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Little separated the sides in the opening
12 minutes during which they matched each other point for point to be level
three times. The 18,246 spectators sat back anticipating a classic. It never
materialised. Clearly suffocated by the tension of the occasion and by the
prize at stake, this game failed to live up to its billing.
That wasn't Newtown's fault, and apart from those early opening minutes, they
were simply a class apart. Playing magnificent skilful hurling, they carved
open the Cloyne defence time and time again and in a blistering 10 minute
spell, hit over six unanswered points, three of them by the magnificent Ben
O'Connor, to lead 0-9 to 0-3 after 25 minutes. Already the signs were ominous
for the East Cork side.
Newtown coach Bernie O'Connor had warned his side against not conceding goals
to a Cloyne attack that to date, had scored seven in this year's
championship, and the fact that their goalkeeper Paul Morrissey didn't have a
save to make is testament to how well his defensive colleagues did their job.
Newcomer Dermot Gleeson, who saw service with Ballinahinch (Tipperary), was a
Tipp minor and Under 21, was unbeatable at corner back. Pat Mulcahy was
equally as dominant in the heart of the Newtown defence and deservedly won
the "man of the match" award, while Phil Noonan on his right never
put a foot wrong all through.
Midfield was totally dominated by the Newtown pair Alan T. O'Brien and Jerry
O'Connor, with a resultant abundance of ball going into their forwards where
John Paul King, Cathal Naughton and Ben O'Connor in particular picked off
their scores with ease. Their half time lead of 0-11 to 0-4 was a true
reflection of Newtown's overall dominance throughout the field.
Cloyne needed a goal if they were to have any chance of turning this game
around, but the Newtown defence was impregnable and they had to be content
with picking off the points. Three in a row early in the second half
threatened a recovery, but Newtown, with Pat Mulcahy imperious, Jerry
O'Connor ruling the roost at midfield and his brother Ben continuing to
torment the Cloyne defence, hit back and cancelled those Cloyne scores with
three points of their own, all from the hurley of Ben O'Connor.
The East Cork side tried every thing to get Diarmuid O'Sullivan, having one
of his quieter outings, into the game by switching him from defence to
attack, but to no avail as the Newtown backs continued to hold sway and with
15 minutes to go, they still had their seven point half-time lead in tract,
at 0-14 to 0-7.
Credit Cloyne, they confined Newtown to just one more point in the last
quarter, but they could make no impression themselves in attack, and as the
game petered out, Newtown remained firmly in control of a most disappointing
decider.
Scorers: Newtownshandrum: B. O'Connor 0-6, C. Naughton, J.P.
King, AT O'Brien 0-2 each, J. O'Connor, D. Mulcahy, P. Noonan 0-1 each.
Cloyne: P. O'Sullivan 0-5 (frees); V. Cusack 0-2; I. Quinlan, C. O'Sullivan
0-1 each.
NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: P. Morrissey; G. O'Mahony, B. Mulcahy, D.
Gleeson; D. Murphy, P. Mulcahy, P. Noonan; AT O'Brien, J. O'Connor; D.
Mulcahy, B. O'Connor, C. Naughton; J. O'Mahony, J.P. King, J. O'Connor.
Sub: J. Bowles for J. O'Mahony.
CLOYNE: D. Óg Cusack; E. O'Sullivan, K. Cronin, D.
Motherway; Donal O'Sullivan, Diarmuid O'Sullivan, M. Cahill; I. Quinlan, M.
Naughton; P. Cahill, C. O'Sullivan, J. Cotter; P. O'Sullivan, C. Cusack, V.
Cusack.
Subs: L. O'Driscoll for Donal O'Sullivan; J. Nyhan for V.
Cusack.
Referee: D. Kirwan (Eire Og).
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