O’Donovan spot on as Dunmanway Town hold Drinagh Rangers to keep title hopes alive

STEPHEN O’Donovan’s late equalising penalty has kept Dunmanway Town alive in this season’s PremierHiSpecCars.com Premier Division title race.

O’Donovan scored twice from the spot as Dunmanway drew 2-2 at home against league leaders Drinagh Rangers on Sunday, and this keeps them 12 points behind the table-toppers but they have three games in hand. O'Donovan opened the scoring with a 33rd-minute penalty but Drinagh hit back with two goals in 12 second-half minutes, from Eoin Hurley and Barry O'Driscoll (H). There was a late twist when O'Donovan netted his second penalty to level the game, and halt Drinagh’s recent surge. The teams clash again this Sunday morning (11am) in a quarter-final of the WCL Premier Division Cup, Dunmanway at home.

Elsewhere in the Premier, Castletown Celtic gave their survival hopes a big boost with a 1-0 against Lyre Rovers. Jack O’Callaghan converted a 25th-minute penalty as second-from-bottom Castletown closed the gap on Lyre to just two points.

Also, Togher Celtic moved towards mid-table safety after scoring three goals in the last eight minutes to defeat Mizen Hob A 3-0 – Shane Crowley, Robbie Lucey and Peter Collins were all on target.

There were goals galore in the WCL Championship Cup on Sunday. Darragh Coakley hit an extra-time winner as Drinagh Rangers B beat Castlelack 2-1 in a preliminary round game. Damien Fernandez had given Drinagh the lead before Brendan Harrington levelled.

The cup quarter-final between Baltimore and Courtmacsherry was an eight-goal epic that finished 4-4 before Baltimore won 6-5 on penalties. It was 3-3 after normal time, Kieran Lynch, Dan MacEoin and Niall Regan scoring for Baltimore, with David Murphy, Dylan Harrington and Darragh Holland on target for Courtmacsherry. 

MacEoin edged Baltimore back in front in extra time, only for Ger Crowley to level, before the Crabs clawed their way into the semi-final after shoot-out drama. 

There were goals and late drama, too, in the WCL Championship Cup quarter-final between Mizen Hob B and Beara United. Beara led 2-1 with minutes to go, thanks to efforts from Tom Dickenson and Brian Collins, while Michael O’Reilly had scored for Mizen Hob B. The latter then struck twice in the final minutes, first from Eden Healy to level in the 89th minute before Shane O’Mahony scored a dramatic 94th-minute winner.

Elsewhere, in a Beamish Cup round one clash Bunratty United scored three goals in each half as they routed Clonakilty United 6-1. Killian O’Brien (2), Pa Sheehan, Conor Brosnan, Darragh O’Shea and Lorcan O’Brien were on target for the winners, while Cathal Dineen scored a second-half consolation goal for the Clonakilty team.

In the WCL Women's 7s Tournament Aultagh Celtic and Kilgoban Celtic drew 1-1, as Adrienne O'Mahony’s opener for Aultagh was cancelled out by Lauren O’Connell’s leveller. Inter Kenmare, inspired by Amy Foley, beat Lyre Rovers 3-0. Last week Dunmanway Town got the better of Mizen Hob A 5-0 to open up a four-point lead over Drinagh Rangers. Michelle Love (2), Maria Creegan, Claire McSweeney and Ava O’Donovan all scored for the winners.

In the WCL U19 League on Saturday Kilgoban Celtic defeated Ardfield 6-2 with goals from Callum McElhinney (3), Gearoid Cronin and Luke Townshend, while Togher Celtic and Dunmanway Town drew 1-1, as Paudie Crowley scored for Togher and Will Hennigan replied for Dunmanway.