Drinagh Rangers F.C. 2006/07

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2006/07 Match Reports

 

 

24th September

IT’S THE LATE LATE SHOW

DOOLAN HEADS DRINAGH TO VICTORY
11/03/2007
Drinagh had to dig deep and very deep to grind out a result in Schull to an improving Bunratty team. It took the visitors a long time to get going but were marginally the better team in the opening half and it took until the 23rd minute before Drinagh had their first clean cut chance on goal when Mike Doolan slide a pass into the path of Eamonn Connolly who shot first time from a tight angle and it didn’t miss the target by much. On the 31st minute Rob O’Regan sent the high flying Adrian O’Driscoll down the wing and swung in a perfectly measured cross into the box where Doolan raced in and headed low into the bottom corner to give Drinagh a well deserved lead. It was much a different case in the second half as Bunratty dominated the most of the half and came close on a few occasions and had Donie O’Donovan to thank on one occasion when he cleared a Bunratty free kick off the line and then James O’Regan pulled off a fine save when he denied Bunratty from the penalty spot.JJ Hurley was kept busy trying to keep the Bun at bay as he had a solid game at the back and Rob O’Regan and Pat-Joe O’Donovan had to work hard in heavy conditions in mid-field to quell many attacks.Drinagh could have sneaked a second in a rare Drinagh attack when a long ball from the back by O’Donovan to Doolan who crossed to the head of Darragh Connolly who flicked to his brother Eamonn who couldn’t control his first touch but shot over with his second from 8yards, Drinagh to their credit battled hard for the victory and held on for a 1-0 victory and as usual any game against Bunratty is always going to be a hard one.

DRINAGH RAMPANT IN TOWN.
04/03/2007
Another local derby today for Drinagh and it was against Dunmanway Town and at times it was a very fiery 90 minutes, but it was Drinagh who ran out 5-0 winners. The visitors got off to a bright start with Darragh Connolly coming close and Town were lucky to clear their lines, Gavin Daly had a header cleared off the line from a Eamonn Connolly corner and Mike Doolan moments later saw his strike loop over the keeper and curl wide.It was Darragh Connolly who was in the thick of it again from a Mike Hurley corner midway through the half when the ball landed at his feet 2 yards out but his shot got stuck in the mud and somehow the keeper pounced on it to keep it out.
This game wasn’t for the faint hearted especially in midfield with many crunching tackles and it was a Drinagh midfielder who broke the deadlock on the 44th minute when a short kick out by the Town keeper went straight to Daniel O’Regan who with one touch blasted the ball into the top corner of the goal from 30 yards.Darragh Connolly got Drinagh’s second goal early in the second half when Mike Hurley curled a free kick into the box, Connolly rose highest in the box and headed past the keeper, minutes the same two players connected again from another free kick and another Connolly header put Doolan through to bang in the third goal of the game. Town had a few chances but were limited to a lot of long ranged efforts.Doolan got the fourth of the game when he latched onto a short back pass by a Town defender, rounded the keeper and slotted into the empty net.Eamonn Connolly rounded off a perfect days work when he gathered the ball wide of the area and curled his effort perfectly into the top corner to give Drinagh a 5-0 victory.

DRINAGH PLOUGH THEIR WAY TO THE BEAMISH CUP SEMI-FINAL
25/02/2007
Living in West Cork we are all well used to seeing fields being ploughed by farmers but today after 22 men and a little white ball this pitch was nothing short of a muddy battle field, some say the game shouldn’t be played in such dangerous conditions as in the 2nd half one box was simply a bog of muck.
Drinagh and Ardfield to their credit tried their best but both were limited in the final third with the conditions but it didn’t take Daniel O’Regan long as he flashed a header inches wide from an Eoin O’Donovan cross on the 6th minute. O’Donovan scored a fine individual goal last week and today he served up another screamer when a short clearance by the Ardfield keeper landed at his feet 35yards out he spotted the keeper off his line and unleashed a pinpoint bullet to the back of the net another fine goal by O’Donovan who was forced out of the game shortly after with a knee injury, but not before he had the keeper scrambling across the goal again as he drilled another long ranged effort narrowly wide.Ardfield won a free kick on the 28th minute and as Drinagh cleared their lines the ball was put high into the box where a Ardfield player stole in and looped a header over stand in keeper Kevin McCarthy to put the game at 1-1.McCarthy had a solid game for Drinagh between the sticks and was good too see him back in action again after a serious back injury. Gavin Daly was also back in action after a long lay off with ankle problems and he had a masterful game in the heart of the Drinagh defence.Darragh Connolly made a darting run down the wing on the 58th minute as he collected a pass from Rob O’Regan, Connolly skipped past two tackles and swung in a fine cross to the edge of the box where Mike Doolan hit a first time volley but the keeper was in the right spot to hold onto the ball.Eamonn Connolly was fouled on the wing on the 63rd minute and Mike Hurley chipped a free kick into the box where the big powerful Daniel O’Regan guided his header into the bottom corner, O’Regan who works tirelessly for the team week in week out and is having a fine season for the club got a well deserved goal and he could have got a second on the 87th minute as Doolan set him clear on goal only for the keeper to pull off a fine save but the ball fell to Darragh Connolly who tried to flick it over the stranded keeper but the ball somehow curled back out to O’Regan who shot again but yet again the keeper pulled off another fine save and for the second time it fell to the feet of Connolly who wasn’t going to miss from 2yards, that sealed the victory for Drinagh but credit must go to Ardfield who weren’t overawed by the occasion and maybe in better conditions could have added to their score line but it was Drinagh’s day as they advanced to the Semi final.

DRINAGH DEFEAT TOGHER 6-0
18/02/2007
Drinagh warmed up for next weeks Beamish Cup quarter final match with an emphatic 6-0 win over local rivals Togher Celtic, Darragh Connolly had the ball in the back of the net within 5 minutes, when he ran onto a clever pass by Rob O’Regan, beat the defender and perfectly side footed the ball under the keeper to put Drinagh 1-0 up. Adrian O’Driscoll, Mike Doolan and Eoin O’Donovan all came close to adding to Drinagh’s lead but their efforts were thwarted more by the muddy pitch than a Togher defender. On the 22nd minute Darragh Connolly latched onto a long clearance from a Togher corner, raced past two tackles but narrowly shot wide of the goal.Drinagh went 2-0 up on the 33rd minute when Rob O’Regan swung in a curling corner which floated over everyone and into the top corner. Dan O’Regan was working ever so hard in midfield along with Eoin O’Donovan down the wing but both went close just before half time.
Connolly doubled his tally for the day on the 54th minute when another Rob O’Regan corner into the box fell to the feet of the inform Striker who stabbed home the third goal of the game. Then on the hour mark Eoin O’Donovan won the ball in his own half and set off on an amazing run turning and twisting past 4 tackles and set up Mike Doolan who was free inside the area who thumped home Drinagh’s fourth.Togher won a corner on the 66th minute and as the ball fizzed into the box keeper James O’Regan rushed off his line and punched clear, the ball landed in midfield where Connolly had to work hard to shrug off a Togher challenge and as he did that he spotted Eoin O’Donovan who was unmarked on the wing, O’Donovan raced towards goal and as the Togher advanced off his line O’Donovan superbly lobbed it into the goal.Drinagh made it 6 and Doolan got his second of the game and 20th goal of the season when Gavin Daly threaded a pass through a packed midfield and yet again the keeper was lobbed as he was caught off his line by Doolan’s effort. It finished 6-0 to Drinagh who got their title assault back on track and hopefully it isn’t a little too late.

DRINAGH’S TITLE HOPES SEVERELY DENTENTED.
11/02/2007
It was yet another case of what might have been for Drinagh again today as they failed to hold on to the lead when they went in front and failed to take all 3 points in their home game a feat they have failed to do since last November. Darragh Connolly had what they say in the trade as Hard Luck as in the first 15 minutes he could have had a hat trick only for the Leeside keeper to pull off some fine saves.Drinagh were caught napping at the back midway through the 1st half when Adrian O’Driscoll was forced to defend deep in the box but unfortunately ended up turning the ball past his own keeper to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, a lead they managed to hold onto until the 44th minute when O’Driscoll to his credit worked hard to make amends for his earlier mishap latched onto a pass from Eoin O’Donovan, took one touch and rifled past the stranded keeper.
To be fair conditions didn’t help either team as the pitch was cutting up and the strong blowing wind hampered many good attacks by both teams, but Drinagh were to get the upper hand early in the second half when a high ball into the box by Mike Hurley was met by the head of Mike Doolan who got to flick it over the advancing Leeside custodian to give Drinagh a 2-1 lead.
Leeside are a never say die team and won a few free kicks at the edge of the Drinagh box and made them pay dearly for poor defending when somehow 3 Leeside players were unmarked inside the area and one of the managed to squeeze the ball past James O’Regan to level the game at 2-2.Gavin Beamish and Ronan O’Sullivan were introduced to freshen things up but it didn’t quite go to plan as within seconds O’Sullivan gave away a free kick inside his own half but Leeside took a very quick free and Drinagh never spotted it and sent a leeside striker clear on goal and he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth as he fired past O’Regan to give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
It wasn’t quiet all over for both teams at this stage as on the 81st minute there was major controversy when Mike Doolan chased a loose ball into the corner battling with the Leeside goalkeeper, Leeside claimed it had crossed the end line but Doolan swung in a cross goal wards with the keeper out of his area but a Leeside defender caught the ball claming it had gone out but Referee said it hadn’t and Drinagh were awarded a penalty, the referee was surrounded by all 11 Leeside players and in the heat of the moment he totally forgot to take any action against the Leeside player for blatant handball. Pat-Joe O’Donovan was given the unenviable task of taking the penalty and he did it with some aplomb as he tucked it nicely past the keeper, it finished 3-3 but it was definitely 2points dropped against the team in the very lower part of the league.

DRINAGH LADIES WIN LAST HOME LEAGUE GAME.
11/02/2007
Drinagh ladies had to win their last home league game if they wished to get back on track after last week’s surprise draw away to Dunmanway Ladies. The ladies got off to a good start and were a goal up after 9 minutes when Ber O’Regan intercepted a pass in midfield and slipped the ball through the Lyre defence to Catriona Maloney who rounded a tackle and drilled a low shot across the keeper into the far corner for a very well taken goal.Drinagh nearly doubled their lead on the 18th minute when a inch perfect corner kick by Caroline Herlihy was headed just wide by O’Regan. Drinagh’s two strikers Deirdre Doolan & Ber O’Regan were combining well and on the 22nd minute a delightful chip into the box by Doolan saw a diving header by O’Regan come close again. Lyre found it hard at times to cope with the amount of pressure Drinagh were applying but on a rare attack they were rewarded for their patience when they broke down the wing on the 33rd minute and poor Drinagh defending let them in all too easily but they scored an exquisite goal when they lobbed the advancing goalkeeper to put the game at 1-1.Tricky footwork by Catriona Maloney had the lyre Defence in all sorts of trouble when she sent a low cross into the box and it caused a mini scramble in the area with Mary Coughlan nearly getting the vital touch but lyre somehow hacked it clear.
Drinagh changed a few things around at half time which saw Colette McQueen and Mary-Ann McAdams get more into the game and get more freedom down the wings and it was a move from the wings that set Ber O’Regan bearing down on goal, O’Regan put the keeper the wrong way but somehow shot wide of the target. Caroline Herlihy was having a fine game for Drinagh and it was quick thinking by her that helped Drinagh get their second goal as she took a short corner to Catriona Maloney who swung in a fine cross to the inrushing O’Regan who powerfully headed into the roof of the net, another well taken goal and not so surprising from O’Regan as she has vastly improved in the heading department this season. Deirdre Doolan could have wrapped things up on the 68th minute when she collected a pass from Colette McQueen but the keeper rushed out and blocked the shot with her feet. Drinagh did manage to get their third on the 74th when they scored the best goal of the game when McAdams won a tackle in midfield and passed to Doolan who flicked to Maloney who returned the pass to Doolan to curl the ball past the keeper to give the home team a 3-1 lead. Colette McQueen and Catriona Maloney worked hard in midfield in very mucky conditions, but Ashling Connolly and Caroline Jennings were outstanding at the back, with Julieanne Fitzpatrick improving as the game went on, Mary Coughlan played her part too but was often starved of ball but special praise should go to goalkeeper Rachel O’Sullivan who somehow battled her way through the 90 minutes with injury&illness.This was a good result for Drinagh which sets them up for a mouth watering clash away to Bandon in the last league game which will decide the destination of the Ladies League Title 2007.

HONOURS EVEN AS DRINAGH AND BALLYDEHOB DRAW.
04/02/2007
A late late Darragh Connolly goal gave Drinagh a very valuable point away to title chasing Ballydehob. It could mean oh so much with the final shake up at the end of the season especially with league leaders Skibbereen losing at home to Bunratty. It took about 12 minutes before the first real shot was put on target, when a fine cross into the box by Donie O’Donovan was met powerfully by a Daniel O’ Regan header which was firmly tipped over by the keeper, minutes later another fine move down the wing was set in motion when a high cross into the box was met by the incoming Eamonn Connolly but he volleyed his effort around the post where a headed effort might have found the back of the net. Connolly was working hard down the line but all too often Drinagh couldn’t create the killer move.Ballydehob had a great chance to break the deadlock midway through the half but keeper James O’Regan came out and narrowed the angle and forced the striker to shoot wide of the mark.
Both teams created little to trouble either keeper until early in the second half when Daniel O’Regan waltzed into the box slipped the ball to Darragh Connolly who struck a venomous shot but it was straight at the keeper and he held onto it well. JJ Collins was having a solid game at the back but switched off at a vital moment which allowed the hob striker sneak in and collect a through ball which he buried under the advancing Drinagh keeper to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Drinagh’s best player on the day Pat-Joe O’Donovan was put in a more advanced role and it nearly had a immediate impact when a four headed move involving Daniel O’Regan,O’Donovan,Doolan and Darragh Connolly who with the last header set up his brother Eamonn who shot into the keepers hands from 6yards.Mike Hurley was sent on to freshen things up and he was to play a major role in Drinagh’s equalising goal,when he swung in an injury time free kick from the wing which fell to the boot of Doolan who directed it towards goal where Darragh Connolly found some space inside a very packed box and managed to squeeze the ball home, a goal that Drinagh deserved as a draw was a fair reflection on the game.

SLUGGISH LADIES EARN A LUCKY DRAW.
04/02/2007

Whenever the Drinagh ladies look back at this game at the end of the season, they will probably say they were lucky to escape with a point as Dunmanway Ladies had the better chances throughout the game but it was Drinagh who took theirs when it fell to their strikers.Ber O’Regan had Drinagh’s best chance of the 1st half when she forced her way into the box but she shot early and the ball went under the diving keeper and shaved the post and wide. The big name players didn’t shine today for the visitors and much of their approach play was sluggish and tired with most passes being over hit or under hit which hampered most of their attacks but what they had was an inform keeper in Rachel O’Sullivan who kept Drinagh very much in the game especially in the 2nd half as all too often she was called onto to keep the Town attacks at bay.Catriona Maloney broke the deadlock on the 59th minute when a clearance from the back was picked up by O’Regan and she spotted the run of Maloney who had a lot to do as the pass was over hit but she managed to outpace the defender pick her spot and coolly slot it into the bottom corner. This didn’t stop Town from putting more pressure on the Drinagh defence but Julie-Ann Fitzpatrick was having a fine game along with Ashling Connolly & Caroline Buttimer but it was Caroline Herlihy who must be the find of the season in the Ladies league with her no nonsense tackling and her driving run that shone through again today. Then on the 70th minute a miss kick in midfield let the ball fall to the feet of Mairead Collins outside the Drinagh box and with one swift turn unleashed an unstoppable shot which flew over the keeper and into the top corner to put the game back on level terms.Drinagh failed to up the ante as it was Town who should have added to their score line on a couple of occasions only for O’Sullivan to deny them between the sticks, but hope was restored on the 90th minute when another searching ball from the back was latched onto by Ber O’Regan who cut in from the wing and neatly curled it past the onrushing keeper to give Drinagh a 2-1 lead a lead they failed to hold onto, as they was a huge amount of injury time played, and a long kick out down the line to Mary Coughlan who failed to control it properly but was fouled by a dangerous high tackle from behind by a Dunmanway player, but the referee waved play on and from the resulting incident Town went down the field and drilled a shot at goalkeeper O’Sullivan who pulled of a fine save but it was parried into the path of Irene Mawe who tapped into a empty net with practically the last kick of the game a goal that could have serious repercussions at the end of the season as a draw didn’t help Drinagh’s title hopes.

BEAMISH CUP DELIGHT FOR DRINAGH.

28/1/07

The pundits got this one all wrong as 103fm tipped Crossmahon to advance to the quarter finals of the Beamish Cup but infact it was Drinagh who took their chances in front of goal when it mattered most and won by a score line of two goals to one.Crossmahon went into this game not only as favourites to win today but to win the competition outright and this game lived up to the hype, with plenty end to end action, a penalty save, 3 goals and 3 red cards.Drinagh could have gotten off to a dream start when Darragh Connolly set up Eoin O’Donovan with the first attack of the game but O’Donovan’s shot was well saved by the Crossmahon keeper, who was forced to leave the game minutes later when he pulled a muscles kicking out the ball. Drinagh tried to catch out the new stand in keeper when Connolly forced him into a fine save when he got on the end of Mike Doolan cross and headed a fine effort on goal on the 12th minute.Crossmahon had a few chances but James O’Regan thwarted any goal bound efforts.Then on the 23rd minute the Beamish Cup favourites were awarded a very generous penalty but O’Regan stood tall guessed right and saved the penalty but the ball was parried out to a Crossmahon player who blasted over the rebound from 5yards.Drinagh nearly took the lead against the run of play when on the half hour mark a overhead kick by Doolan was cleared off the line from a Donie O’Donovan corner. All Drinagh’s hard work came undone on the 43rd minute when Crossmahon got in behind the defence and scored the first goal of the game.
Drinagh started the second half well and had the game level at 1-1 on the 48th minute when Pat-Joe O’Donovan floated a free kick into the box but the ball was cleared to the feet of Pat White 30yards out, who stuck a dipping shot but the keeper struggled to hold onto it and palmed it into the path of Connolly who neatly tucked it into the bottom corner. Captain fantastic was on the score sheet again four minutes later when he out jumped the Crossmahon defence and flicked a deft header past the stranded keeper from another O’Donovan free kick.Drinagh had to work hard to hold onto their lead but O’Donovan and JJ Collins had a solid game at the back while the hard working Rob O’Regan was breaking up many Crossmahon attacks. In between all this action Crossmahon had 2 players sent off and Drinagh had 1 but in the end Drinagh held out to record a 2-1 victory and turn the tables a little as it was Crossmahon who inflicted a 4-3 defeat to Drinagh in their only ever appearance in the Beamish Cup Final in 2002.

21/01/2007

DRINAGH LOSE 9 GOAL THRILLER.

This game was some advertisement for the West Cork Soccer League,and it was clear to see why these two teams are at the summit of the league as there was 9 goals scored in a mud ridden pitch.Looking at it from a Drinagh point of view the defending in today’s game was little short of shambolic as Skibbereen raced into a 3-0 lead in the first 15 minutes,with keeper James O’Regan letting the second goal slip through his hands with no opposing player in sight.To Drinagh’s credit they tried to make a game of it and pulled a goal back when Daniel O’Regan headed a loose ball onto Mike Doolan who flicked it into the path of Darragh Connolly who outpaced his marker and slipped it under the keeper.The same two Drinagh players combined again when Donie O’Donovan won a strong tackle in midfield and fired it down the wing to Doolan, and he curled a great pass into the loose Connolly,he controlled it first time and fired it low across the keeper and the ball nestled beautifully in the bottom corner.Drinagh did what looked impossible after what happened in the opening 15 minutes and pull the game back to 3-3,when Connolly spread the ball wide to Adrian O’Driscoll,who’s speed took him past the defence and crossed the ball to the back post where Doolan steamed in and thumped home the equaliser.Skibbereen were now on the back foot and Drinagh could and probably should have scored two more before the interval as Donie O’Donovan jumped unmarked inside the box and headed a Mike Hurley corner wide.It was another Hurley corner that saw a Skibbereen defender head a clearance to the edge of the box and Rob O’Regan pounced and fired his shot goal ward and somehow the keeper managed to tip over what looked a certain goal.
In the second half Drinagh had much of the possession but didn’t create many clear cut chances and it made there task all the more difficult when Daniel O’Regan called his name to clear the ball but Pat White didn’t listen to his shout and climbed on O’Regan’s back and White handled the ball on the edge of the box and as per usual Drinagh were to pay dearly as Skibbereen scored directly from the free kick.Drinagh won two corners in quick succession and nearly scored with the second as the ball pinned around the box and had to be cleared off the Skibbereen goal line twice.Drinagh levelled the game up again when Doolan controlled a James O’Regan kick out,Doolan turned and crossed to the incoming Donie O’Donovan who looped his header beautifully over the advancing keeper to put the game at 4-4.Yet again minutes later Drinagh lost all concentration at the back and let Skibbereen in to score their 5th and the winning goal with a well taken effort.The action didn’t finish there as Drinagh responded with Darragh Connolly nearly getting his hat trick when his diving header somehow went over from 2yards,and at the end Drinagh won five corners one after the other but the Skibbereen keeper was inspired form and somehow kept 2 goal bound efforts out.It finished 5-4 to the visitors but Drinagh have to admit you cannot concede 5 goals at home and expect to win let alone consider themselves serious title contenders with defending like that.

14/01/2007
DRINAGH BOW OUT OF MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP.

After getting to the semi final of this competition last season and sweeping aside today’s opposition 7-0 twelve months, Drinagh were quietly confident of getting a good result away in Mahon to a much improved Ringmahon Rangers.
Drinagh were well short of being at full strength and welcomed back Mike Hurley to the squad for his first start of the season and it was Hurley who was in the thick of it from the start, when his sliced clearance squirmed back towards the end line, but keeper James O’Regan managed to pick it up before it went out for a corner but somehow the Referee deemed it as a deliberate back pass and Drinagh were made to pay dearly from a hideous refereeing decision when they managed to score directly from it.Drinagh responded well to going a goal behind when a through ball from Daniel O’Regan to Darragh Connolly but the keeper pushed Connolly’s shot out for a corner,and it was this corner that the keeper pulled off another fine save when Ian Cahalane forced his way through a crowded box but denied by brave goalkeeping.Drinagh had a large support that travelled up and it wasn’t long into the second half when they gave them something to shout about when another Mike Hurley free kick deep into his own half floated into the box and luckily for Drinagh was turned into the net by a Ringmahon defended to put the game at 1-1.For long periods of the game Drinagh were the better team and after getting back onto level terms found more time and space on the ball and they were quick to capitalise on it,when another through ball from midfield was spread out to the pacey Adrian O’Driscoll who still had a lot to do before he go to the box raced down the wing cut inside skipped past a tackle and curled the ball inch perfectly around the advancing keeper to put Drinagh 2-1 ahead a magnificent solo effort by O’Driscoll.Captain Darragh Connolly was working hard down the wing and on the 79th minute won a tackle and swung the ball into the box to the unmarked Mike Doolan who from 5yards out blazed well wide with only the keeper to beat if Drinagh had managed to score that surely would have been the game wrapped up,but in true Drinagh style they were made to pay for their miss when in the dying moments of the game a Ringmahon player managed to poke the ball home in a very packed box and force extra time,with legs tiring and having been dealt such a massive blow before the end of full time Drinagh found it hard to create much in the extra period but somehow allowed Ringmahon all to easy to get their third,and which turned out to be the winning goal and send Drinagh packing out of the Munster Junior Cup,but something good shone on the day as young JJ Collins excelled at the back against a much different opposition in which he is used to.

7/01/2007
DRINAGH OPEN THE DURRUS TO THE 2ND ROUND OF BEAMISH CUP.

It wasn’t much of a surprise that Drinagh were drawn against Durrus in the Beamish Cup as it’s has been much of a formality over the past 5 seasons.This is always a tricky and much heated battle away to Durrus and today was no exception and today’s game wasn’t helped by a rain soaked pitch.Drinagh had the best of the opening minutes when Adrian O’Driscoll forced the home keeper into a early save and minutes later a lazy run from the wing by Eamonn Connolly saw his effort narrowly fly over the crossbar,and Connolly went close to breaking the deadlock on the 20th minute when a Mike Doolan cross into the box saw Connolly’s header palmed away by the keeper.Drinagh were soon on the score sheet when Mike Doolan gathered the ball and raced into the box and as he was about to pull the trigger his jersey was pulled right in front of the referee and was awarded a penalty,up stepped the ice cool Pat-Joe O’Donovan and dispatched the penalty to the back of the net.Daniel O’Regan was working hard in midfield and just before half time he let fly a dipping shot which forced the keeper into another fine save.Durrus were unlucky at times that that didn’t make more of their chances as Drinagh were far from convincing at the back at times.It wasn’t until midway through the 2nd half that the visitors could breath a little easier when Donie O’Donovan drilled the ball to the feet of Doolan inside the box but as Doolan tried to round the keeper he was fouled and was awarded yet another penalty,and as in the 1st half Pat-Joe O’Donovan made no mistake from the spot to get his and Drinagh’s second.Drinagh brought on Darragh Connolly and within minutes had the ball in the back of the Durrus net when another pin point pass from Rob O’Regan put Connolly clear inside the area and he calmly chipped the ball over the diving keeper,it looked like it was going to finish with a 3-0 victory for Drinagh but Durrus had other ideas as they saved the best goal of the game until last,so the game ended in a 3-1 win for the visitors which sets them up for an interesting trip to Crossmahon in the next round.

15th October

O’DONOVAN INSPIRES DRINAGH TO A FAMOUS VICTORY.

Normally a Drinagh v Bunratty game is a close fought battle with usually a single goal deciding all 3 points, and it was really a tale of two halves for Drinagh where some shocking defending was the story for the first forty-five minutes, with a true fighting spirit in the second forty-five.
Donie O’Donovan a summer signing for Drinagh was in sparkling form for the home team today and it was a cross by him into the box on the 2nd minute to the boot of Mike Doolan who flicked it into the path of stand in Captain Daniel O’Regan who smashed home from close range to set Drinagh off to a great start. Now all Drinagh had to do was to settle after the frantic opening but the defence looked uneasy and Bunratty capitalised and got in to equalise all too easy. Drinagh brothers Rob&Dan O’Regan were winning a lot of ball in midfield and it was pressure from Rob O’Regan which forced Bunratty to concede a throw where Doolan spotted the run of O’Donovan into the box and O’Donovan with the deftest of touches lobbed the keeper to put Drinagh 2-1 ahead on 22 minutes. Doolan should have scored on the 26th minute when an inch perfect Rob O’Regan pass put him bearing down on goal but shot straight into the keepers hands. Once again Drinagh’s inability to hold on to the lead cost them dear as within a matter of minutes Bunratty scored twice and Drinagh went in at the break 3-2 down.
Some stern words by the Drinagh management seemed to work as a different Drinagh emerged in the second half and more or less dominated the half, and Eamonn Connolly nearly levelled the game straight away when he flew past his marker, chipped the keeper but the ball hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced over the line or outside the line know body knows but the referee said no goal and Connolly’s hard work didn’t pay off. Donie O’Donovan was now at the heart of the most of Drinagh’s attacks at it was he who swung in a corner on the 71st minute where Doolan jumped highest inside the box and headed to the roof of the net to put the game at 3-3.
It was a case of the next goal in the game could be oh so important and it was O’Donovan who came up with the goods in quick succession, when firstly he got onto the end of an Eamonn Connolly corner when he gathered a loose ball in the box and hammered low under the keeper, then moments later he got his hat-trick when he used all his strength on the wing and raced towards goal and unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot which blazed over the keeper and flew into the top corner, a special goal and a special treble for a player who has only played a handful of games for the junior team.Drinagh managed to get a sixth goal on the stroke of full time when Daniel O’Regan powered his way past two Bunratty defenders and squared the ball across the box where it left Doolan with the simplest of tap-ins and it wrapped up a nine goal thriller.
TEAM: KARL McCARTHY, JJ HURLEY, PADRAIC WHITE, PAT WHITE, DENIS O’DRISCOLL, DANIEL O’REGAN, ROB O’REGAN, EAMONN CONNOLLY, DONIE O’DONOVAN,EOIN O’DONOVAN, MIKE DOOLAN SUBS USED GAVIN DALY, GAVIN DALY, DARRRAGH CONNOLLY

TEAM MANAGEMENT DECLAN DEACY, DON HURLEY

01/10/2006

DRINAGH GET THEIR LEAGUE BACK ON TRACK!

Drinagh 3 – Dunmanway 1

After a half hour delay due to pitch inspection, the battle between the two neighbours began with immediate pressure from the newly reformed Drinagh team who were playing up the hill in the first half. Catriona Moloney began making her mark on the left wing by causing a big threat to Dunmanway’s defence. Continuous pressure eventually paid off in the 8th minute when Drinagh were awarded a corner which was greatly put away at the near post by Bernie O’ Regan.
From them on Drinagh seemingly began to take their foot off the pedal a little and this led to unnecessary pressure on the Drinagh back line which consisted of Therese O’ Donovan, Eileen Coughlan, Caroline Jennings and Julie-Ann Fitzpatrick. After Drinagh conceding a corner in the 35th minute, an accidental hand ball in the box led to a penalty which was well put away in the left corner by Mairead Collins. Up to half time, Dunmanway kept piling on the pressure but the score remained 1 – 1 at half time due to the several impressive saves made by Rachel O’Sullivan, who we welcome back to the squad.
The second half started with an immediate determination from the Drinagh Ladies to earn all three points. They applied pressure straight from kick off and had retaken the lead after ten minutes thanks to the excellent vision from Julie-Ann Fitzpatrick to spot the run of Bernie O’ Regan whose skilful first touch led her to put another into the back of the net.
This goal seemed to be a confidence boost to Drinagh who began playing high quality soccer. Impressive tackles made by the mid-fielders, especially by Maloney who had an exceptional game, allowed for the Drinagh girls to apply continuous pressure and retain the 1 goal advantage. Dunmanway, who had a few, chances in the second half had them saved by O’Sullivan who also had an exceptional game. Drinagh’s excessive pressure eventually paid off with a spectacular Catriona Moloney goal. A run from Drinagh’s half back line; she sprinted up the line and took one look to see Bernie O’ Regan and Christina Collins waiting in the box but she showed everyone that she didn’t need any help and took a magnificent strike from the wing to chip the goal keeper and score in the top right hand corner. An outstanding goal to finish an outstanding performance by a promising new Drinagh Team!


24th SEPTEMBER
IT’S THE LATE LATE SHOW.

Drinagh are doing things the hard way at the moment by leaving it oh so late with the last few games and today was no exception.
It was their second league game of the season and second away game against a Togher team that seems to be a thorn in the Drinagh side the past seasons.
Drinagh found it hard to construct any rhythm to their play and it restricted their to shooting from long range, but any time the Togher stand in keeper was called into action he was more than capable of dealing with the task. Togher were now getting to grips with the game and nearly with their only shot on target they managed to sneak in and score the 1st goal of the game.
Its wasn’t until the second half that Drinagh woke up when they had a host of chances with Daly,Doolan,Connolly all going close.Drinagh introduced Eoin O’Donovan and he made a immediate impact as his neat foot work inside the box found Daly loose and Daly stabbed home a much deserved equaliser.
Daniel O’Regan used his strength to shrug of a Togher challenge and scooped the ball into Doolan’s path, Doolan lobbed the keeper but Togher’s Kevin Hurley tracked back and hacked the ball off the line and it didn’t look like it was going to be Drinagh’s day when minutes later an Eamonn Connolly shot via a deflection smacked off the post and away to safety, for the second game in a row Mike Doolan and Donie O’Donovan combined to score the winner 4 minutes into injury time when O’Donovan’s vision spotted Doolan’s run who raced past the defence and buried the ball low into the net, and with the Late Late Show the past two games hopefully Drinagh haven’t used up all their luck for the rest of the season.

 

10TH SEPTEMBER
DRINAGH STRIKE LATE TO DEFEAT DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

Drinagh left it very late to inflict defeat on Crossmahon as got their league assault off to the perfect start.
Eamonn Connolly nearly got off the mark in the opening minutes as he latched onto a pass from Gavin Beamish, but Connolly narrowly shot wide. Gavin Daly and Mike Doolan came closest for Drinagh in the first half, both jumping unmarked in the box from Pat-Joe O’Donovan corners but neither could keep them on target.
It was a much better display in the second half as midfield started winning key battles and with this pressure Gavin Daly sent Gavin Beamish clear on goal but Beamish outfoxed the Crossmahon keeper by shooting early and he slotted the ball into the back of the net to give Drinagh a well deserved lead. This lead was short lived as moments later Crossmahon attacked and Pat White was adjudged to have hacked down the striker, and amazingly Crossmahon were awarded a penalty as the marking on the pitch showed the offence clearly happened 3yards outside the Drinagh box, and as all good teams do Crossmahon didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and scored the spotter.
Donie O’Donovan was brought on to freshen up things on the wing, and it was his surging runs in the last ten minutes which made all the difference as on the 86th minute he skipped past two tackles and swung in a perfect cross but Daly couldn’t keep his effort on target with his outstretched boot.
O’Donovan won the ball wide on the wing on the 93rd minute and darted towards the end line and somehow from an impossible angle crossed the ball into the box where Doolan out jumped the defenders and headed past the keeper to seal a 2-1 victory as Drinagh literally got out of jail.

 

27TH AUGUST
ARDFIELD NO MATCH FOR YOUTHFUL DRINAGH.

This was an away game for Drinagh in the 2nd round of the Carling Cup and they got off to an ideal start after 5minutes when a pin point Pat-Joe O’Donovan free kick was met at the back post by Mike Doolan who laid it into the path of Eamonn Connolly who hammered home from close range. Drinagh’s two young wingers Barry O’Driscoll and Gavin Beamish were seeing a lot of the ball and had the Ardfield defence stretched on many an occasion, but it was a well won tackle by Rob O’Regan on the 27th minute that set up the second goal as he found Connolly free who with one of his trademark flicks set Doolan up to score the second goal of the game. Barry O’Driscoll was forced off with an injury and was replaced by the steely Keith Jagoe and it wasn’t long before he was flying in with tackles and making his presence felt.
The Drinagh defenders weren’t put under much pressure, but with JJ Hurley marshalling the line Ardfield found it hard to create any clear cut chances, again Rob O’Regan was at the centre of the most Drinagh attacks and it was him who set up Connolly for Drinagh’s third who sweetly struck home from the edge of the box. Jagoe got on the score sheet at the end when he bravely slide in to get on the end of a Doolan pass and give Drinagh a convincing 4-0 victory.
TEAM
JAMES O’REGAN,JJ HURLEY,PAT WHITE,DENIS O’DRISCOLL,PAT-JOE O’DONOVAN,GAVIN BEAMISH,ROB O’REGAN,DAN O’REGAN,BARRY O’DRISCOLL,MIKE DOOLAN,EAMONN CONNOLLY.
SUBS USED
KEITH, JAGOE, CLIVE SWEETNAM, JJ COLLINS.

20TH AUGUST
DEFENDING CHAMPS OFF TO THE IDEAL START.

What would have been an ideal final in this years Carling Cup would have been Drinagh v Bantry Gunners, but unfortunately they were pitted against each other in the very first round. It was a case of the old and new on the day with the old reliable Mike Doolan getting two on the day and the new kid on the block Keith Jagoe getting the third as Drinagh strolled to an easy 3-0 win on their new pitch for the season.

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