Knocknagree power into semis with impressive win over Bishopstown

Knocknagree emphatically booked their place as Cork Senior A Group C winners

Sun, 15 Sep, 2024 - 19:10

Shane Donovan, Clondrohid

Cork Senior A FC: Knocknagree 2-11 Bishopstown 0-9

Knocknagree emphatically booked their place as Group C winners and top seeds in the Cork Senior A Football Championship with a largely comfortable triumph over Bishopstown in Clondrohid.

The victory secures Knocknagree’s spot in the last four of the championship – the stage they fell to Dohenys at in 2023.

There, they will await the winners of Cill na Marta and the aforementioned Dohenys.

Knocknagree goalkeeper Pa Doyle – who knocked over two points in Clondrohid – feels they will have to raise their game to a new level ahead of the semi-final.

“The standard is going to go up massively, now,” Doyle said. “We’re going to have to lift (our performances) to that standard.

“The last few years, we’ve made a semi-final, we’ve made a final, we’ve made a quarter-final and to be honest with you, each time we were beaten, we were beaten well on the day.

“So, it’s up to ourselves now, we have to really raise our game.”

Bishopstown - although losers on the day – will head for the quarters and a clash with Carrigaline having won their opening two group games. Progress for the ‘Town having failed to make the knockout stages on the three previous occasions.

A tight opening stanza saw the sides level after 15 minutes, with O’Connors – Anthony and Niall – scoring early for the north Cork outfit.

Cork senior 'keeper Doyle also helped himself to a free from deep. Bishopstown were to find the necessary reply, however, with scores from Darragh O’Connor, Paul Honohan and a beauty from corner-back Michael Power drawing them level.

On the 20-minute mark, neat play from ‘Town centre-back Liam Hogan after a short ‘45 saw the city side take the lead. Four points to three. Time to kick on? They weren’t left to do so.

‘Town had battled gamely through the opening half, but the last eight minutes of play prior to referee Alan O’Connor’s short whistle was to belong to Knocknagree.

They had begun to find holes inside the ‘Town defence, and with Eoghan McSweeney playing provider on occasion, they were to notch 1-4 without reply. Four points of that came off the trusty right boot of Anthony O’Connor.

“Free-taking is everything,” Doyle added on O'Connor's impact. “I think we’ve seen that over the years. Any team that wins an All-Ireland or anything, like Dublin with Dean Rock, you need a top free-taker and we have that in Anthony O’Connor, which is great.

“We’ve backups there in Denis O’Connor and Eoghan McSweeney too, it’s important to keep the scoreboard ticking over because, look, the way teams are setting up now, it’s not always easy to get them from play.”

The goal – which arrived on the stroke of half-time – came from corner-back Mike Mahoney. A sweeping move from Doyle’s restart went through many hands before being returned to Mahoney by Cork forward McSweeney. Goal. 1-7 to 0-4.

A seven-point swing that the ‘Town never recovered from.

Bishopstown’s Michael Nunan converted handsomely off his left to cut the gap to five after the interval, but that was to be as close as they got.

Knocknagree inside man Denis O’Connor grew into the game and notched two points in the third quarter, while ‘Town free-taker Conor Dunne kept his charges in the game.

A quiet last 10 was punctuated by a second goal, this time Knocknagree centre-forward McSweeney. The heavy lifting was done by Denis O’Connor who won a difficult ball and exploited the lack of cover inside the ‘Town half.

He crossed for the marauding Gary O’Connor, who found McSweeney off his right shoulder. Goal number two. 2-11 to 0-8. Brian Clifford would add a point for Bishopstown, but it was too little and too late.

Scorers for Knocknagree: A O’Connor (0-6, 4f, 2m), E McSweeney (1-0), M Mahoney, (1-0), DR O’Connor (0-2), P Doyle (0-2, 1f, 1’45), N O’Connor (0-1).

Scorers for Bishopstown: C Dunne (0-3, 2f), M Power, L Hogan, B Clifford, D O’Connor, M Nunan, P Honohan (all 0-1).

KNOCKNAGREE: P Doyle; M O’Mahony - captain, K Buckley, G O’Connor; G Looney, D O’Mahony, T O’Connor; T O’Mahony, DV O’Connor; N O’Connor, E McSweeney, M McSweeney; DR O’Connor, M Dilworth, A O’Connor.

Subs: F O’Connor for M Dilworth (ht), D Mahoney for T O’Connor (47), D Moynihan for T O’Mahony (50), J Dennehy for N O’Connor (58), D Twomey for A O’Connor (60).

BISHOPSTOWN: C O’Driscoll; M Murphy, E Byrne, M Power; Murphy; D Holland, L Hogan, N Gough; D O’Connor, B McCarthy; B Clifford - captain, P Casey, M Nunan; C Dunne, P Honohan, K McFadden.

Subs: S Collins for P Casey (35),D Quaid for D Holland and S Sheridan for B McCarthy (both 40).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan)