Midleton 3-18
Newcestown 1-10
NOEL HORGAN REPORTS
WHILE the scoreline suggests otherwise, Newcestown made a bold bid to upset the odds in the county U21A hurling championship semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s 4G pitch on Sunday.
Flattered to be just eight points behind (0-13 to 0-5) a dominant but wasteful Midleton side at the interval, there was little to indicate they’d be capable of making significant inroads on the deficit, even when backed by a strong wind in the second-half.
Aided by a superb goal from talismanic attacker Richard O’Sullivan, however, Newcestown had cut the gap to the minimum approaching the last ten minutes, and the hotly-fancied East-Cork Magpies looked rattled.
Newcestown manager Michael McSweeney wasn’t surprised by their recovery, pointing out they had come from seven points down to get the better of Valley Rovers in the quarter-final.
‘These lads have fierce heart, so we knew the game was still there for us, and we were hopeful we’d get back into it,’ he said.
‘The final result didn’t fairly reflect how well we played, but we’re happy enough, we got to a county semi-final, and I’m satisfied we did Newcestown and Carbery proud today.
‘Midleton were four grades higher than us at U16 level five years ago, so we’ve narrowed the gap that much,’ McSweeney noted, adding it was an encouraging display in terms of the club’s future at senior.
Ciarán Hurley registered Newcestown’s only score from play in the first half when Richard O’Sullivan completed their return from placed balls.
Midleton’s progress had been limited by inaccuracy, which saw them accumulate nine wides before the break, but it seemed a luxury they’d be able to afford after their top marksman Mikey Finn drew first blood on the resumption.
Although Richard O’Sullivan replied for Newcestown from a free, Finn had a chance to restore Midleton’s nine-point lead two minutes later. Instead of taking an easy point from a free, Finn went for a goal, and his shot was deflected out for a 65, which he failed to convert.
Latching on to Ronan McSweeney’s booming delivery from the resultant puck-out, Richard O’Sullivan goaled with style for Newcestown to trigger off a major change in the trend of the play.
Newcestown became a transformed side in the wake of it, whereas Midleton lost their composure, so much so that it took them over 20 minutes to add to their tally.
In the interim, Flor Kenneally, Richard O’Sullivan and Ciarán Hurley shared a hat-trick of points from play before an O’Sullivan effort from a free left Newcestown snapping at Midleton’s heels, 0-14 to 1-10, with 49 minutes gone.
Then Oisin O’Sullivan was off-target with an opportunity to earn Newcestown parity before Mikey Finn ended Midleton’s lengthy barren spell from a free.
The winners went six points up after Dave Cremin bagged their first goal in the 58th minute, and Newcestown’s fate was sealed when Richard O’Sullivan’s effort to negate Cremin’s strike from a close-in free was saved seconds later.
Goals from Peter Barrett and Alex Quirke embellished Midleton’s hard-earned victory in stoppage time.
Richard O’Sullivan, Ciarán Hurley and substitute Flor Kenneally did well in attack for Newcestown, while Eoin Calnan, James Burrows, Joe Kenneally and Eoin McSweeney defended admirably in the second half.
Our Star: Richard O’Sullivan made a big impact up front for Newcestown, while Peter Barrett was most impressive in a potent Midleton attack.
Scorers
Midleton: M Finn 0-9 (8f); P Barrett, A Quirke 1-2 each; D Cremin 1-0; E Fraser, A Moloney, D Scanlon, C Stack, C Hurley 0-1 each.
Newcestown: R O’Sullivan 1-7 (6f); C Hurley 0-2; F Kenneally 0-1.
Midleton: B Saunderson; T Dunlea, A Faye, C Cronin; A Moloney, C Smith, E McCarthy; E Fraser, E McGrath; D McCarthy, A Quirke, P Barrett; M Finn, D Cremin, D Scanlon.
Subs: C Stack for Scanlon (ht), C Morley for D McCarthy (55), C Beausang for Cremin (58), T O’Leary for McGrath (63).
Newcestown: R McSweeney; P Kelly, C O’Sullivan, J Burrows; E McSweeney, J Kenneally, E Calnan; H Canty, N Kelly; D McSweeney, R O’Sullivan, O O’Sullivan; F O’Donnchadha, C O’Donovan, C Hurley.
Subs: F Kenneally for O’Donnchadha (inj, 10), D Flanagan for Hurley (inj, 46), Hurley for D McSweeney (57), D O’Sullivan for Canty (61).
Referee: N Fahy (Brian Dillons).
