DAN Twomey is part of a select club – a Newcestown man who has played in a county senior football semi-final. Only 18 ever have.

While Newcestown won the Senior A title in 2023, that’s the second tier in Cork club football, but the club has only contested one premier senior (highest level) football semi-final, and Twomey started that game in 2019 against Duhallow.

Six years ago, just before the championships were revamped, the current premier senior was the Cork SFC, and Newcestown found themselves in uncharted territory: the last four of the championship.

They are back in the same position again this season, and Twomey is backing the current crop to enjoy a better day out than Newcestown experienced against divisional side Duhallow at Páirc Uí Rinn. He kicked 0-3 in a 0-12 to 0-7 loss that stung because Newcestown never got going.

‘At the time it felt like a big achievement for us reaching a semi-final, a big moment for the club to be up there with the best teams in Cork,’ Twomey recalls.

‘The game itself, we were poor, probably the worst performance we had all year, always chasing the game. We didn’t perform at all, which was disappointing.

‘We knew it was going to be a hard and tight game, but we never got going.’

Daniel Twomey in action for Newcestown.

Twomey has higher hopes for Jim O’Sullivan’s current squad that will take on the aristocrats of Nemo Rangers in this Sunday’s premier senior semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. He has watched this team develop and mature, rising from the Senior A ranks in 2023 to winning all four games they’ve played in the championship this season, including a group win over county champions Castlehaven – that 0-12 to 0-10 felt like an important moment for Newcestown.

‘That was a big result for the lads – it gave them massive confidence. They played some good football and deserved the win,’ adds Twomey, who knows the current squad better than most, having played alongside them.

‘I think they’ve more self-belief in themselves. We’ve matured, too, with some excellent footballers now along with good young lads to back it up.

‘We’ve played all the top teams over the years, be it league or championship, and I don’t think these lads fear anyone, and rightly so.’

Mícheál McSweeney, Luke Meade, Tadhg Twomey, Jack Meade, Seán O’Donovan and David Buckley are some of the current Newcestown team that also played against Duhallow in 2019, so they have experience to lean on, but with Nemo going in as favourites, in most people’s eyes the Carbery men have it all to do.

‘We have a big chance,’ insists Twomey, who lines out in goal for the club’s junior footballers when needed.

‘We will go in massive underdogs, which suits us. The lads know themselves they are well capable of beating anyone on the day.

‘We’ve played some fantastic football all year, and hopefully come Sunday evening we will be looking forward to a county final.’

If Newcestown pull off the shock of the championship, it will be another remarkable feat for this club that campaigns at the highest level in both club football and hurling. The secret?

‘There is none really,’ Twomey insists.

‘All play both codes. If there’s a football game at the weekend, it’s football training that week. Next week, it’s hurling. The lads love it. They’d be bored with just the one!

Everyone involved, management included, played both for the club so there’s an understanding there then.’

So, as Newcestown prepare for their biggest game of the season, they know they are within touching distance of more history: a first premier senior final. Twomey hopes the class of 2025 can give a performance on Sunday that does them justice. Do that, and we’re in for an interesting afternoon at Cork HQ.