Newcestown dig deep to keep the dream alive

CORK SAHC FINAL

NEWCESTOWN 0-19

BLARNEY 1-16

BY NOEL HORGAN

INDOMITABLE spirit has been the hallmark of Newcestown teams for a long time now, and it was evident again in the Co-Op Superstores county Senior ‘A’ hurling championship final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Sunday.

After falling 1-5 to 0-7 behind with 24 minutes gone, the Carbery men spent most of the match struggling to reel in a fancied Blarney side that showed a facility to respond whenever the need was greatest.

Sticking to their task, Newcestown eventually managed to nudge ahead in the 53rd minute, with a point from wing-forward David Buckley making it 0-18 to 1-14 at that stage.

‘It seemed a perfect time to go in front,’ said Newcestown manager Cha Wilson, who agreed it had taken a tremendous effort to snatch the initiative from Blarney in the second half.

Newcestown’s resolve almost brought them the glory, as they were still leading by the minimum after substitute Trevor Horgan replied to an equaliser from Blarney’s Shane Barrett when this gripping encounter entered stoppage time. Impressive full-forward Pádraig Power brought Blarney back on terms, however, Newcestown were forced to sweat when Mark Coleman was afforded an opportunity to break the deadlock from a sideline cut in the dying seconds. Much to Newcestown’s relief, Coleman’s effort dropped short, and, while Cathal Hegarty pounced for a goal in the ensuing play, the referee had already blown the final whistle, presumably having instructed Coleman he needed to score directly from the sideline in order to settle the issue.

Newcestown shipped an early body-blow when Padraig Power goaled for Blarney in the second minute. Edmund Kenneally had opened the scoring with a converted free for the South- West side, who led again after a brace of Jack Meade points sandwiched another from Sean O’Donovan inside 10 minutes.

Newcestown struggled to make headway up front as the first half progressed, with onlythe bright Meade, from a sideline, Kenneally, from a free, on target before Colm Dineen bagged a brace from play to complete their first-half tally. But Newcestown full-back Gearoid O’Donovan kept a tight rein on Padraig Power, and James Kelleher clung leech-like to Cork senior Mark Coleman, who lined out at centre- forward. Coleman did show his class in the 16th minute when expertly blocking down an attempted clearance by Kelleher before pointing with aplomb.

Power threatened again in the 25th minute only to be hauled down by Newcestown corner-back Michael McSweeney when clean through on goal, and a point by Shane Barrett was scant consolation for the Mid-Cork side. They deservedly led by 1-7 to 0-8 at the interval.

An absorbing battle for supremacy unfolded in the second half, with Richard O’Sullivan, David Buckley, and Sean O’Donovan helping to keep Newcestown in touch with good scores from play, before two on the trot shared by Buckley and Jack Meade earned them parity, 0-15 to 1-12, entering the last quarter.

With Mark Coleman and substitute Cathal McCarthy scoring, Blarney twice inched ahead again, but then came superb Newcestown points in quick succession from Edmund Kenneally and David Buckley to give them the advantage for the first time in the second half. Buckley was Newstown’s leading attacker after the interval when players such as Luke Meade, Eoghan Collins, Conor O’Neill, and especially Micheal McSweeney were most resolute at the back.

It wasn’t enough to keep Blarney at bay in a nail-biting finale, and a chance for both sides to try again was the fairest outcome.

Scorers for Newcestown: E Kenneally 0-6 (4f, 1’65), J Meade 0-4 (1 sideline), D Buckley 0-3, S O’Donovan C Dinneen 0-2 each, R O’Sullivan, T Horgan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Blarney: S Barrett 0-6 (4f), P Power 1-2, M Coleman 0-2 C Hegarty, O Hegarty, C Dunlea, S Mulcahy, C McCarthy, C Barrett 0-1 each.

Newcestown: C Wilson; M McSweeney, G O’Donovan, C O’Neill, L Meade, J Kelleher, E Collins; T Twomey, N Kelly; S O’Donovan, E Kenneally, D Buckley; C Dinneen, R O’Sullivan, J Meade. Subs: T Horgan for Kelly, 44, C O’Donovan for O’Sullivan, 58.

Blarney: C Murphy; S Crowley, P O’Leary, D Murphy; J O’Keeffe, P Crowley, C Power; C Hegarty, O Hegarty; C Dunlea, M Coleman, S Barrett; S Mulcahy, P Power, C Barrett. Subs: E Kirby for Dunlea, 42, C McCarthy for Mulcahy, 50.

Referee: M Maher (St Finbarr’s)

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Our Star: Perhaps nobody performed with greater consistency over the hour than Newcestown corner-back MICHEAL McSWEENEY.

Star Moment: On a day when Blarney’s Mark Coleman failed to score from three sidelines, Jack Meade’s effort in the first-half was all the more laudable.

Talking Point: The goal that wasn’t. Cathal Hegarty’s late strike for Blarney came seconds after the final whistle.

What’s Next? The replay goes ahead in Páirc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday.