NEWCESTOWN 2-15

IBANE GAELS 3-9

TOM LYONS REPORTS

WHEN reigning champions Newcestown led by 10 points at half-time and stretched that lead to 12 early in the second half, it would have taken a brave man to predict that they would be hanging on to a three-point lead by the end of this highly entertaining Clona Milk U21 A hurling semi-final in Barryroe on Saturday afternoon.

True, Newcestown had the advantage of the breeze in the first half in fairly miserable conditions but the rally by home side Ibane Gaels, especially in the last quarter, had much more to do with their improved second-half performance than the breeze.

Newcestown looked the better side from the throw-in but in the difficult conditions, they relied very much on the free-taking of Oisín O’Sullivan for the bulk of their scores. Four of their five points in the opening quarter came from O’Sullivan frees, impressive young midfielder Humphrey Canty getting their only score from play.

Ibane’s only reply came from James Crowley, but Newcestown’s four-point lead disappeared in the wink of an eye when ace Ibane forward Olan O’Donovan fastened on to a great pass from Luke Murphy in the 13th minute to billow the net.

It was 0-5 to 1-1 at the beginning of the second quarter, and it was then we saw the best of the champions. With goalkeeper Ronan McSweeney in inspired form behind a tough-tackling defence in which Paul Kelly, Cormac O’Sullivan, young Oisín Callan and the Kenneallys, Joe and Flor, were central figures, Newcestown found their scoring touch and an O’Sullivan pointed free was followed by their first goal in the 19th minute when Niall Kelly finished to the net from close range.

Another O’Sullivan free was followed by a second goal in the 29th minute, when Ciarán O’Donovan was the finisher. Superb scores from play by Ciarán O’Donovan and Flor Kenneally plus a seventh O’Sullivan free brought their first-half tally to 2-10.

Ibane Gaels' Olan O'Donovan fires in his sides third goal past Paul Kelly of Newcestown.

Ibane managed only two points in that second quarter, from Olan O’Donovan and Luke Murphy (free), and Newcestown were 2-10 to 1-3 ahead at the interval.

Again, it was Newcestown who hit the ground running in the second half, stylish forward Patrick Twomey hitting two great scores from acute angles to stretch the lead to 12 points.

Ibane did respond with points from James Crowley and impressive sub Michael Collins, but when Twomey pointed again, Newcestown were looking certain winners with 20 minutes remaining.

Cork hurler Luke Murphy, much more involved in the second half, pointed an Ibane free and their comeback began when Olan O’Donovan crashed home his second goal in the 40th minute after goalkeeper McSweeney had brought off another great save, this time denying James Crowley. Dan Flanagan hit a long-range point for Newcestown and it was 2-14 to 2-6 at the end of the third quarter.

It certainly looked curtains for the home team at that stage and they weren’t helped by a few poor wides, but the best was yet to come as Dan Moloney, Diarmuid McCarthy and Michael Collins closed ranks in defence in front of solid 'keeper Ross O’Donovan, limiting Newcestown to a single point, O’Sullivan’s only free in the second half, in the last quarter.

With Olan O’Donovan, Luke Murphy, Tomás Ó Buachalla and James Crowley winning a lot of ball in the Ibane attack, Newcestown found themselves under ever-increasing pressure in the closing stages.

Points from subs Michael Collins and Donagh O’Flynn plus another from Crowley had the gap down to six before Ronan McSweeney stopped a bullet of a shot from Luke Murphy. That save, in the 60th minute, was to prove the winning of the game because two minutes later, Olan O’Donovan was in place to complete his hat trick of goals.

Ibane Gaels' Charlie Twomey attempts to get past Newcestown's Flor Kenneally.

It left a single goal between the sides, but prospects of great escape for Ibane vanished when the final whistle sounded before they could mount another attack. Despair, then, for the Barryroe/Timoleague combination and relief for the champions, who now go on to play neighbours Bandon in the final.

It may not be the appropriate time of the year to play hurling but these Under 21 games rarely fail to produce the goods and excitement for the supporters.

‘We were slow to start until we got the goals, but conditions were very tough out there,’ said Newcestown manager Mícheál McSweeney, himself a senior player. ‘Hurling today was hard work but we stuck at it. We had a 10-point lead at half-time and Patrick’s points after the break were vital. He’s only 17 years – a great prospect. Oisín Callan at corner-back, another 17-year-old. Sam Long came on as a sub. So it was a great experience for those young lads.

‘Then we had lads up to the age, like Joe Kenneally and Eoin McSweeney, who were injured for a while and came back today. It was a good mix.

‘They had lads like Luke Murphy and Olan O’Donovan, fit to play on any senior team, so we knew we weren’t getting out of here without a battle and only for Ronan’s save there at the end, we could have ended up with a draw. They had momentum from last week’s football win and it showed there at the end.

‘We have great young lads coming through. We don’t have to tell them anything; they just drive it on themselves. These lads were playing B and C underage and they just push themselves to get better all the time; it’s just in them to do that in Newcestown.

‘We take this championship very seriously every year because the cup is named after one of our own club men. We always like to win the Teddy Kehily Cup and the future is looking bright with these lads coming through.’

Our Star: Every player deserves credit for producing such an exciting game but special mention to Olan O’Donovan, Ibane, for his hat trick of goals and to Oisín O’Sullivan of Newcestown for his eight points from frees in trying conditions.

Scorers

Newcestown: Oisín O’Sullivan 0-8f, Ciarán O’Donovan 1-1, Niall Kelleher 1-0, Patrick Twomey 0-3, Flor Kenneally, Humphrey Canty and Dan Flanagan 0-1 each.

Ibane Gaels: Olan O’Donovan 3-1, James Crowley 0-3, Michael Collins and Luke Murphy (2f) 0-2 each, Donagh O’Flynn 0-1.

Newcestown: Ronan McSweeney; Paul Kelly, Cormac O’Sullivan, Oisín Callan; Flor Kenneally, Joe Kenneally, Eoin McSweeney; James Burrows, Humphrey Canty; Dan Flanagan, Niall Kelly, Oisín O’Sullivan; Fiachra Ó Donnchadha, Ciarán O’Donovan, Patrick Twomey.

Subs: Sam Long for N Kelly (ht), Ryan O’Neill for E McSweeney (55), Tadhg O’Sullivan (63).

Ibane Gaels: Ross O’Donovan; Dan Moloney, Joe Crowley, Charlie Dineen; Seán Ryan, Diarmuid McCarthy, Geoffrey Wycherley; Ronan Coakley, Charlie Twomey; Tomás Ó Buachalla, Olan O’Donovan, Darragh Walsh; Kevin Hennessy, Luke Murphy, James Crowley.

Subs: Michael Collins for Joe Crowley (12), Donagh O’Flynn for Hennessy (ht), Jack Twomey for Ryan (41), Jamie Collins for Coakley (55).

Referee: Michael O’Mahony (Kilbrittain).