Newcestown hero Murt Kennelly wins the match – and 50 euro bet!

Newcestown 0-16

Randal Óg 1-11

MATTHEW HURLEY REPORTS 

NEWCESTOWN dug deep to see off Randal Óg in the RCM Tarmacadam Carbery JAHC on Sunday in a roasting Clonakilty.

The win sees the second string through to the knockout stages of a competition where they were beaten finalists last year. Mentor James Curran was pleased.

‘It was a hard-fought win, in fairness,” he said. ‘Started well, kind of went out of it at the end of the first half but in fairness to the boys they raised it again. Kept it simple and got over the line eventually’.

Murt Kennelly hit an impressive 0-4 from play on the day and the midfielder had a drive from a bet according to the Town boss.

‘Murt got three points in the second half, kept us ticking over. He had a bet on it as well with another guy,’ Curran laughed.

‘If he got three points, he got 50 quid, I think that was his motivation there! He was inspirational in fairness, doesn't usually get on the scoresheet. His scores kept us in it in the second half when we were struggling.’

Randal Óg's Séadhna Crowley breaks past Newcestown's Cormac O'Sullivan.

Newcestown played with the breeze in the first half and hit seven of the first eight points after 15 minutes.

Séamus O’Sullivan and Conor O’Neill opened their account with Peter Collins replying with a free for Randals. Kennelly, Daniel Twomey (two), Trevor Horgan and Eoin Kelly all scored to put Newcetstown in a commanding position. Randals, renowned for their spirit, came roaring back with Collins, Jimmy O’Sullivan and Donnacha Collins pointing, closing the gap to 0-7 to 0-4 after 18 minutes.

Cathal Clarke of Newcestown and Liam O’Donovan of Randals traded scores before free takers took precedence as Randals’ Collins and Town’s Kelly scored two each.

It was last year’s junior B victors Randals who finished off the opening half scoring with Conor O’Connell, 0-10 to 0-8 at the short whistle. Randals had hope knowing they’d be playing with the breeze in the closing half.

‘We were a bit worried, but at the same time we knew the players had more in them,’ Curran said. ‘We knew there was a couple more gears in the lads in fairness.’

Newcestown’s task in holding their narrow lead became even more difficult two minutes into the second half when Joe Kenneally was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident.

‘It was a loss when he got sent off but it woke our fellas up a bit,’ Curran pointed out.

‘The old cliche is you’re nearly better off getting a fella sent off because the team with the player less does better. We upped it big time.’

They scored 0-5 without reply. O’Sullivan, Kelly and Twomey had them five clear after 43 minutes, 0-13 to 0-8, before Kennelly hit two clutch scores to increase the lead.

Randal Óg's Cathal Duggan tries to stop a clearance from Newcestown's Eoin Kelly during the RCM Tarmacadam JAHC round three tie.

There was another wave for the leaders to overcome though when Randals scored 1-3 without reply. Eoghan O’Donovan hit the Ballinacarriga men’s first second half score on 52 minutes before Alan Brickley and Collins tagged on scores.

A Seamus Crowley goal gave Randals renewed hope with four minutes of normal time to go, 0-15 to 1-11.

Kennelly, who else, got the insurance score to seal Newcestown’s knockout spot and who’s to say they can’t go further.

Scorers

Newcestown: Eoin Kelly (2f, 1 65), Murt Kennelly 0-4 each; Daniel Twomey 0-3f; Séamus O’Sullivan 0-2; Conor O’Neill, Trevor Horgan, Cathal Clarke 0-1 each.

Randal Óg: Peter Collins 0-5 (4f, 1 65); Séamus Crowley 1-0; Donnacha Collins, Jimmy O’Sullivan, Liam O’Donovan, Conor O’Connell, Eoghan O’Donovan, Alan Brickley 0-1 each.

Newcestown: Ronan McSweeney; Cormac O’Sullivan, Cian Twomey, Christopher White; Cathal Clarke, Eoin Kelly, Conor O’Neill; Murt Kennelly, Niall Murray; Conor Goggin, Andrew Shorten, Trevor Horgan; Darragh McSweeney, Daniel Twomey, Seamus O’Sullivan.

Subs: Joe Kenneally for Goggin (ht), Oisín O’Donovan O’Sullivan for Darragh McSweeney (38), Rick Bradfield for Daniel Twomey (48), Mark Kelly for Shorten (60).

Randal Óg: Patrick Lynch; Liam O’Donovan, Conor O’Neill, Padraig Duggan; Kevin Dullea, Peter Collins, Oisín Daly; Séamus Crowley, Conor O’Connell; Donnacha Collins, Darragh Hayes, Jimmy O’Sullivan; Cathal Duggan, Seadhna Crowley, Padraig O’Sullivan.

Subs: Eoghan O’Donovan for Hayes (ht), Barry O’Sullivan for Jimmy O’Sullivan (46), Alan Brickley for Cathal Duggan (51), Thomas Kingston for O’Donovan (60).

Referee: Michael Collins (Clonakilty).