Evening Echo
by John Horgan
Monday, 2nd September 2002

Newtownshandrum 2-18
Avondhu 2-6

We hadn't legislated for an outcome like this but there must be no denying the right of Newtownshandrum to be within 60 minutes of permanent tsb Cork Co. Championship glory again.

Once more, great expectations failed dismally to materialise and long before the last whistle, this semi-final was done and dusted.

At half time we lived in hope that maybe, just maybe, we'd get a decent game of hurling but alas, it was not to be as the champions of 2000 strolled through the glorious sunshine to a final collision with defending champions Blackrock.

It was a thoroughly professional job by Tom Ryan's men against a woeful Avondhu unit who collapsed completely in the closing sequences.

I suppose the portents might have been there if we had studied them properly.

Avondhu had arrived at this juncture without a serious exmaination of their credentials.

We placed too much emphasis on facile wins over Castlelyons, Douglas and Ballyhea and they were nowhere near as effective as we were led to believe.

Ryan is doing a good job with this Newtown side. They are not the finished article by a long shot but there's evidence of improvement with every outing.

The half-back triumvirate of Alan T. O'Brien, the imperious Pat Mulcahy and Phil Noonan were majestic all through while the O'Connor twins Ben and Gerry were always ready to inflict punishment given half a chance.

John Paul King and Mike Morrissey had a few good moments too in what was, for the most part, and all too easy victory.

Looking for Avondhu contributions over the lop-sided hour was like looking for a pint of Beamish in the Kiln.

John Quinlan took his brace of goals well and Mervyn Gammell fired over a few decent points.

But, overall, far too few of this Avondhu side measured up and coming back from a defeat like this will not be an easy task.

Divisional dominance appears to be on the wane throughout the county.

It was 0-11 to 2-3 at the break, Quinlan with the goals in the ninth and 32nd minutes and Ben O'Connor, King, Morrissey and Gerry O'Connor all putting their signatures to Newtown's tally.

And when Gerry O'Connor burst through immediately on the resumption for a Newtown goal, the die was cast for the divisonal team.

Pat Mulcahy executed a sublime point shortly afterwards, followed by a few more from O'Brien, King, the O'Connors and impressive sub Maurice Farrell.

King goaled in the 50th minute to add to Avondhu's embarrassment and the loudest cheer of the day was reserved for Armagh's famous victory in Croke Park.

Newtown back in the final again - they won't succumb easily now. A statement of intent has been penned.

Newtown boss says bring on Blackrock

Tom Ryan's expertise has reaped a rich divident on his travels throughout Munster. In Tipperary with Toomevara and in his native Limerick, success has been the story.

He is now within one hour of adding another feather to his cap in Cork and his delight was obvious yesterday in the bedlam that ensued in the Newtown dressing room.

"I think our lads gave a tremendous performance of power hurling. Avondhu got two goals at vital stages and we had to come back from them," he said. "They were body blows and they were mistakes in our defence that we haven't been making all the year.

"The lads responded positively and Gerry O'Connor came back after injur to get a few great scores. "Pat Mulcahy as well was outstanding and we are really looking forward now to the final against Blackrock.

"We have a good strong panel now tha we mightn't have had at the start of the year so we are poised now to issue a big challenge to Blackrock. Gerry's goal was a classic and I thought our half-backs of Alan O'Brien, Pat Mulcahy and Phil Noonan were outstanding. We won some good ball in the middle of the field and moved it in fast. These fellows have worked very hard and deserve to be in the final."

Everything in Newtown is geared towards hurling and the final could be a classic.

A few yards away Pat Mulcahy, now maturing into one of the best hurlers in the county, was equally thrilled at the outcome. "It was a good win. In the first half we were under the cosh a bit and we gave away a few soft goals but our goal after half time was a very big score.

"We didn't believe we'd win like this beforehand but I suppose a club against a division gives you a bit of an advantage when you go five or six points ahead. We have been doing well all year without playing above ourselves.