before Diarmuid Kerr struck for a third time. An unmarked Kerr’s first-time volley finished off a flowing move to make it 3-2. There was still time for Paul Hodnett to rattle an upright before an action-packed first half ended.

Cillian White had a header cleared off the line and George Cannon hit the crossbar as Ardfield looked to push on. Next, they had a goal ruled out for a foul on Bunratty goalkeeper Shane Bowen.

Despite a succession of counter-attacks, the Schull club was unable to find a way past Ardfield’s defence and conceded a fourth on the hour. Paul Hodnett executed a magnificent 20-yard chip over Shane Bowen for the goal of the game.

Two down, the Town Park club pressed forward throughout the closing quarter. That two-goal cushion allowed Ardfield to defend in numbers prior to netting for a fifth time. Backed by a strengthening wind, Paul Hodnett’s corner kick curled all the way into the Bunratty net.

Bunratty's Aleksandrs Sahovs fired home in the dying embers but it proved academic. Ardfield progressed and deservedly so.

Bunratty United: Shane Bowen, Sean Evans, Conor Brosnan (captain), Killian O’Brien, Keith O’Driscoll, Milan Vearncombe, David Regan, Killian O’Sullivan, Danny McSweeney, Gavin Johnston, Fintan O’Brien.

Subs: Luke Nolan, Aleksandrs Sahovs, Lorcan O’Brien, Sam Logan, Micah Simpson.

Ardfield: Aaron O’Brien, Cillian White, Diarmuid Kerr, Michael Maguire, Fintan Barrett (captain), Niall Keane, Sam Linehan, Sean Lawless, Paul Hodnett, Conor Twomey, George Cannon.

Subs: Karol Siwek, Peter Barrett, Colm Hayes, Szymon Gomola.

Referee: Tadhg O’Sullivan.