Bishopstown power past Beara with strong second half to claim Cork U21A title
Cork Beara Victory Páirc Players Bishopstown U21afc In Final Uí At Over Their Rinn Celebrate The
Bishopstown received an early Christmas present by claiming the Pádraig A Ó Murchú Cup following a eight-point victory over Beara in the McCarthy Insurance Group U21AFC county final at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.
A first U21A football title since 1992 was richly deserved for a Bishopstown team in which full-forward Conor Dunne starred and contributed five points. Centre-forward Patrick Casey weighed in with 1-1 but it took a full team effort to restrict Beara to a single point in the second half.
The opening 10 minutes were dominated by Beara with Adrigole corner-forward Ben O’Sullivan in terrific form. Alan O’Sullivan got Beara off the mark prior to his namesake Ben converting a superb mark and adding an even better point from play.
Conor Dunne’s point was Bishopstown’s only score amid a quiet start. Things got even worse for the Seandún outfit when their opponents stretched their advantage shortly after. Tommy O’Sullivan scored two points in quick succession to make it 0-5 to 0-1.
Beara, thanks to some tenacious defending, were merited leaders at that stage but an inability to capitalise was punished by Bishopstown during a profitable spell.
First, midfielder Brian McCarthy split the posts prior to a Kieran McFadden attempt that dropped short into Beara’s square. Patrick Casey was alive to the situation and flicked the dropping ball past goalkeeper Killian Murphy into the back of the net.
The teams changed ends tied 1-2 to 0-5 and it was Conor Dunne who edged Bishopstown in front courtesy of a terrific effort from distance. Fintan Fenner replied within a minute but that would be the divisional side’s only score of the second half.
Dominating in every sector, Bishopstown assumed control beginning with Kieran McFadden’s point making it 1-5 to 0-6 with quarter of an hour remaining. From there, Conor Dunne (two), Odhran Foley, Gary Holland, Patrick Casey and Kieran McFadden points confirmed the most convincing of victories.
Both teams finished with fourteen players because of Rian Foley’s (Bishopstown) black card and Tiernan Sullivan’s (Beara) dismissal.
Those indiscretions came either side of a superb Sean Cronin save to deny Fintan Fenner what would have been a consolation goal.
Yet, there could be no doubting the outcome. 2024 ends with Bishopstown as U21A county football champions and deservedly so. Even more importantly, the Seandún club’s senior prospects have been enhanced by capturing the Pádraig A Ó Murchú Cup.
C Dunne 0-5 (2f), P Casey 1-1, K McFadden 0-2, B McCarthy, O Foley, G Holland 0-1 each.
B O’Sullivan (1m), T O’Sullivan 0-2 each, A O’Sullivan, F Fenner 0-1 each.
S Cronin; D O’Donovan, F Stevens (captain), M Sheridan; O Foley, D Cuthbert, H Wixted; K Murphy, B McCarthy; S Sheridan, P Casey, R Foley; G Holland, C Dunne, K McFadden.
C McGrath for S Sheridan (47), B Cahill for P Casey (61), M Scally for G Holland (61) M Buckley for H Wixted (63).
K Murphy (Castletownbere); M Downing (Adrigole), D Harrington (Urhan), J Hanley (Castletownbere); S O’Shea (Adrigole), D O’Sullivan (Adrigole), N O’Shea (Urhan); L Harrington (Glengarriff), F Fenner (captain, Castletownbere); A O’Sullivan (Urhan), G O’Shea (Adrigole), Shane Power (Glengarriff); B O’Sullivan (Adrigole), T O’Connor (Adrigole), T O’Sullivan (Adrigole).
T Sullivan (Adrigole) for L Harrington (27), L Kelly (Castletownbere for D O’Sullivan (27), D Crowley (Urhan) for L Kelly (42).
Robert Whelan (Glenn Na Laoi).