Cork SAHC: Better balanced Newcestown brush aside youthful Cloyne

Newcestown's Colm Dineen racing goalwards chased by Cloyne's Stephen Beausang. Picture Denis Minihane.

A strong final quarter earned Newcestown the spoils in round 2 of the Co-Op Superstores Cork SAHC at Ballyanley.

It leaves this group delicately poised with themselves and Fr O’Neill’s on three points and Killeagh on two. The victors will now have plenty to play for ahead of their final fixture against Killeagh.

Unfortunately, for this relatively young Cloyne team their championship is over. While there was no doubting the superiority of Newcestown, it was only after the second water-break they were overrun, when they were outscored 2-9 to 1-2.

Donal Óg Cusack and Paudie O’Sullivan deserve mention, they are still big players for the east Cork team.

However, Newcestown were more balanced.

When free-taker Richard O’Sullivan and Sean O’Donovan gave them an early lead, it would not be relinquished. They were 0-5 to 0-2 in front after 15 minutes, Cusack called upon to save from David Buckley. Luke Meade and three O’Sullivan frees shoved them four in front approaching half-time.

Cloyne could have been closer only for a run of bad wides. Two O’Sullivan points in stoppage steadied the ship, leaving the half-time score, 0-9 to 0-6.

The break came at a good time for Newcestown and when they resumed they struck five points without reply. O’Sullivan was accurate from frees, while Jack Meade, Colm Dineen and Luke Meade nudged them ahead 0-14 to 0-6 by the 40th minute - Dineen’s white flag was his second effort from long range.

Conor Cahill registered Cloyne’s first point of the second-half just before the water-break. Again, Cusack was called upon to deny substitute Carthach Keane.

A goal arrived for Cloyne when Keith Dennehy was fouled and Brian O’Shea blasted the net. It reduced the deficit to eight points.

Newcestown were fast to respond. Luke Meade landed a point straight from the puck-out, and Carthach Keane then goaled having reacted to a Cusack save from Buckley.

Unanswered points by Jack Meade, Carthach Keane, Colm O’Donovan, David Buckley and O’Sullivan pushed them 1-22 to 1-8 up with normal time elapsed.

Luke Meade then got Newcestown’s second goal. They added a couple of more points, against two Daniel Cronin frees.

Football takes over next weekend for Newcestown. Then, they face Killeagh in a game that will decide their fate in this championship.

*There was a minute’s silence before the game for Cloyne president Philip ‘Bunty’ Cahill who passed away last weekend.

Scorers for Newcestown: R O’Sullivan (0-10, 0-8 frees), L Meade (1-3), C Keane (1-1), J Meade and C Dineen (0-3 each), C O’Donovan (0-2), D Buckley and S O’Donovan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cloyne: B O’Shea (1-2, 1-0 pen), P O’Sullivan (0-3), D Cronin (0-2 frees), C Cahill and K Dennehy (0-1 each).

NEWCESTOWN: C Wilson; M McSweeney (Capt), C Twomey, J Kelleher; F Keane, E Collins, C O’Donovan; T Twomey, C Dineen; S O’Donovan, J Meade, D Buckley; R O’Sullivan, E Kelly, L Meade.

Subs: C Keane for E Kelly (half-time), S O’Sullivan for T Twomey (54).

CLOYNE: D Óg Cusack; A Sherlock, D Byrne, B Fleming; Eanna Motherway, S Beausang, B O’Shea; J Hallahan, B Minihane; B Walsh, C Cahill, D Jermyn (Capt); Eoin Motherway, K Dennehy, P O’Sullivan.

Subs: M Cahill for D Jermyn (37), A Walsh for J Hallahan (40), C Mullins for B Walsh (45), D Cronin for C Cahill (47).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Nemo Rangers).