Newtownshandrum 2-27 Ballymartle 2-23 (after extra time)

Huge relief for Newtownshandrum at Kilworth on Saturday, heartache though for Killeagh, their Trojan effort to cause a huge Cork SHC upset thwarted in extra-time by two cracking Cathal Naughton goals, leaving them with a tricky backdoor clash with Cloyne.

Huge relief for Newtownshandrum at Kilworth on Saturday, heartache though for Killeagh, their Trojan effort to cause a huge Cork SHC upset thwarted in extra-time by two cracking Cathal Naughton goals, leaving them with a tricky backdoor clash with Cloyne.

DESPITE horrendous weather conditions at floodlit Mourneabbey on Saturday, Cork and Clare still served up a decent game in this senior hurling challenge ahead of the commencement of the league next weekend.

Cork 8-22 North Monastery selection 0-8

A DRAMATIC late, late goal for Erin’s Own, Kieran ‘Hero’ Murphy – living up to his nickname with a superb ‘double’ on a long Killian Murphy centre – one minute into injury-time, was enough to deny reigning champions Newtownshandrum victory in this Cork SHC quarter-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday.

A COMPREHENSIVE win for champions Newtownshandrum in this fourth-round Cork county senior hurling clash in front of a good crowd in Fermoy on Saturday evening.

Tomorrow: All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final: Newtownshandrum (Cork) v Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny), Thurles, 2.30pm.

BEFORE I go into the match analysis, I’d like to compliment everyone involved in Semple Stadium for the state of the pitch yesterday.

A REAL test of resolve yesterday for the 3,000 dedicated fans who made the journey to Thurles for this Munster final, defying the sleet and biting wind to support their teams.

UNLESS you’re in a situation where the protagonists are regular winners of their own county titles, and thus meet thereafter on a fairly regular basis, trying to predict what’s going to happen in a provincial club final is pretty much an impossible business.

THOSE hurling pundits out there who see Sunday’s Munster Club SHC final at Semple Stadium between Newtownshandrum and Ballygunner as a bit of a foregone conclusion baffles the bejaysus out of Newtown manager Phil Noonan.

CRUNCH time on the club scene this weekend, with Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) meeting Tullamore (Offaly) in Portlaoise in the Leinster senior hurling final, Ballygunner (Waterford) facing Newtownshandrum (Cork) in the Munster decider.

A SUPERB contest in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday as Limerick three-in-a-row champions Adare defied predictions and really put it up to heavy favourites Newtownshandrum in this Munster Club SHC semi-final.

THEY’RE back.

A 22-year-old man drowned in the River Lee in Cork city overnight after trying to swim out to a small wooden boat.

GALWAY football is mourning the loss of one of their finest players following the death yesterday of Frank Stockwell.

NEW-LOOK Newtownshandrum, same old style, same old result in the Cork SHC opening round.

‘THE SHADOW’: it’s a great nickname for a corner-back, isn’t it? Even better were the circumstances in which it was earned by Portumna’s Michael Gill.

CORK, Munster and All-Ireland Club hurling champions Newtownshandrum are in real danger of being stripped of their titles tonight as the face Erin’s Own in round three of the Permanent tsb county championship at Pairc Uí Chaoimh (7.30pm).