Éire Óg 0-15

Bishopstown 1-11

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

THAT Éire Óg rode their luck in the McCarthy Insurance Group Senior A Football Championship clash with Bishopstown at Ballincollig on Friday evening is beyond dispute.

Never headed at any stage, the Mid Cork men looked equipped to cope with the best the losers could come up with for most of the match, but they had to withstand a determined bid by the city side to pull the game out of the fire inside the last quarter.

Éire Óg were 0-13 to 1-7 to the good when Bishopstown showed they were in no mood to succumb tamely, launching a slick attack culminating in substitute Neil Crowley having a goal attempt foiled by the upright in the 48th minute.

Fortunate not to be hauled back to equality at that juncture, the Ovens outfit – aided by points from a Daniel Goulding free, and an inspirational solo effort by Colm O’Callaghan – continued to cling to the lead on the run-in before it was seriously threatened again in stoppage time.

With their advantage cut to the minimum, Éire Óg were effectively allowed off the hook as Bishopstown’s hitherto unerring free-taker Conor Dunne was off-target with a two-point effort from a placed ball with the very last kick of the game.

Éire Óg manager Eoin Fehilly agreed it was a bit too close for comfort in the end, but he was delighted with the outcome at the same time.

‘We came for the win, we got the win, and we’ll turn our attention to the game against Clyda Rovers in round two now,’ he said.

‘We expected a good fight from a good Bishopstown team tonight, we certainly got that, but the bottom line is we got the job done.

‘I believe we have plenty of scope for improvement.’

Even if Éire Óg were put to the pin of their collar to hold out for the victory, it’s fair to say they produced a more sustained performance over the hour.

A brace of early points from Jack Murphy got them up and running, and they were 0-6 to 0-2 ahead after influential centre-back Mark Griffin landed a two-pointer in the 18th minute.

A minute later Éire Óg were stung by a Bishopstown goal from Simon Collins after full-forward Gary Holland created the opening.

Holland oozed quality up front for Bishopstown, and it was primarily due to his promptings that the city side finished the first half just three points, 0-10 to 1-4, in arrears.

Éire Óg continued to look the better balanced team on the resumption, with Mark Griffin and Brian Thompson in the half-back líne, midfielder Conor McGoldrick and centre-forward Colm O’Callaghan particularly prominent.

They were four ahead, 0-12 to 1-5, after McGoldrick pointed in the 38th minute, but a brace in reply from the brilliant Holland kept Bishopstown well in touch as the last quarter dawned.

A Brian Thompson point followed to fuel the notion Éire Óg had what was required to maintain the whip-hand until the finish, but then came Bishopstown’s gutsy rally which agonisingly fell short.

OUR STAR: Bishopstown’s Gary Holland was the most impressive performer on view.

Scorers 

Éire Óg: D Goulding 0-5 (2 2ptf, 1f); M Griffin 0-3 (2pt, 1f); J Murphy, C O’Callaghan 0-2 each; O O’Shea, C McGoldrick, B Thompson 0-1 each.

Bishopstown: C Dunne 0-5 (1 2ptf, 3f), G Holland 0-3, S Collins 1-0, O Foley, P Casey, K McFadden 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: C Kelly; C Murphy, M Corkery, J Mullins; B Thompson, M Griffin, D McCarthy, D Kelly, C McGoldrick; O O’Shea, C O’Callaghan, J Kelleher; D Goulding, J Galvin, J Murphy.

Subs: E O’Shea for C Murphy (47), R O’Toole for Galvin (47), O McLaughlin for D Kelly (50), M Brady for Kelleher (58).

Bishopstown: C Hynes; M Murphy, H Wixted, M Scally; K McFadden, B McCarthy, K Murphy; O Foley, C Dunne; J Murphy, S Sheridan, P Casey; S Collins, G Holland, B Cahill.

Subs: N Crowley for Sheridan (47), C Daly for Cahill (47), J Tompkins for Casey (54), L Hogan for McCarthy (58).

Referee: B Crowley (Castlehaven).