Clonakilty Soccer Club 5

Togher Celtic 0

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

THE battle for the 2026 PremierHispecCars.com West Cork League Premier Division will be decided in the season’s final league match for a third consecutive year.

Reigning champions and current leaders, Clonakilty Soccer Club, host second placed Drinagh Rangers in Darrara this Sunday (11am).

Clon head into that showdown a point clear of their rivals thanks to last weekend’s one-sided win over an understrength and undermanned Togher Celtic.

This will be the third year in a row that Clonakilty and Drinagh have met to decide the West Cork League top tier’s champions in the division’s concluding fixture.

In June 2024, Clon hosted Rangers in Darrara, two points clear and needing to avoid defeat to lift their first ever Premier Division trophy.

Hot temperatures and a sizable attendance saw the region’s heavyweights slug it out before a 2-2 draw sparked wild celebrations as Clonakilty became champions for the first time.

Almost twelve months later, Canon Crowley Park was the venue for another Premier Division shoot-out in May 2025.

It was the visitors who successfully defended their league trophy on this occasion, winning 4-2 at the end of a cracking encounter. That victory also completed a marvellous Clonakilty Soccer Club quadruple of WCL Beamish Cup, Premier Division Cup, Michael Cronin Cup and Premier Division successes.

Now, part three of a captivating trilogy is scheduled for Darrara on Sunday.

The scenario is straightforward for both protagonists. Win and the title is yours. True, Clonakilty can afford a draw but manager John Leahy will not be entertaining that thought.

Clonakilty Soccer Club's Charlie McShane battling with Togher Celtic's Patrick Collins. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

‘Absolutely not because if you play for a draw then you will lose,’ Leahy told The Southern Star.

‘You go out, perform and try to get the result you need on the day.

‘We went through a bit of a blip with injuries this year. That meant the team had to be rejigged. Togher beat us fair and square in the Beamish Cup. We didn’t have a full-strength team the last time out against Drinagh and they walloped us 4-1.

‘It will take a good team to beat us in Darrara. It will be all on the day and, hopefully, not as windy as it was today.’

Last Sunday, against the backdrop of West Cork Rally car engines, Clonakilty powered to a facile victory, their eleventh of the season.

Togher travelled with only eight available players but, admirably, gave everything they had despite a numerical disadvantage.

The reigning champions got the job done.

Creating numerous opportunities, five converted chances was enough to see off Togher Celtic and set up this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash.

Ahead of kick-off, third placed Togher’s title hopes had already ended following a 2-1 loss to Drinagh on February 15th.

As for the defending champions, Clonakilty were desperate for an upturn in form following  Premier Division Cup semi-final (4-1 to Drinagh) and Beamish Cup quarter-final (3-2 to Togher) defeats.

A continuous stream of Clonakilty attacks began with Rob Downey testing Ciarán Murray from distance. An effective offside trap frustrated the hosts throughout the early exchanges but couldn’t prevent an opening goal after 7 minutes.

Togher Celtic's Donnacha Collins tries to stop a clearance from Rob Downey of Clonakilty Soccer Club. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Moving the ball at pace, goalkeeper Iain O’Driscoll began a move that ended with James O’Donovan’s defence-splitting pass finding Charlie McShane. The Clonakilty winger made no mistake, confidently side-footing home to make it 1-0.  

Poor shooting and a strengthening wind made for an untidy spell. Cal O’Mahony’s close range attempt was stopped by Murray before the hosts doubled their advantage.

James O’Donovan had a fine game and arrowed a terrific effort into the bottom corner after 13 minutes.

The width of a crossbar prevented O’Mahony from netting his second but James Calnan was on hand to blast home the rebound midway through the first half.

It was Calnan who would net his second goal and Clonakilty’s fourth, evading a couple of defenders and thundering a low effort into the net.

The points were wrapped up via a superb Louka Mohan strike, set up by Charlie McShane.

Clonakilty used their penultimate fixture to empty the substitutes bench and finish the most convincing of winners.

The Darrara-based club’s management and players will have learned little from last weekend’s experience.

No matter, as now it is time for another end-of-season defining match.

Sunday’s showdown, to decide the destination of the 2026 Premier Division trophy, is expected to attract a big attendance and go right to the wire.

Part three of a trilogy of Premier Division title deciders is unlikely to disappoint.

Clonakilty Soccer Club: Iain O’Driscoll, Cal O’Mahony, James Calnan, Rob Downey, Charlie McShane, Odhran Bancroft, Christine Collins, James O’Donovan, Ethan Draper, Mark Irwin, Reuben Henry (captain).

Subs: Joe Edmead, Louka Mohan, Jack O’Crowley, Jason Minihane, James Horan, Ben McCarthy Shields.

Togher Celtic: Ciaran Murray (captain), Kevin Cotter, Levi Bosma, Eoin Murray, Patrick Collins, Donnacha Collins, Dylan O’Callaghan, John Collins.

Referee: Niall O’Donovan.