Newcestown 0-19
St James 1-11
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
NEWCESTOWN secured top spot in Roinn 1 and a semi-final place in the RCM Tarmacadam Junior A Hurling Championship after a hard-fought win against St James at Ballinascarthy on Friday night.
Not much was expected in this joust, given that St James were already out of contention, but how wrong we were. Defending with energy and intent, the men from the Mountain really put it up to the table-toppers.
Indeed, it was not until a late Newcestown scoring burst that saw points by subs Dan Flanagan and Humphrey Canty, Murt Kennelly, Padraig Collins and scoring sorcerer Oisin O’Sullivan – against a free and a 65 by leading St James marksman James O’Driscoll – could the boys from St John’s relax.
From start to finish it was a rip-roaring contest, the outstanding Tadgh Twomey availing of a peach of a delivery by industrious full-forward Fionn Keane setting the early tone.
St James' Joe O'Sullivan cuts inside Newcestown's Christopher White.
The aforementioned duo together with Paul Kelly, Murt Kennelly, Andrew Shorten and Pádraig Collins were some of Newcestown’s leading lights. While St James depended heavily on leading marksman James O’Driscoll, there was much to admire about the work ethic of Mark Evans, Joe O’Sullivan, captain Cathal Hennessy, Ian Evans and Seán Whelton.
The latter sent shock waves reverberating through Newcestown’s ranks in the seventh minute, availing of a deft delivery by Ian Evans, to score the only goal of the game, with a thunderbolt drive past the reliable Ronan McSweeney.
Regaining their composure, points by Pádraig Collins and Andrew Shorten enabled Newcestown to draw level, 1-0 to 0-3, at the close of the opening quarter.
St James' Mark Evans in control against Newcestown's Paul Kelly.
Steadily Newcestown hit the front again. With points from Murt Kennelly, Paul Kelly, James Burrows and Oisín O’Sullivan, they led 0-10 to 1-4 to 0-10 at the break. It was all to play for, and so it proved on the resumption as O’Sullivan, Kelly and a magnificent long-distance point by the mercurial Tadgh Twomey saw the St John’s lads enjoy a slender 1-9 to 0-13 advantage with six minutes left. It also took a magnificent save by Ronan McSweeney to thwart James O’Driscoll, as St James still battled on regardless.
However, constant dripping wears a stone and that late burst from Newcestown saw them past the winning line, joined by Randal Óg in the knockout stages.
‘Look, we knew coming here that in my eyes this was like a Cork v Tipperary clash. We beat them in the league, but we warned the lads that St James had nothing to lose and would battle to the end,’ said a relieved Newcestown manager Declan O’Donovan.
‘We went in at half time and I said to the lads, we are panicking. We are playing well enough, but need to settle down. We did that, went man to man and finished well, taking some great scores late on.
‘It was a great game for us really, good, hard honest-to-God hurling and very sporting. Ardfield are a fine side, they never know the meaning of defeat and were in contention to the very end. We are through now, that is the bottom line.’
OUR STAR: Hunger is a great sauce and when you throw in an insatiable love for the game allied to some wonderful hurling skills, Newcestown veteran Tadgh Twomey, touching 42 years, fits the bill to perfection, a worthy winner.
Scorers
Newcestown: Oisín O’Sullivan 0-5 (3f); Pádraig Collins, Tadhg Twomey 0-3 each; Paul Kelly, Murt Kennelly 0-2 each; Dan Flanagan, James Burrows, Humphrey Canty, Andrew Shorten 0-1 each.
St James: James O’Driscoll 0-9 (7f, 1 65); Seán Whelton 1-0; Joe O’Sullivan 0-2.
Newcestown: Ronan McSweeney; James Burrows, Christopher White, Niall Murray; Joe Kennelly, Mark Courtney, Paul Kelly; Murt Kennelly, Tadgh Twomey; Pádraig Collins, Andrew Shorten, Fiachra O’Donnchadha; Darragh McSweeney, Fionn Keane, Oisín O’Sullivan.
Subs: Humphrey Canty for Fiachra O’Donnchadha (ht); Dan Flanagan for Darragh McSweeney (50), Eoin Calnan for Paul Kelly (52).
St James: Niall Evans; Joseph O’Sullivan, Micheál McCarthy (D), Donnacha McCarthy; Ian Evans, James O’Sullivan, Cathal Hennessy; Kevin O’Leary, Liam Dooley; Mark Evans, Cristoir Hayes, Conor Hayes; Seán Whelton, James O’Driscoll, Joe O’Sullivan.
Subs: Micheál McCarthy (B) for Seán Whelton (46), Kevin O’Brien for Liam Dooley (51), Conor Whelton for James O’Sullivan (53).
Referee: Kevin Crowley (Ballinascarthy).
