Bishopstown thanks to a late Conor Dunne goal see off Knocknagree in the Cork SAFC 

Bishopstown 2-14 

Knocknagree 1-13.

BISHOPSTOWN secured a huge victory in the Bon Secours Senior A Football Championship as they defeated Knocknagree 2-14 to 1-13 in an enthralling contest in Mallow on Sunday afternoon.

A superb second-half performance and a late goal from Conor Dunne proved to be decisive as the Town held on to claim their first win in Group C while Knocknagree suffer back-to-back losses.

Bishopstown were the quickest off the mark as the excellent Jamie O’Sullivan split the uprights from distance but Knocknagree responded quickly and after they levelled terms through Mathew Dilworth, they took the lead with the first goal of the game.

It came courtesy of a penalty which was won by a clever turn past his marker from corner-forward Gearoid Looney and was dispatched expertly by full-forward John F. Daly in just the third minute.

That goal was all that separated the two teams at the beginning of the second quarter - there was no water point at this juncture despite the searing heat - but Knocknagree were playing the better football with Danny Cooper notching a sensational score from distance before Fintan O’Connor’s powerful strike rattled the crossbar.

And that goal would also be the difference between the two sides at the half time break as they swapped three points apiece with the pick of the Town’s scores coming from Simon Collins while Donagh Moynihan somehow raised two white flags from incredibly tight angles, 1-7 to 0-7.

But it was the men in Maroon and white that started the second period on the front foot and either side of Jamie O’Sullivan firing over a free, substitute Odie Devlin saw one low effort blocked on the goalline and another nestle in the back of the net.

It almost got even better for Bishopstown in the 34th minute but Conor Dunne saw his thunderous hit turned over by goalkeeper Patrick Doyle before O’Sullivan sent another dead ball situation between the post, 1-10 to 1-7.

But the 2020 Cork Premier Intermediate Champions continued to battle and three quick points got them right back in the contest.

It looked certain to end in a draw as they again traded overs but a late surge from Bishopstown, which included a well-worked punched goal from Conor Dunne late on, saw them snatch the crucial victory.

Scorers for Bishoptown: J O’Sullivan 0-6 (0-2 frees), C Dunne 1-1, O Devlin 1-0, S Collins, L Hogan and P Honohan 0-2 each, C Dorman 0-1.

Knocknagree: J F Daly 1-1, G Looney, M McSweeney and D Moynihan 0-2 each, D Cooper, J Dennehy, M Dilworth, D O’Connor and N O’Connor 0-1 each, F O’Connor 0-1 (0-1 free).

BISHOPSTOWN: K O’Halloran; D Costelloe, E Byrne, A Sweeney; M Power, N Gough, E Deasy; J Murphy, P Flynn; B McCarthy, P Honohan, C Dunne; S Collins, J O’Sullivan, C Dorman.

Subs: O Devlin for P Flynn (8), L Hogan for J Murphy (41), D Holland for E Deasy (45), L Arslan for O Devlin (56), C Connolly for S Collins (61).

KNOCKNAGREE: P Doyle; M O’Mahony, M Doyle, G O’Connor; D Cooper, K Buckley, T O’Connor; D Moynihan, D O’Connor; M McSweeney, M Dilworth, F O’Connor; D O’Connor, J F Daly, G Looney.

Subs: N O’Connor for J F Daly (36), J Dennehy for T O’Connor (38), D Twomey for M McSweeney (54).

Referee: Aidan Hyland (Kilworth).