Randal Óg 1-18
Newcestown 2-15
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
LAZARUS, take up thy bed and walk to Newcestown!
One last play remained in this exciting RCM Tarmacadam Carbery Junior A Hurling Championship Roinn 1 clash between the second string of Newcestown and Randal Óg at Enniskeane on Sunday.
The men from St John’s came with a late, late frenetic attacking sally. It looked like their chance had gone when, despite leading at the interval by 0-10 to 0-7, a fantastic comeback by Randal Óg saw them now ahead by a goal ,1-18 to 1-15, and only injury-time remaining.
But Newcestown are doughty championship campaigners. When a long delivery by Daire McAree broke in a crowded goalmouth, Randal Óg goalkeeper Barry O’Sullivan batted it to safety, only for the lurking Flor Kenneally to get the last touch to force it over the line.
Delight for Newcestown, they had come back from the dead to share the spoils, but disappointment for Randals who had seen victory snatched away in the dying seconds.
It had been a competitive affair from the start, both teams level on four occasions in the opening half.
Some excellent scores were shared by Andrew Shorten, Paul Kelly and scoring sorcerer Oisin O’Sullivan, the leading marksman for Newcestown. Also, they were much to admire of the scores registered by Séadhna Crowley (0-3), Seán Daly (0-2) Peter Collins and Conor O’Connell, the aforementioned some of Randals marquee players.
It looked all set up for an exciting second half, but when Oisin O’Sullivan bisected the uprights for Newcestown to increase their lead, the match appeared to be slipping away from Randals.
Far from it, as a splendid scoring tsunami by Randals that saw them score an unanswered 1-5, including a fantastic goal by full forward Cathal Duggan in the 35th minute after a lovely move involving Conor O’Connell and Peter Collins.
Newcestown gave the best possible reply. In the 46th minute Daire McAree linked up with Andrew Shorten, as the latter powered home an unstoppable drive to the Randal Óg rigging.
It ensured stalemate 1-12 to 1-12, but fine scores by Seamus Crowley, substitute Eoin O’Donovan augmented by the unerring dead-ball accuracy of Peter Collins appeared to have Randal Óg in pole position, before the never-say-die attitude of the St John’s lads brought a just reward and a share of the spoils.
OUR STAR: Séadhna Crowley gave a five-star display, taking scores with aplomb and linking from defence to attack while controlling the tempo of the game with consummate ease.
Scorers
Randal Óg: Peter Collins 0-8 (5f); Séadhna Crowley 0-5; Cathal Duggan 1-0; Seán Daly 0-2; Seamus Crowley, Eoin O’Donovan, Conor O’Connell (f) 0-1 each.
Newcestown: Oisín O’Sullivan 0-6 (5f); Andrew Shorten 1-1; Flor Kenneally 1-0; Daire McAree 0-3; Humphrey Canty, Paul Kelly, Fiachra Ó Donnchadha, Fionn Keane, Patrick Collins 0-1 each.
Randal Óg: Barry O’Sullivan; Oisín Daly, Conor O’Neill, Pádraig Duggan; Shane O’Sullivan, Conor O’Connell, Thomas Kingston; Peter Collins, Seamus Crowley; Donnacha Collins, Seán Daly, Séadhna Crowley; Pádraig O’Sullivan, Cathal Duggan, Patrick Collins.
Sub: Eoin O’Donovan for Patrick Collins (52).
Newcestown: Ronan McSweeney; James Burrows, Chris White, Niall Murray; Mark Courtney, Eoin Kelly, Paul Kelly; Daire McAree, Fiachra Ó Donnchadha; Patrick Collins, Andrew Shorten, Flor Kenneally; Darragh McSweeney, Fionn Keane, Oisín O’Sullivan.
Subs: Humphrey Canty for Daire McSweeney (49), Joe Kenneally for Eoin Kelly (50), Murt Kenneally for Fiachra Ó Donnchadha (53).
Referee: Alan Long (Argideen Rangers).
