Newtown reach new heights in victory

CORK SHC Newtownshandrum 3-22 Sarsfields 1-12:NEWTOWNSHANDRUM won their fourth Cork senior hurling title with arguably their greatest performance ever when overwhelming holders Sarsfields at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday. Many in the official attendance of 12,502 had to draw breath at times such was the awe-inspiring display.

Veterans such as the O’Connor twins, Ben and Jerry, Pat Mulcahy and Philip Noonan turned back the clock with vintage contributions, the brothers scoring 1-9 between them and Mulcahy nominated man of the match.

Newtown were in front at half-time, leading by 0-10 to 0-9 after facing the strong wind in a period which rarely rose above the ordinary – but how they powered on in the second-half.

A blistering 1-4 in the opening five minutes set the tone for a Newtown-dominated spell with Ben O’Connor drifting in behind the defence to flick home the first goal from Seán O’Riordan’s long delivery.

Before Sars could settle, Newtown hit them with a second goal after 38 minutes, Jamie Coughlan, who is still eligible for minor in 2010, underlining his potential with an unstoppable shot for a 2-13 to 0-10 lead.

The game was effectively over as a contest entering the closing quarter, when PJ Copse’s speculative lob from half-way ended in the back of the net, goalkeeper Alan Kennedy hindered by the sun.

Both teams were reduced to 14 following the red carding of Newtown full-forward James Bowles and Sarsfields full-back Joe Barry and while Sarsfields substitute Garvan McCarthy flicked home Gavin O’Loughlin’s free, it hardly mattered.

Newtown piled on the misery in the closing stages, another O’Connor, John, brother of Ben and Jerry, coming on to score two points. Fittingly, the final score went to Jerry to round off a memorable afternoon. To have had any chance of hanging on to their title, Sarsfields needed the cushion of a big interval advantage to brace themselves for the anticipated Newtown onslaught.

But, they were clearly struggling to keep apace with the precision of their opponents who carried the ball intelligently against the elements, none better than Cathan Naughton.

Sarsfields managed to be on level terms four times in the opening quarter, though it needed a superb Kennedy save to deny Ryan Clifford, whose deflected shot earned a point after 13 minutes. Naughton’s speed produced the eighth point and Jerry O’Connor’s effort, following intelligent passing from defence through midfield and to the attack, reflected Newtown’s growing confidence. They took their game to new heights on the resumption.

NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: W Biggane; J O'Mahony, B Mulcahy, D Gleeson; S ORiordan, P Mulcahy, P Noonan; PJ Copse (1-1), C Naughton (0-4); R Clifford (0-4), Jerry O'Connor (0-5), M Bowles; J Coughlan (1-1), J Bowles, B O'Connor (1-4, two frees). Subs: JP King (0-1)for M Bowles (37 mins); John O'Connor (0-2)for Clifford (50 mins); E O'Connor for Ben O'Connor, J Herlihy for Noonan (both 59 mins).

SARSFIELDS: A Kennedy; R Ryan, J Barry, C O'Sullivan; D Kearney, C Leahy, D Kenneally; P Ryan (0-5, four frees, one 65), W Kearney; P Barry, C McCarthy, G OLoughlin (0-1); K Murphy (0-1), M Cussen (0-4), T Óg Murphy. Subs: Garvan McCarthy (1-0)for P Barry (37 mins); G O'Kelly-Lynch for D Kearney (39 mins); R O'Driscoll (0-1)for C McCarthy (40 mins), B McCarthy for Leahy (50 mins).

Referee: D Kirwan(Cork).