In-form Dohenys on a roll as they book their place in knock-out stages

Dohenys 2-15

Bishopstown 1-10

JOHN MURPHY REPORTS

HIGH-FLYING Dohenys are through to the knock-out stages of the Bon Secours Senior A Football Championship with a game to spare.

The Dunmanway men were far too good for Bishopstown in this Group C clash at blustery Bandon last Sunday evening. This follows up their opening win against Newcestown, leaving them top of the table and already through ahead of their final group game with rock-bottom Ilen Rovers on September 10th.

Dohenys were well worth every score in this splendid triumph fashioned out of leadership and calmness on the ball allied to a rock-solid defensive formation and midfield dominance.

In fact, it could have been a much greater winning margin, but they failed to put away three gilt-edged goal-scoring opportunities. Also, the Town’s consolation goal by Nathan Gough came with almost the last kick of the ball.

However, the positives easily outweigh the negatives. It is onwards and upwards for a delighted Dohenys manager Declan O’Dwyer.

‘I thought we were well on top in the first half, but did not make our dominance count until that crucial goal by Shane (Barry). It was a huge score, it gave us that extra boost and when we added a few extra points, we were in a positive half-time position, 1-8 to 0-4 ahead,’ O’Dwyer stressed.

‘We owe a debt of gratitude to our full-back line in the second half when the Bishopstown pressure came. They have been together for five years now; it is hard to beat consistency. Look, we have two wins from two, it is a very good position to be in.’

Drawing inspiration from the sharpness and eagerness displayed up front by their dynamic full-forward division of captain Keith White, full forward and Cork star Fionn Herlihy and lethal scoring sorcerer Mark Buckley, Dohenys were 0-6 to 0-2 ahead at the close of the opening quarter.

In fact, it should be more. A blockbuster by Herlihy in the fifth minute took the paint off the crossbar, while a blistering foray by Barry O’Donovan brought the best out of Bishopstown shot-stopper Cathal Hynes.

But constant dripping wears a stone, evidenced when the Bishopstown citadel was breached in the 26th minute.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game and of huge importance to the Doheny cause. Rhys Coakley came with a foraging run, parted to Cathal Daly and when the latter’s rocket of a drive was parried by Hynes, the breaking ball was smashed to the net by the inrushing Shane Barry. It took Dohenys’ intensity and work-rate to a new level, 1-8 to 0-4 ahead at the break.

Kieran McFadden got one back on resuming but substitute Aaron Mannix’s bullet-like drive was deflected over the bar by Hynes.

Bishopstown were still in the hunt and two superb dead-ball scores by Conor Dunne ignited their response. But the West Cork side was on a different level and long before Mark Buckley billowed the net in the 60th minute dominant Dohenys were out the gap, the points already in the bag, and a place in the next round with a game to spare.

Scorers

Dohenys: Colm O’Shea 0-5 (3f); Shane Barry, Mark Buckley (1f) 1-1 each; Keith White 0-3; Fionn Herlihy, Rhys Coakley (2f) 0-2 each; Aaron Mannix 0-1.

Bishopstown: Nathan Gough 1-0; Conor Dunne 0-3 (3f); Simon Collins, Kieran McFadden (1f), Michael Nunan (1f) 0-2 each; Brian Clifford 0-1f.

Dohenys: Stephen Daly; Donal Rice, Sean Daly, Jerry Farrell; Cathal Daly, Johnny Kelly, Barry O’Donovan; Darragh Collins, Rhys Coakley; Adam O’Donovan, Colm O’Shea, Shane Barry; Keith White, Fionn Herlihy, Mark Buckley.

Sub: Aaron Mannix for Barry O’Donovan (ht).

Bishopstown: Cathal Hynes; Michael Murphy, Michael Power, David Quaid; Darragh O’Donovan, Eoin Byrne, Nathan Gough; Levent Arslan, Jack Murphy; Kieran McFadden, Michael Nunan, Simon Collins; Kevin Murphy, Paul Honohan, Brian Clifford.

Subs: Conor Dunne for Brian Clifford (35), Liam O’Driscoll for Jack Murphy (43), Liam Hogan for David Quaid (46), Diarmuid Lester for Eoin Byrne (57).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).