Premier SHC: Douglas bounce back with comfortable win over Bishopstown

Douglas 1-21 Bishopstown 0-10

Douglas were always on top as they overcame Bishopstown to kick-start their Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC campaign at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday night.

After Douglas lost to Sarsfields and Bishopstown fell to Newtownshandrum in the opening round, this city-derby was likely to result in elimination for the losers and the Town must now try to get something from Sarsfields in their last match to avoid the relegation play-off.

While Douglas weren’t able to get their scoring difference back into the black after the 22-point loss to Sars, they will at least face Newtown in a fortnight with a chance to reach the knockout stages.

They will need to improve between now and then – they had 14 wides – but the return of Eoin Cadogan helped to bolster them. Douglas hit the front early with a pair of Shane Kingston points. Though Thomas Murray – wearing 2 on his back but playing in attack, one of a number of Bishopstown players numbered unusually compared to their position – replied with a point, their easterly rivals never ceded the upper hand.

With Mark Howell and Andy O’Connell well on top at midfield, the chances came at a healthy rate for Douglas and, while some of them were wasted, the lead began to grow. By the eighth minute, it was 0-7 to 0-1 – Shane Kingston with four points – and they could even afford a ten-minute scoreless period.

They might have been punished with a Bishopstown goal on 16 minutes as Luke Lordan linked brilliantly with Colm O’Driscoll but he fizzed his shot across goal and wide and no better chance of a green flag materialised during the first half.

An Alan Cadogan free got Douglas moving again and two O’Connell points had them 0-10 to 0-1 in front – three weeks ago, at the same venue, they had trailed by the same scoreline in the first half against Sars. Seán Murphy bridged a 20-minute Bishopstown gap between scores but Cadogan and Mark O’Connor had points to ensure that Douglas went in with a 0-12 to 0-2 lead at half-time.

Two Thomas Murray frees – the latter for off-the-ball pulling close to goal, which could have yielded a penalty – reduced the deficit slightly for Bishopstown on the restart, but Douglas were never likely to lose control to the extent that a comeback developed.

Kingston had a pair of fine efforts while Cadogan augmented the lead with frees and his fourth point left it 0-16 to 0-5 with 20 minutes remaining.

As in the first half, Bishopstown created a goal chance thanks to Daniel Murray’s driving run, but while his low shot was on target, it deflected off Thomas Murray’s hurley and over the bar.

The game wound down in predictable fashion and it was 0-19 to 0-9 for Douglas when they got a goal to off-set some of their sloppy second-half shooting, Alan Cadogan latching on to a break and driving goalwards before finishing well.

Shane Kingston might have add another goal as he has a couple of late chances but it didn’t impede Douglas’s progress towards a comfortable victory.

Scorers for Douglas: S Kingston 0-9 (0-4 f), A Cadogan 1-5 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), A O’Connell 0-3, M Howell, J Harte, M O’Connor, C Kingston 0-1 each.

Bishopstown: T Murray 0-5 (0-2 f), B Murray 0-2 (0-1 f), C Dunne (0-1 65), B O’Driscoll, S Murphy 0-1 each.

DOUGLAS: D Maher; K McSweeney, D Murphy, S O’Leary; D Kelly, E Cadogan, E O’Flynn; A O’Connell, M Howell; J Harte, A Cadogan, C Kingston; M O’Connor, S Moylan, S Kingston.

Subs: M Harrington for O’Connor (45), C O’Donovan for Moylan (53), D Harte for Murphy (59), S Bourke for A Cadogan (60+1).

BISHOPSTOWN: M Driscoll; B O’Driscoll, S Murphy, G Murphy; D Daly, B Murray (c), B McCarthy; D Murray, C O’Hora; R Foley, C Dunne, S Sheridan, L Lordan, C O’Driscoll, T Murray.

Subs: D Quaid for Sheridan (28, injured), C O’Donovan for Moylan (54).

Referee: N O’Neill (Midleton).