Blarney and Newcestown must go again as final ends in stalemate

STALEMATE: Blarney's Padraig Power is fouled by Newcestown's Micheál McSweeney during the Co-Op Superstores Senior AHC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Cork Senior A Hurling final

Newcestown 0-19 Blarney 1-16 

Newcestown and Blarney will meet next Saturday after this Cork Senior A hurling decider ended in stalemate.

Newcestown held pole position in this final for a combined total of five minutes. But they appeared to have timed their promotion push just perfectly when sub Trevor Horgan provided the lead score in the final minute of the regulation hour.

It was a lead they held for almost three minutes. It was a lead they carried into the third and final minute of second half injury-time.

If Blarney were to engineer an equaliser, it would have to be of a special variety. It was. Padraig Power - one of Blarney’s three-strong Cork contingent who accounted for 1-10 of their 1-16 - got his shot away in between two Newcestown shirts.

It was Blarney who came closest to fashioning a winner thereafter. It was Blarney who thought they had fashioned a winner.

When Luke Meade charged down a Sean Crowley point attempt, it presented Mark Coleman with an opportunity to nab victory with a sideline cut. His effort landed inside the Newcestown 20-metre line. Cathal Hegarty whipped to the net, but referee Mark Maher’s whistle had sounded milliseconds before Hegarty made connection.

For Blarney, a small bit of vexation that play was so abruptly halted. For Newcestown, relief. For Newcestown, another game to factor into their already mammoth campaign and double bid.

Next Saturday’s replay will be their 12th game in 14 weekends.

Blarney’s interval advantage was two. 1-7 to 0-8. The separating goal arrived inside two minutes. It was Power who supplied the finish.

Power made up one-third of Blarney’s aforementioned Cork trio. The trio were responsible for 1-6 of Blarney’s 1-7 half-time total.

Even the three frees from Shane Barrett’s 0-5 haul were won by another member - Power - of the terrible threesome. The second of those fouls was absolutely necessary. The full-forward, having intercepted a Gearoid O’Donovan handpass, was away in the clear.

Barrett’s pair from play included an absolutely super over-the-shoulder effort inside the first quarter, while Coleman’s sole white flag came from his excellent block down on James Kelleher.

Jack Meade (0-2) and Seán O’Donovan replied with a three-in-a-row to cancel out Power’s early green flag and bring Newcestown level 10 minutes in.

The West Cork men, who were regularly punished for avoidable turnovers, restored parity on three further occasions in the opening period.

They had the opportunity to tie this final for a fifth time approaching injury-time. Edmund Kenneally, though, was unable to arrow a third free between Conor Murphy’s posts. And when Power was fouled in the ensuing play, Barrett gratefully stretched the gap out to two.

The second half saw the two teams trade blow for blow. Point followed point followed point.

David Buckley stepped up with three sizable white flags for Newcestown. Cian Dunlea, Shane Mulcahy, sub Cathal McCarthy, and Cian Barrett made sure the Blarney scoresheet had more names than just their most recognisable three.

Newcestown thought they might hang on. Blarney then thought they had it. They’ll all go again next weekend.

Given the entertainment and quality of point-taking here, the crowd of 5,813 are already looking forward to the second instalment.

Scorers for Newcestown: E Kenneally (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65); J Meade (0-4, 0-1 sc); D Buckley (0-3); C Dinneen, S O’Donovan (0-2 each); T Horgan, R O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Blarney: S Barrett (0-6, 0-4 frees); P Power (1-2); M Coleman (0-2); O Hegarty, C Dunlea, C Hegarty, S Mulcahy, C Barrett, C McCarthy (0-1 each).

Newcestown: C Wilson; M McSweeney, G O’Donovan, J Kelleher; L Meade, C O’Neill, E Collins; T Twomey, N Kelly; S O’Donovan, E Kenneally, D Buckley; C Dinneen, R O’Sullivan, J Meade.

Subs: T Horgan for Kelly (45); C O’Donovan for O’Sullivan (58).

Blarney: C Murphy; S Crowley, D Murphy, P O’Leary; J O’Keeffe, P Crowley, C Power; O Hegarty, C Hegarty; S Mulcahy, C Dunlea, S Barrett; M Coleman, P Power, C Barrett.

Subs: E Kirby for Dunlea (43 mins); C McCarthy for Mulcahy (50).

Referee: M Maher