Bishopstown's David Dowling feels squad must regain focus for final group game

BISHOPSTOWN suffered a disappointing defeat against Dohenys in the Senior A FC, leaving them in need of a win when they face Newcestown in the final group game. Bishopstown selector David Dowling discussed the result in his post-match interview with The Echo, and stressed the need for his team to avoid becoming disheartened after the defeat.

“I suppose when you don't come away with a victory, it's always tough,” he begins. “Especially with the work with the lads put in it's never good to not come away with a victory.

“We left a couple of chances out there and we have to go back to the drawing board here now, and we have three weeks to prepare now for the next game and I'm sure we'll come back, and we'll be stronger than ever.

Our goal since we started training was always these three matches, and our goal for all three was to win. Nothing has changed in that regard.

“Our aim against Newcestown is still to go out and get a result,” he says. “Nothing has changed in terms of the information that we're giving to the lads. We were always gearing for three games, three wins.

“Obviously, disappointing to lose the one, but nothing has changed as far as we're concerned. We’re still happy and prepared to go out and give it a good rattle.” Though a relatively even game in parts, Dohenys pushed on in the second half and were comfortable winners at the end, which was quite disappointing for the Town, who only scored 1-1 from play in the second period.

“At one stage there in the second half we had four points apiece, and then there were three scores from Dohenys without reply. If you allow an opposition three scores without reply like that, you're always going to be punished, so working on little things like that is important for us and making sure that doesn't happen versus Newcestown.

“We just need to stop the opposition from getting a foothold in the game, at that point there they had scored seven in the second half, and we scored four. That's obviously a bit disappointing from us from the statistics point of view, but it's something we can work on.

“You take chances. Different things we had planned didn’t work out, [so] we’ll go back to the drawing board. We know that we've got a big panel and we know that we've got the players in our armoury that can get those scores. Nothing has changed.

“We still wanted to go out and win the three games and that just means we still have to go out and beat Newcestown. So, from our point of view, you know the message is the same as it always has been all year.”