Bishopstown beat Ballincollig after extra time in Premier 1 Challenge Cup final
Bishopstown celebrate their win over Ballincollig at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
BISHOPSTOWN captured the Rebel Óg Premier 1 Minor Football Challenge Cup by coming from behind to force extra time and then defeat Ballincollig at Páirc Uí Rinn.
Town, with Brian Cuthbert and Larry Tompkins involved in their management, were down 1-4 to 1-3 at half-time, and had looked in trouble with 10 minutes to go when they trailed 1-8 to 1-5 and were reduced to 14 after a second yellow for Harry Wixted. However, a Gary Holland penalty was crucial in their revival and the city side were unlucky not to snatch a late winner as it finished 2-6 to 1-9.
They had the worst possible start to extra time when a neat Jack Murray goal was followed by a Danny Miskllea point, his fourth from play. Bishopstown didn't panic and raised two green flags of their own in response, through Cillian Murray and Jack Tompkins, and they were 4-7 to 2-11 up with 10 minutes of the additional period remaining.
Both sides were guilty of wasting some glorious opportunities as the bodies tired and the clock wound down but Town pushed the margin out to three points and held firm as Collig hunted a last-gasp goal to avoid defeat.
It took just 20 seconds for the ball to hit the back of the net when the game started after Ballincollig’s Eoin Dwyer finished calmly. A Bill Cahill mark was Bishopstown’s first score, but they wasted some good possession before Danny Miskella opened his account with a lovely point.
Bishopstown followed that up with another wide, their fourth of the game, and Caolan Walsh got ready for the restart.
The ball was kicked out and a swam of maroon jerseys picked it off. Sebastian Wiseman went on a powerful run and beat two defenders before raising a green flag, 1-1 each.
Ballincollig doing what they had been doing since throw-in, with Cillian Power a standout in defence. They nabbed the next two points, including a Cian O'Connor effort from wing-back, 1-3 to 1-1.
Midfielder Odhran Foley – who helped Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh get to the Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-finals earlier this year – immediately responded, the Cork minor's point steadying the ship when Collig were on top. Calum Caplice equalised before Harry Wixted had an opportunity to end the first half with a goal for Bishopstown and he was denied by a low save from Walsh.
A David O’Leary free after a foul on Tadhg Murphy following patient approach work saw the Village lead 1-4 to 1-3 at the short whistle.
Wixted on the restart and Daniel Murphy put Bishopstown ahead for the first time in the 32nd minute. Cian Ahern tied things up and George Howard came close to a goal with a soccer-style finish which Bohan stopped at the near post.
O’Leary converted two frees and Miskella beat the tightest of angles to finish off a burst that put Ballincollig three points clear with their running game paying off.
Daniel Murphy pulled one back for Bishopstown before a turning point with a 57th-minute penalty. Gary Holland sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 2-6 to 1-8, though Miskella continued to threaten up top and an O’Leary free at the 60th minute mean extra time was looming.
Bishopstown had possession in the remaining seconds and they were unable to put together a clear-cut chance aside from a 45 that dropped short.
Collig then got off to a dream start to the additional 20 minutes with a blast of 1-1 but that was as good as it got with the two-goal response giving Town an advantage they wouldn't relinquish again.
G Holland 1-1 (1-0 pen); S Wiseman 1-1, J Tompkins, C Murray 1-0 each; B Cahill 0-2 (0-1 m, 0-1 f), H Wixted, C Caplice, O Foley, D Murphy 0-1 each.
D O’Leary 0-5 (0-4 f, 0-1 45); D Miskella 0-4, E Dwyer, J Murray 1-0 each, C O’Connor, C Ahern 0-1 each.
C Bohan; J O’Mahony, C Vaughan, H Wixted; C Caplice, Daniel Murphy, D Griffin; O Foley, D O’Rourke; G Holland, R Lynch, S Wiseman; J Tompkins, N Crowley, B Cahill.
H Grant for O’Rourke (35); C Murray for Crowley (47), Denis Murphy for O’Mahohy (57).
C Walsh; C Sommers, D Lee, C Power; C O’Connor, T Morgan, P Rose; B O’Connell, G Howard; T Murphy, C Ahern, K O’Leary; D Miskella, E Dwyer, D O’Leary.
F Jozefowski for Murphy and J Murray for Dwyer (38), S Rue O’Sullivan for Sommers and E Donovan for O’Leary (70).
Brian Crowley (Castlehaven).
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