Newtown return to centre stage

Newtownshandrum 2-18 St Finbarr's 2-9: An early scoring spree propelled Newtownshandrum into another county hurling final at the expense of St Finbarr's at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday. The 2000 and 2003 champions blitzed their city rivals by claiming 1-8 without reply in a devastating 14-minute first-half spell, when they were aided by the very strong wind.

Their short-passing style repeatedly produced chances and the points flowed as all six forwards found their range and with full forward JP King chipping in with a goal on 16 minutes.

Newtown swept 1-10 to 0-2 clear before a stunned St Finbarr's replied with a lucky goal six minutes from the interval, Denis O'Regan's cross hitting defender Gerdi O'Mahony on its way to the net.

That sparked a mini-revival as the lead was reduced to 1-12 to 1-5 by half-time and St Finbarr's got the ideal start on the resumption. Brian O'Driscoll's long clearance dropped invitingly for Kevin Murray to goal after 36 minutes.

A Ronan Curran 65 left a goal between the sides, but Newtown recovered with James Naughton and Cork senior players Jerry and Ben O'Connor leading the way, though they couldn't be sure of victory until they added a second goal two minutes from the end of normal time.

After Curran's close-range free was cleared Naughton and King combined for substitute James Bowles to settle matters from close range. The final is set for Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday week.

NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: P Morrissey; G O'Mahony, B Mulcahy, D Gleeson; D Murphy, P Mulcahy, P Noonan (0-1); AT O'Brien (0-1), J O'Connor (0-1); D Mulcahy (0-1), John O'Connor (0-1), C Naughton (0-6); J O'Mahony (0-1), JP King (1-1), B O'Connor (0-5, three frees). Subs: J Bowles (1-0) for Murphy (35 mins), J McCarthy for Gleeson (56 mins).

ST FINBARR'S: F O'Mahony; P McSweeney, E Burke, P Buckley; P Murray, R Curran (0-3, two frees, one 65), B O'Driscoll; C Duffy, R McCarthy; K Murray (1-3, 0-3 frees), A Fitzpatrick, M Ryan; D O'Regan (1-0), G McCarthy (0-1), R O'Mahony (0-1). Subs: C McCarthy (0-1) for Duffy (37 mins), A Cronin for McCarthy (49 mins).

Referee: D Kirwan (Éire Óg).