Premier 1 MFC: Bishopstown beat Glanmire thanks to hat-trick hero Neil Crowley

Bishopstown 4-11 (4-2-7) Glanmire 3-9 (3-1-7)

A hat-trick from Neil Crowley helped Bishopstown defeat Glanmire in a thrilling Rebel Og Premier 1 Minor football championship clash at Bishopstown on Wednesday night.

Both sides went into the game with contrasting first-round with results. Bishopstown’s game against Éire Óg was abandoned due to a player injury while Glanmire produced a late rally to defeat Carrigaline.

Playing with the aid of a strong wind, Glanmire almost raised the opening green flag but Rory Higgins' solo run and finish proved fruitless for the visitors.

Despite good pressure, Glanmire accumulated three consecutive wides and Bishopstown caught them napping a minute later when Alex Collins kicked a classy point.

The visitors were back on parity when Harry Browne kicked a point from a placed ball, but Town responded when Neil Crowley registered a neat point.

Scoring was low in the windy conditions, but the home side were rewarded for good build-up play midway through the half when Crowley took a pass from Jack Tompkins to drill a low shot past the bewildered keeper. A long-range Harry Cogan two-pointer following a free kept Glanmire within striking distance, but they exposed poor Bishopstown defending in the 25th minute.

A poor clearance from defence fell into the path of Cian Daly, who soloed through unchallenged before taking his second opportunity to place the ball wide of the Town keeper. Glanmire now looked to be in ascendancy and Browne kicked a monstrous point to edge them ahead by two points: 1-5 to 1-3.

Both teams looked dangerous going forward and Glanmire finished with a point from full forward Billy O’Mahony to command a three-point interval lead, 1-6 to 1-3.

Bishopstown got the perfect start to the second half when Alex Collins was hauled down inside the square and Crowley drilled the resultant penalty to the roof of the net. Credit to Glanmire, they responded in style and O’Mahony found space behind the Town defence to place the ball to the empty net.

Goals were certainly the order of the evening and Crowley completed his hat-trick on the next Bishopstown attack that edged the home side ahead by the minimum.

The green flags continued to be raised and both sides registered one each in a two-minute period with Alex Collins finishing from close range for Bishopstown and Glanmire sub Darragh Barrett producing a neat flick.

In the end, time ran out for Glanmire as the game finished with a monstrous two-pointer from Daniel Murphy, his second, in the game that ended a truly wonderful contest.

Scorers for Bishopstown: N Crowley 3-3, A Collins 1-1, D Murphy 0-4 (2 2pt), J Tompkins, S Clarke, C Caplice 0-1 each. 

Glanmire: B O’Mahony 1-3, C Daly 1-1, H Cogan 0-4 (1-2pt), D Barrett 1-0, H Browne 0-1.

BISHOPSTOWN: D Wiseman; M Conroy, R Lynch, E Walsh; S Young, D Murphy, D Coffey; N Crowley, C Caplice; A Cuthbert, S Clarke, A Collins; J Tompkins, B O’Brien, R Clinton.

Subs: J O’Callaghan for B O’Brien (35), C McBride for R Lincham (38), M O’Mahony for E Walsh (59).

GLANMIRE: I Barrett; R Boyle, F O’Donovan, R Dennehy; C Condon, C McMahon, J Tierney; H Cogan, R Higgins; H Browne, C Fennessy, C Daly; C Nolan, B O’Mahony, F O’Connor.

Sub: D Barrett for J Tierney (45).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).