Newcestown 3-21
Newtownshandrum 1-20
NOEL HORGAN REPORTS
THEY finished their campaign on a high note, but victory over Newtownshandrum in Blarney wasn’t sufficient to ensure Newcestown’s progress to the knock-out stages of the Co-Op Superstores premier senior hurling championship.
As well as getting the job done against Newtown on Sunday, their survival depended on the outcome of the other Group 2 game involving Charleville and Midleton. That resulted in a win for Midleton, who needed just a draw to advance to the quarter-finals along with Charleville.
While their fate wasn’t entirely in their own hands, Newcestown went into the clash with Newtown reasonably optimistic they’d get the victory that might be enough to keep them in the title race, according to manager Niall O’Sullivan.
‘We knew what was coming down the line, that we had to treat Newtown with the utmost respect, and that we’d have to be on top of our game in order to beat them,’ O’Sullivan said.
‘If we managed that, we felt Charleville could beat Midleton, because we almost did in round two. It’s obviously disappointing everything didn’t work out the way we’d hoped.’
O’Sullivan acknowledged Newcestown’s 11-point loss in their opening assignment against Charleville was very frustrating and put them under immediate pressure.
‘On the plus side, the lads have since shown their true worth and the true Newcestown spirit by responding with the draw against Midleton and delivering the goods today, so we have plenty of positives to take into 2026,’ O’Sullivan remarked.
Newcestown's Edmund Kenneally scored 0-2.
There was a lot to admire about the manner in which the Carbery side achieved the desired result against a Newtownshandrum outfit hell-bent on avoiding being plunged into a relegation play-off.
Never headed at any stage, Newcestown remained in front until the finish after a converted 65 by Richard O’Sullivan made it 0-5 to 0-4 in the 12th minute.
O’Sullivan’s score came about after Edmund Kenneally, fed by Sean O’Donovan, had an effort for a goal deflected outside the posts, and O’Donovan’s aerial prowess proved a considerable asset for the winners as the contest progressed.
He plucked a probing delivery from the clouds before parting to Colm Dinneen, who set Richard O’Sullivan for a goal that propelled Newcestown into a six-point lead, 1-9 to 0-6, in the 17th minute.
Gearoid O’Donovan, with Dinneen again providing the pass, quickly stretched the gap to seven, but, not surprisingly Newtownshandrum’s renowned resolve enabled them to arrest their slide towards the end of the first-half.
It was 1-15 to 0-12 at the interval, and a quick hat-trick of Newtownshandrum points meant Newcestown’s character was put to the test in earnest on the turnover. They weren’t found wanting, getting back on course after Colm Dinneen and wing-back Cormac O’Sullivan combined to create an opening that yielded a well-taken goal by Jack Meade in the 39th minute.
It left them leading by 2-17 to 0-16, and they were still four points up after Meade landed a sublime score from a sideline four minutes later.
The Newcestown centre-forward had given his all before being called ashore in the closing stages, while Colm Dinneen was another to make a significant impact up front where Sean O’Donovan was a major thorn in the Newtown rearguard throughout.
Elsewhere, Gearoid O’Donovan, as well as chipping in with a brace of points, managed to limit the influence of Newtown’s Cork senior Tim O’Mahony, but it’s fair to say every Newcestown player put a shoulder to the wheel at some stage.
Cormac O’Sullivan, Luke Meade, and Colm O’Donovan all got on the scoresheet from the half-back line, and, not for the first time, Richard O’Sullivan was Newcestown’s main marksman, bringing his personal tally to 2-10, 1-3 from play, when drilling home a penalty in stoppage time.
It had been far from plain sailing for Newcestown after Newtown substitute Michael Lenihan goaled to leave just five points in it, 2-20 to 1-18, in the 54th minute.
Tim O’Mahony had two goal attempts from close-in frees foiled after that, however, which put paid to the Avondhu side’s hopes of pulling the game out of the fire.
Scorers
Newcestown: R O’Sullivan 2-10 (5f, 2 65s, 1-0 pen); J Meade 1-2 (1sl); G O’Donovan, E Kenneally 0-2 each; C Dinneen, Colm O’Donovan, L Meade, S O’Sullivan, D Buckley 0-1 each.
Newtownshandrum: C Griffin 0-5; J Coughlan 0-5 (3f); T O’Mahony 0-4 (3f); M Lenihan 1-0; C Twomey, T O’Neill 0-2 each; K O’Sullivan, M Ryan 0-1 each.
Newcestown: C Wilson; M McSweeney, E Collins, J Kelleher; C O’Sullivan, L Meade, Colm O’Donovan; G O’Donovan, R O’Sullivan; C Dinneen, J Meade, S O’Sullivan; S O’Donovan, E Kenneally, D Buckley.
Subs: C Hurley for Kenneally (49), C O’Neill for J Meade (55), Ciarán O’Donovan for S O’Sullivan (63).
Newtownshandrum: J Bowles; T McCarthy, P O’Sullivan, M Ryan; C Twomey, C O’Brien, K O’Sullivan; T O’Mahony, Rory Troy; J Coughlan, D O’Connor, Robert Troy; R Geary, T O’Neill, C Griffin.
Subs: B Collins for Robert Troy (inj, 8), M Lenihan for Geary (42), S Minihane for O’Connor (56).
Referee: C Lyons (Nemo Rangers).
