Midleton 1-18 

Newcestown 1-17

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

TO say Newcestown endured an agonising defeat in the county premier senior hurling championship tie at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday would be putting it mildly.

Leading by three points with four minutes of regulation time remaining, they had the laurels snatched from their grasp in a dramatic conclusion, with Midleton’s David Cremin posting the match-winning score with almost the last puck of the match.

While they might have been separated by the minimum of margins at the finish, the result leaves the teams in distinctly contrasting positions ahead of the last series of games in Group 3.

Whereas Midleton, victors over St Finbarr’s in their opening assignment, are virtually guaranteed to progress to the knock-out stages, the prospect of elimination looms large for Newcestown following a second consecutive loss.

To have any chance of survival, they’ll need to come up trumps against the Barrs in round three, and hope Midleton can extend their winning sequence against Bride Rovers.

In that event, score difference will come into play to determine whether Newcestown, the Barrs or Bride Rovers collect the second qualifying spot up for grabs. 

Newcestown's Sean O'Donovan breaks past Midleton's Conor Lehane and Tommy O'Connell. (Photo: George Hatchell)

That their fate is no longer in their own hands has to be a source of immense frustration for Newcestown, given how close they came to getting something out of the clash with Midleton. 

Not surprisingly, Newcestown manager Daniel Twomey was devastated by the outcome.

‘I find it hard to put how I’m feeling into words, but I thought we were the better team on the day,’ Twomey noted. 

‘It’s a terrible way to lose, I don’t think we deserved it, but we found it very hard to get frees at times. 

‘Sean O’Donovan had a massive game at full-forward, on another day he’d have got five or six frees, but he just didn’t get them today.’

Reflecting on Newcestown’s poor showing in round one against Bride Rovers, Twomey said he knew they hadn’t done themselves justice last time out.

‘We didn’t turn up against Bride Rovers, but, having drawn with Midleton at this stage of the championship last year, I was confident we’d put it up to them again, so this is a very sour one to take,’ he admitted.

Newcestown served notice of their intentions from the outset, with Colm Dinneen, twice, and David Buckley on target as they raced into a three-point lead inside four minutes.

They remained in front until a Conor Lehane point earned Midleton parity, 0-4 to 0-4, in the 11th minute. 

Mindful of the threat carried by former Cork star Lehane, Newcestown entrusted selected corner-forward Gearóid O’Donovan, a renowned man-marker, with the onerous task of keeping tabs on the Midleton No 14.

The tactic brought mixed results in that O’Donovan did as well as could have been expected against the in-form Lehane, and Luke Meade filled the role of extra man with typical assurance at the back for the Carbery side.

Against that, Newcestown’s numerical disadvantage at the other end meant they were unable to derive maximum benefit from Sean O’Donovan’s ability to break the ball down at the edge of the square.

That O’Donovan’s aerial prowess caused the alarm bells to sound for the Midleton full-back line whenever the ball was pumped into the danger zone in the first half is beyond dispute.

Newcestown manager Daniel Twomey. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Midleton nudged ahead, 0-5 to 0-4, for the first time, courtesy of a converted free from distance by goalkeeper Brion Saunderson in the 13th minute.

They remained in front until Sean O’Donovan latched on to an Eoghan Collins clearance before placing Daniel Buckley for an equalising point nearing half-time.

A brace of late points shared by Conor Lehane and Mikey Finn left Midleton 0-10 to 0-8 to the good at the interval.

Sean O’Donovan underlined his potential in the early stages of the second half, creating an opening that enabled Richard O’Sullivan to bring the best out Midleton custodian Saunderson.

Saunderson then foiled O’Donovan’s booted effort from close range, but he was powerless to prevent the latter from deftly flicking a Richard O’Sullivan delivery to the net in the 42nd minute.

That made it 1-11 to 0-12, but Conor Lehane replied with a quick brace of points for Midleton – the second from a 65 that came about after his effort for a goal had been brilliantly deflected outside the posts by Newcestown goalkeeper Cathal Wilson. 

The issue remained in the balance during a gripping last quarter, but it seemed as if Newcestown were on course to shade it after scores from the impressive David Buckley and substitute Ciaran Hurley gave them a three-point cushion, 1-16 to 0-16, inside the last five minutes.

Their commendable bid for glory was derailed after Midleton produced a late flourish, highlighted by a cracking goal from corner-forward Ross O’Regan and the priceless point from David Cremin at the death.

While clearly relieved to pull the game out of the fire, Midleton would have bemoaned the inaccuracy that brought them 17 wides, 11 more than Newcestown, over the hour had the outcome been different.

OUR STAR: Sean O’Donovan played his heart out at full-forward for Newcestown, and was a constant thorn in the Midleton defence.

Scorers

Midleton: C Lehane 0-8 (3f, 1 65); R O’Regan 1-0; C Morley, D Cremin, M Finn 0-2 each; C Walsh, B Saunderson (f), T Dunlea, C Beausang 0-1 each.

Newcestown: R O’Sullivan 0-6 (2f, 1 65); S O’Donovan 1-2; D Dinneen, D Buckley 0-3 each; J Meade, E Collins, C Hurley 0-1 each. 

Midleton: B Saunderson; T Dunlea, T O’Leary-Hayes, C Smyth; C Walsh, T O’Connell, E Moloney; M Finn, K McDermott; E McGrath, A Quirke, D Cremin; C Morley, C Lehane, R O’Regan. 

Subs: C Beausang for Moloney (42), P Connaughton for Morley (48), Moloney for Lehane (blood sub, 61). 

Newcestown: C Wilson; M McSweeney, E Collins, J Kelleher; L Meade, J Kenneally, Colm O’Donovan; D McAree, J Meade; D Buckley, N Kelly, R O’Sullivan; G O’Donovan, S O’Donovan, C Dinneen. 

Subs: Ciarán O’Donovan for Kelly (23), J Burrows for McAree (46), C Hurley for J Meade (50).

Referee: C Walsh (Nemo Rangers).