BANDON AFC 3
DRINAGH RANGERS 2
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
BANDON got the better of Drinagh Rangers in a five-goal West Cork League Masters Cup final thriller at Castletownkenneigh.
For their third consecutive final meeting, two of the West Cork League Masters most talented teams shared five goals.
They made hard work of it, almost throwing away a three-goal lead, but Bandon just about deserved their 2025 Masters Cup final.
‘To be fair, and give credit to Drinagh, it has always been tight between us,’ Bandon Masters manager Ger Crean told The Southern Star.
‘There were two outstanding teams out there. It is always the same when we play Drinagh. Last year’s league final, they went two up and we came back to win 3-2.
‘We said it in the dressing room beforehand, for some of us, this might be our last summer playing together. That’s why the Masters is brilliant. It is great for fellas in their early 30s or older to just keep playing and be involved with their club.’
The top two ranked clubs in this summer’s Masters kicked off amid unseasonably sunny conditions. League pacesetters Bandon – yet to lose a league or cup game – enjoyed the brighter start. An early corner caused panic in Drinagh’s penalty box but Brendan O’Donovan’s snapshot cleared the crossbar.
West Cork League Chairman Tim O'Donovan presents Bandon AFC captain Danny Lynch with the Masters Cup trophy.
Drinagh, who edged Bandon 3-2 in last season’s epic cup decider, utilised Tomás Connolly’s ball-winning ability to bring Gearoid White and Robert O’Regan into the game.
Despite two committed team’s best efforts, a scrappy first quarter failed to deliver a goal. So, the opening strike in such a tight contest would prove crucial and it was Bandon who netted it. Gerard Rice received the ball inside the area and instantly found the bottom corner on 19 minutes.
Rangers’ attempts to conjure up a leveller were repeatedly thwarted by central defenders David Crean and Jerry Lynch.
Encouraged by their defensive solidity, Bandon doubled their lead four minutes before the break. Danny Lynch’s marvellous pass was arrowed into the net via an equally impressive first-time Gerard Rice volley. A goal worthy of gracing any cup final.
Unsurprisingly, Drinagh enjoyed a greater share of possession in the early stages of the second half. Shane Connolly and Liam O’Brien helped their side press higher but it was Bandon’s Danny Lynch who shot inches past an upright.
Both goalkeepers, Bandon’s Ronan Crowley and Drinagh’s Andrew McCarthy, acquitted themselves well throughout the hour. The former produced one of his stops to deny Gearoid White after 40 minutes.
The pattern of a frantic second half saw Bandon defend deep while Drinagh committed additional numbers forward. An effective offside trap coupled with wayward Drinagh passing ensured Bandon’s 2-0 lead remained intact with 12 minutes remaining.
Having been in defensive mode, Bandon underlined their attacking ability with a third goal of the highest quality.
Gerard Rice turned provider, sending a weighted pass into Kyle O’Donovan’s path. The winger’s low drive evaded Andrew McCarthy for a 3-0 lead.
Bandon, in complete control, were guilty of switching off. Their opponents took full advantage. First, Eamonn Connolly capitalised on an error to reduce the deficit. Then, another Bandon defensive lapse was seized upon by Barry O’Driscoll (T), who scored from an acute angle.
From 3-0 down to 3-2, Rangers were now in the ascendancy and Bandon on the back foot.
Barry O’Driscoll (T)’s in-swinging free kick was headed inches wide by David Curran as Drinagh pushed hard for a late leveller. Deep into injury-time, Eamonn Connolly had the ball in the net but the effort was ruled out for a foul on Bandon goalkeeper Crowley.
Rangers’ last chance was gone and Bandon claimed the Masters Cup.
BANDON AFC: R Crowley, J Coughlan, D Crean, D Deegan, J Lynch, S Holland, D Lynch (captain), M Ahern, K Holden, G Rice, K O’Donovan.
Subs: G Keohane, G O’Mahony, J O’Leary, E Kelleher, S Lordan.
DRINAGH RANGERS: A McCarthy, S O’Sullivan, J Collins, D O’Driscoll (captain), B (T) O’Driscoll, R O’Regan: S Connolly, G White, T Connolly, B O’Donovan, J O’Regan.
Subs: E Connolly, L O’Brien, N McCarthy, D Curran, L Curran, M Hurley, K Jagoe.
Referee: Paul McDermott.
***
Daniel Twomey’s hat-trick helped Castletown Celtic win the 2025 West Cork League Masters Shield trophy on their home ground the evening before this year’s cup decider.
The hosts overcame Aultagh Celtic 4-1 to lift the first Masters silverware of the summer. Twomey broke the deadlock after four minutes before doubling his and Castletown’s advantage 60 seconds later.
Shell-shocked at the concession of two early goals, Aultagh fell 3-0 behind when Twomey completed his hat-trick just shy of the quarter-hour.
This Masters Shield final was over as a contest once Finbarr Dromey netted to make it 4-0 at the interval.
Creditably, Aultagh were much improved in the second half. Daniel Barrett netted a deserved consolation goal but the evening belonged to Castletown Celtic and hat-trick hero Daniel Twomey.
