Terrific Tadhg Twomey sparks Newcestown comeback

Newcestown edged Newmarket in the semi-final of the Bons Secours Cork SAFC in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday setting up a mouth-watering west Cork derby against Dohenys

UP FOR GRABS: Newcestown' Gearoid O'Donovan and Newmarket's Cathal Browne go high for the ball during the Cork Senior AFC semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

Cork Senior AFC semi-final

Newcestown 0-12 Newmarket 0-10

“Winning is a habit. When you start winning, it’s difficult enough to go the other way. It’s the same if you’re losing, it’s very hard to start winning.” 

So said Newcestown manager, Tim Buckley, after his side edged Newmarket in the semi-final of the Bons Secours Cork SAFC in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday, thus setting up a mouth-watering west Cork derby against Dohenys in the final. And, when you’ve qualified for your second county final in seven days, after playing ten games across eleven weekends, in two codes, you can take those words as Gospel.

Trailing by 0-8 to 0-5 here, with twenty minutes to go, it looked as if Buckley’s side were in danger of breaking the habit. However, just when it seemed like they had run out of puff, they found some. Remarkably, it was their veteran forward, Tadhg Twomey, who led the way. On his 150th championship appearance, he popped over his second point of the day, the outstanding David Buckley followed on with his fourth and it was all to play for going into the final quarter.

Ryan O’Keeffe then exchanged scores with Luke Meade, and though Newcestown had come close, one felt they needed to get level, quickly, were they to upset the odds, again.

To compete at the coalface in two championships, you need strength and depth, as Buckley well knows. “We brought on five subs today, and any one of those five subs could be starting, and they’ll claim themselves, should have been starting. It’s great to have such a strong panel for a small parish, it’s incredible.” 

Fittingly then, it was Newcestown substitute Seamus O’Sullivan who levelled the game for the third time. Buckley and Twomey then put them into the lead for the first time, and Newmarket were reeling.

Ryan O’Keeffe settled them, but they then butchered a chance to level it, allowing O’Sullivan to put his side two clear and into the final. Conor O’Keeffe saw red late on for Newmarket, Jack Meade black for Newcestown, but neither had a bearing on the game as Newcestown will now deck out the parish in red and yellow for what promises to be another hectic month.

But first, a break. 

“We have a few niggling injuries, no breakdowns, but they need the two weeks. Hopefully it won’t upset our rhythm. As I said, winning is everything, and we’re just looking forward to meeting our west Cork boys from Dunmanway.” 

Newmarket were the better side in the first half and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after the opening quarter with Conor O’Keeffe (2) and Hugh O’Connor on target. Buckley soon had Newcestown level, but another O’Keeffe point and two from Darren O’Keeffe soon had them back ahead, though Twomey did have his first for Newcestown in the interim. 

Buckley then traded scores with TJ Brosnan, and the Duhallow men led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval. Barry O’Connor added to their lead on the resumption but from there Newcestown took control, and they are now an hour from a return to the top tier of Cork football. It’s all their manager could ask for.

“At the start of the year you’d give your right hand to be in a county final inside here in the Páirc, fabulous facilities and it’s great to be playing in the Páirc for all of these lads.” 

Scorers for Newcestown: D Buckley (0-5, 0-2 frees), T Twomey (0-3), S O’Sullivan (0-2), N Kelly and L Meade (0-1 each).

Scorers for Newmarket: C O’Keeffe (0-3, frees), D O’Keeffe and R O’Keeffe (0-2 each), TJ Brosnan, B O’Connor and H O’Connor (0-1 each).

Newcestown: C White; N Murray, C Twomey, T Horgan; J Kelleher, M McSweeney, L Meade (c); C Goggin, G O’Donovan; C Dinneen, T Twomey, R O’Sullivan; N Kelly, J Kenneally, D Buckley.

Subs: C Keane for Kenneally and S O’Sullivan for Dinneen (both h/t), J Meade for Kelly (52), R Sweeney for O’Sullivan (57).

Newmarket: J O’Keeffe; M Browne, A Ryan, P Allen; P Browne, TJ Brosnan, A Browne; M Cottrell, C Browne; D O’Keeffe, D Hannon, H O’Connor; C O’Keeffe, R O’Keeffe, B O’Connor.

Subs: K O’Sullivan for D O’Keeffe (36), B Daly for Brosnan (57) T Murphy for C Browne (inj, 58), G Forde for P Browne (60), D Culloty for B O’Connor (63).

Referee: Robert Whelan (Gleann na Laoi).