Bishopstown delight at U18 Premier 1 football league title victory

Bishopstown 2-6

Nemo Rangers 1-8

It was delight for Bishopstown as they won the Premier 1 U18 league title at the Mardyke.

In an entertaining game, they got the better of Nemo Rangers, with a goal from Darragh O’Donovan late on proving to be a crucial score.

It put them two points up and despite the best efforts of the Trabeg side, the Town hung on for a deserved win.

O’Donovan was one of several impressive displays for the winners on the night, with Denis Murphy, Max Sheridan, Kevin Murphy, and Cian McGrath also in top form.

For the Town, this was a win built over the last few years and a lot of these players would have suffered heartbreak in the minor (U17) championship last year when they lost out late on to Valley Rovers in the semi-final.

This win will help to ease the pain of that loss and no doubt a lot of these players will go on to represent the club for many years to come.

Joseph Lyons got Nemo off the mark, with McGrath getting the Town’s first point.

A second from Lyons, followed by a white flag from Darragh O’Sullivan put Nemo 0-3 to 0-1 ahead.

McGrath pulled a point back before Colm Daly equalised.

Liam Jordan, for Nemo, and O’Donovan both scored to see the sides level 0-4 each at half-time.

Lyons and O’Donovan both pointed early in the second half, before both sides raised green flags within a minute of each other.

Calum O’Neill was on target for Nemo and Daly at the other end, as it looked like extra time was going to be needed to separate them.

Lyons and McGrath were on target to make it 1-6 each with time running out.

Conor Yelland put Nemo in front before O’Donovan blasted to the back of the net to put the Town two to the good, 2-6 to 1-7.

A late point from Jordan made it a nervous finish for the Town, but their defence stood strong to ensure they emerged as champions.

Scorers for Bishopstown: D O’Donovan 1-2, C Daly 1-1 (1f), C McGrath 0-3 (2f).

Nemo Rangers: C O’Neill 1-0, J Lyons 0-4 (3f), L Jordan 0-2 (2f), D O’Sullivan, C Yelland 0-1 each.

BISHOPSTOWN panel: S Cronin, D Murphy, M Sheridan, C Vaughan, J O’Mahoney, D Cuthbert, H Wisted, K Murphy, S Sheridan, M Scally, P Casey, C Daly, C Murray, C McGrath, D O’Donovan, S Murray, J Tompkins, N Crowley, Se Rian Clarke, S O Deasmhunaigh, D Griffin, D O’Rourke, B Cahill, S McBride, R Galvin, J Somers, I O’Callaghan, S Wiseman, A Ryan, G Holland, O Foley, H Grant, D Griffin, M Buckley, A Caplice, R Lynch, D Nestor.

NEMO RANGERS panel: F Dietz, L Hayes, C Molly, B Twohig, S Mulcahy, D Quinn, C O’Neill, B O’Neill, E Kelly, L Kenna, L Jordan, N O Se, D O’Sullivan, A Petrov, J Buckley, J Madden, D Curham, A Sheehy, C Yelland, M O Se, L Healy, J Lyons, D Coughlan, S Denn, S Murphy, F McGorry, B Collins, R O’Connor, C Kavanagh, T O’Brien.

Referee: James Regan.