Helio sink Arc in nine goal thriller in Shield quarter final tie

Helio Inter Cork 5 

Arc Rovers 4

An added time brace from the classy Juan De Villa ended Arc Rovers’ brave second-half comeback in a thrilling live presentation shield quarter-final game of the week at Mayfield Park last Friday night.

The hosts went in at half-time two up after Rubel Sarasa opened the scoring in the 20th minute from a twenty-five yard free-kick, drilled low into the bottom corner, and Gabriel Serini doubled the lead from a penalty seven minutes before the break. 

Arc took the tie to their opponents right from the resumption and turned it on its head inside twelve second- half minutes. 

Paudie Cotter scored twice to equalize by the 58th minute before Adam Carroll set up Tyrese Raheem to fire the visitors in front for the first time just after the hour mark. 

Sarasa got Helio back on level terms with his second of the match with fifteen minutes remaining. 

Within three minutes Raheem edged Rovers in front for the second time before Da Villa stepped up to take his side into the last four with a late, late double, the second the goal of the night after he tore through the heart of the Rovers’ central defence, to bring the curtain down on an incredible tie made all the more memorable for having four players to score twice on the night.

Helio Inter Cork: Miguel Gomez Barcena: Martin Peña Da Silva, Mauricio Barajas (capt.); Sergio Castano, Joao Martins (Sergio Martin Lopez); Juan De Villa, Alejandro Miguez Pérez, Javier Madrigal Vidal (Amine Benali) ; Ruben Sarasa, Gabriel Peña Da Silva, Gabriel Cerini (Jose Guerra Oliveira).

Arc Rovers: Aaron Hosford : Conor Ryan, Shane Herlihy, Adam O’Connor, Brian Kelly (capt.); Mark Guinnane, Paudie Cotter, Dylan Cruise O’Shea; Timothy Twomey, Adam Carroll (Tony Carroll), Tyrese Raheem.

Referee : Denis Cronin.

Grandon’s Toyota First Division: 

Abbey Business 2 

Here’s Health 3

The top two met for the first time at Corinthian’s Park and served up a fine contest in difficult overhead conditions. 

Jack Murphy’s 20th minute opener for the visitors was quickly cancelled out by Stephen O’Donovan five minutes later. 

After Murphy and Ken O’Brien extended the away team’s lead to 3-1 by the 54th minute, Ronan Twomey crossed for John McLoughlin to reduce the deficit with thirteen minutes left on the clock. 

A frantic final ten minutes failed to alter the score, the result enough for Abbey to remain unbeaten and in pole position at the top of the table.

Grandon’s Toyota Second Division:

Curry House Hungry Tigers 0 

Cork County Council 8 

Title challenging Council had a fine over the Tigers at Mayfield Park last Saturday afternoon. 

Three first half goals from Emeke Mbudinma (2) and Cian Power were followed by five in the second from Rob Susek (2), Mbudinma and subs Iliya Georgiev and Thomas Clery.

Munster’s DCT 7 

ePower East Cork 2

DCT gained top spot after an impressive win over ePower who have yet to find their best form. A early double from Robbie Burke was halved by Ryan Murray in the 27th minute. 

Another brace, this time from Dean O’Sullivan, was again countered by a second from Murray before goals from Matthew Field (2) and Sean Buckley sent the leaders four clear of Co. Council.

Pfizer FC 6 

Andy Sull’s Hair 0

Pfizer moved up to third after a comfortable win over ASH courtesy of six first-half goals from Patrick Clifford (3), Eric Seymour, Sam Byrne and Timothy Healy.

FAI Junior Cup – Second Round:

Doolan’s Cow 3 

Coachford 3 (aet Coachford won 4-2 on pens.)

A thrilling second-half comeback by Doolan’s against the current Munster Junior Cup holders and AUL premier division runaway leaders, Coachford, from three down with thirty minutes remaining forced the tie to extra-time before agonizingly losing in the shoot-out. 

The visitors led one-nil at the break through Luke Casey and looked home and dry by the 59th minute when Mark Murphy scored from close range and within a minute headed powerfully to the back of the net from Casey’s corner. Home goalkeeper Eddie Scanlon had made a couple of fine saves in the first-half to keep the hosts in contention. 

He went on to deny Casey what would have been a decisive fourth at a crucial stage of the game with a point blank save. 

Aaron Hennessy pulled one back in the 78th minute before he linked with Jamie Murphy to score his second with four minutes remaining. Amazingly, Doolan’s drew level deep into added time when James Cotter was upended in the area for Murphy to hammer the resultant penalty past Stephen Murray. Despite Doolan’s leading 2-1 in the shoot-out, Murray saved two out of the next three kicks to seal Coachford’s passage to the next round.