Spioraid Naoimh dethrone Skibbereen CS to capture Simcox Cup after 18-year wait

Often employing 12 players behind the ball, Spioraid Naoimh frustrated the opposing forwards to perfection.

BRIDGING THE GAP: The winning Spioraid Naoimh team. Pic: Denis Boyle

Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh 1-5 Skibbereen Community School 1-4 

Winners for the first time in 2022, Skibbereen Community School lost their grip on the Simcox Cup, Cork Colleges senior A football title, when they were beaten in the final by Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh of Bishopstown in Clonakilty on Friday. 

Eighteen years after last winning the title, the Bishopstown school, short a large number of players through injury and intercounty commitments, looked in serious trouble at halftime when they trailed by two points, 1-2 to 0-3, having played with the strong breeze. 

A serious leg injury to Skibbereen centre back, Shane Carey, led to a lengthy stoppage shortly after half time but when play resumed Skibb stretched the lead to three points with their only score from play a Niall Daly point. 

The holders looked well on course to retain their title, especially when Bishopstown midfielder, Marc O’Connor, was black-carded in the 46th minute. Skibb had a great chance to wrap it up in the 50th minute when Danny O’Donovan crashed the ball off the crossbar and the rebound shot was blocked on the goal line.

Buoyed by this let-off, and the return of O’Connor, Bishopstown took total control of the game in the closing minutes and piled on the pressure. 

Driven on by James Byrne, Darragh O’Donovan, Tomás O’Keeffe, Adam Laverty and Seán Connolly, the city side closed the gap to a single point with scores from Kieran McFadden, free, and impressive sub, Robert Quirke.

The crucial moment arrived in the 64th minute when Jack Brady weaved his way through the Skibb defence to hit a low shot to the Skibb net and even though Niall Daly answered with a Skibb point, there was no catching the winners in the closing minutes.

A big feature of the game was the marvellous defending by the winners all through as they confined Skibb to a single point from play. 

Often employing 12 players behind the ball they frustrated the opposing forwards to perfection. Thus the final low scoreline in this eagerly awaited final. At the other end of the pitch, the Skibb backs depended more on blocking down, which they did spectacularly at times.

In a lacklustre first half, Bishopstown had started well with the breeze, kicking the opening three points from Sean Connolly, Kieran McFadden and Kevin Werner. 

Skibb, with Dylan Hourihane, Hugh O’Donovan, Tomás Ó Donnabháin, Frank Hurley, Niall Daly and Luke Shorten all prominent, hit back in the 12th minute with a Daly penalty goal and when they followed with points from Seán Connolly, free, and Luke Shorten, mark, in the second quarter, they looked to be in a winning position at the break. 

It was not to be as Brady’s goal in the 64th minute proved the winning of the game for the city side.

Scorers for Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh: Jack Brady 1-0, Kieran McFadden (1f) 0-2, Seán Connolly, Robert Quirke and Kevin Werner (mark) 0-1 each. 

Scorers for Skibbereen Community School: Niall Daly (1 pen, 1f) 1-2, Seán Connolly (1f) and Luke Shorten (mark) 0-1 each.

Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh: S. Cronin (Bishopstown), C. O’Sullivan Inniscarra), J. Byrne (capt.)(Ballinora), C. Dineen (Inniscarra), D. O’Donovan (Bishopstown), D. Byrne (Ballinora), K. Murphy (Bishopstown), T. O’Keeffe (St. Finbarr’s), M. O’Connor (Éire Óg), A. Laverty (Ballinora), Sam Sheridan (Bishopstown), Seán Connolly (Inniscarra), Kevin Werner (Ballinora), Jack Brady (St. Finbarr’s), Kieran McFadden (Bishopstown). 

Subs: Robert Quirke (Ballinora) for S. Sheridan (57).

Skibbereen Community School: S. O’Shea (Ilen Rvs), D. Hourihane (O’D. Rossa), J. Bohane (Castlehaven), H. O’Donovan (Cl. Na nGael), S. O’Connell (Castlehaven), S. Carey (Ilen Rvs), C. Hegarty (T. MacCárthaigh), T. Ó Donnabháin (Clonakilty), F. Hurley (O’D. Rossa), J. O’Neill (Castlehaven), N. Daly (O’D. Rossa), C. Coombes (O’D. Rossa), S. Connolly (Ilen Rvs), L. Shorten (T. MacCárthaigh), D. O’Donovan (Castlehaven). 

Subs: K. O’Driscoll (Ilen Rvs) for S. Carey (45), B. O’Driscoll (O’D. Rossa) for S. Connolly (58), L. McCarthy (Kilmacabea) for C. Coombes (68).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas.