Morrissey enjoying Newtown’s new lease of life

IT was American humorist Mark Twain who first made the now famous observation, ‘Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.’

Newtownshandrum senior hurling manager Simon Morrissey — no mean humorist himself — can certainly identify with Twain. A building contractor, as hard a man as ever swung either hurley or hammer, earlier this year Simon got the kind of news that would send shudders down anyone’s spine; “Leukaemia, chemotherapy — when you hear those words, it would shake you alright,” he admits.

Soon the rumour mill cranked into gear and it wasn’t long before he was getting those phonecalls, you know the ones — nervous, fearful, the voice at the other end uncertain of what to say. They are taken aback, saying they’re surprised he sounds so well for a man on the way out.