In a Manning Cup semi-final match against archrivals New York Greek Americans at Fleming Park earlier this month, Lansdowne Yonkers were level 1-1 in the last minute when new signing Danú Kinsella-Bishop, a 23-year-old scoring ace, won it for the Bhoys.
It was a clinical goal that reflected the enormous potential of the young striker whose finishing was horned in the League of Ireland. On the break, a ball was swung over the top, racing towards goal with a defender on either side, Kinsella-Bishop latched onto it. He held off one defender and beat the advancing Greek goalie with a low and hard shot.
The goal, one of six the huge talent from Rathfarnham in South Dublin has netted in just four appearances for the Bhoys, put the Matt Kane-drilled Lansdowne in next year’s final of the New York State competition where they meet another Greek side, Leros FC, for the cup.
“Danú’s been a breath of fresh air since joining at the end of the college season,” said the Belfast-born Kane. “He has great natural instincts in front of goal and it’s exactly what we’ve been crying out for. We dominate games in possession and haven’t found potency in front of goal yet. There is real excitement he’ll be that one for us.”
The excitement about DKB is palpable. He boasts an impressive scoring ratio – one that he hopes will take him all the way to Major League Soccer.
Kinsella-Bishop, who’s been shooting the lights out at most clubs that he’s played for in his young career, landed States-side last August. He was armed with a bachelor’s degree in English, his ample skills and big dreams.
“I came over to do a master’s in business -- to pursue my studies and then pursue my football,” the 2024 University College Dublin graduate told the Echo. “I'm hoping to become a professional soccer player.”
Five months later, Kinsella-Bishop is a graduate student in Molloy University’s MBA program. And despite arriving from Ireland with a hamstring injury and missing the Long Island-based school’s first five games in the NCAA’s second division, he has established himself as the best striker at any level in U.S. college soccer.
“I'm ranked #1 in the U.S. for goals-to-game average in both NCAA Division I and II,” he said. “So, the ratio is 1.0. So, I played 13 games in total for Malloy From late September to early November -- games came very fast -- and I got 13 goals.”
His form has earned him the East Coast Conference [EEC] Offensive Player of the Year award in his rookie season – the first Molloy player to receive the honor in 16 years. The 5-foot-11 striker was also named to the All-East Region First Team in NCAA Division II, alongside players from France, Spain, Latvia and Japan.
Bishop was equally prolific in Ireland, where he’d turned out for Bray Wanderers after graduating from UCD -- whose teams he’d played for since age 16 -- last December.
“They play in the League of Ireland as well, they’re a famous club,” he said of Wanderers. I actually have family ties there on my dad's side, I think my granddad played for Bray at some stage decades and decades ago.”
He netted six goals and added a couple of assists during his short stint with the Seagulls, pulling his hamstring in his last game. He remembers his time in the little seaside town south of Dublin nostalgically.
“Big crowds, [nice] community, kids wanting your autograph. It was fantastic. [But], I just had to take this opportunity in the U.S. and leave them prematurely,” he said. “I had to make a life decision. If it was just football, I would have stayed there and played my heart out, but I needed to think big picture as well. And I wanted to try and make it in the U.S. soccer game.”
Kinsella-Bishop had joined Bray Wanderers after seven years and some 120 League of Ireland games with UCD. Awarded a scholarship to study at UCD, he signed for the university’s Under-17 LOI team at age 16 and made his first team debut in the LOI Premier Division against Cork City at age 17.
“I was only in the fifth year of secondary school at the time,” he recalled.
A highlight of his exploits then was scoring the League of Ireland Goal of the Month in October 2023 against Shelbourne in the Premier Division. It was a miraculous effort with his back to the goal. A cross came into the penalty box from the right. Bishop and a defender on his right both stuck out their feet, but it was the striker who made contact first, audaciously and deftly flicking the ball backwards before it hit the ground. It soared high in the air behind him, eluding the onrushing goalie at the far post and dropping into the net.
He'd strike against some of the other biggest clubs in the country in 2023. There’d be goals against Bohemians at Dalymount Park on St Patrick’s day, against Cork City at Turners Cross and against Shelbourne again at Tolka Park.
“These are all the biggest and most famous Irish soccer stadiums. I was very proud of those moments,” said Kinsella-Bishop.
His goal now is to make it big States-side as a professional, with something to fall back on -- his MBA – when his playing days over. Kinsella-Bishop has made a good start both with the Lansdowne and Molloy in the NCAA in his rookie season. The sky seems the limit for this high flyer.
