The Corkman
by Pat Ryan
Thursday, 25th July 2002

Cork Co Senior Hurling Championship:
Newtownshandrum 6-13
Midleton 1-6

Newtownshandrum put on a brilliant display of craft, accuracy, teamwork, and speed as they demolished Midleton in the permanent tsb sponsored Co SHC at Fermoy on Sunday, 21st July 2002.

The game attracted a fine attendance and there were some interesting alterations at the start with inter-county player Ben O'Connor playing as a third midfielder with John O'Connor and James Bowles manning the full forward line.

Both sides had wides in the opening minutes but gradually Newtown got on top in the half backline and their attack were in constant possession. Ben O'Connor gave the winners the lead with a fourth minute pointed free.

Some great runs by Ben O'Connor on the left flank showed from the early minutes that Newtown were going to be the masters. In the 8th minute Ben O'Connor in one of these runs along the wing passed to younger brother John who laid on possession for John Paul King to rattle the net.

Ben O'Connor then followed up with a great point two minutes later. Justin Costigan was wide for Midleton before a great delivery from Newtown's Pat Mulcahy in the 13th minute led to a brilliant point by Jerry O'Connor from long range.

Scoring star ... Ben O'Connor who notched 2-8, is put under
pressure by Midleton's Paul Barry during Newtown's 6-13 to
1-6 win in Fermoy on Sunday 21st July 2002

Then at the end of the first quarter Ben O'Connor soloed through from 30 yards to crash a powerful shot to the net to put his side ahead 2-3 to 0-0.

Midleton made a number of switches in the backline but to no avail. Ben O'Connor had a pointed free with Michael O'Connell being wide for Midleton.

Newtown notched their third goal in the 18th minute when the outstanding Mike Morrissey at centre forward placed James Bowles for a very good goal to open up a lead of 3-4 to 0-0.

Midleton at this stage replaced Pat Fow32eszx at corner back but they couldn't find the posts and hit another wide. Then to add to their woes they were reduced to 14 men when centre back Peter Smith was sent to the line for a heavy pull on Ben O'Connor.

Ben O'Connor bushed himself off and pointed the resultant free in teh 20th minute to make it 3-5 to 0-0. A minute later Midleton had their first score when Willie O'Brien placed Liam Walsh for a goal.

Ben O'Connor replied wiht a pointed free and Newtown came close to another goal when Jerry O'Connor - from an acute angle - soloed through only to see his effort come back off the post and be cleared to safety. James Bowles was wide from the resultant attack.

In the 28th minute the East Cork side had a pointed free by Liam Walsh but the Newtown defence and midfielders continued to dominate and work the short passing to deadly effect.

Newtown then hit Midleton wiht a late double whammy. John P King goaled in the dying moments of the half and then, in injury time, James Bowles set up Ben O'Connor for a second goal that gave the North Cork side an interal lead of 5-6 of 1-1.

On the restart Midleton introduced Ger Manley at full forward for Eamonn Murphy, with Pat Hartnett replacing Justin Costigan.

It made no real difference as it was Newtown who continued to press on. Ben O'Connor had two points, one from a free and another a beauty from play, before Liam Walsh pointed a free for Midleton in the 34th minute, 5-8 to 1-2.

Newtownshandrum's Alan T. O'Brien
gets away from Midleton's Mickey O'Connell
in his side's 6-13 to 1-6 win in the SHC clash
in Fermoy on Sunday 21st July 2002.

In the 40th minute Michael Keohane had a long range point for Midleton but any hopes of a revival were quickly dashed when in the 43rd minute Michael Morrissey placed Jerry O'Connor for a great goal that opened up a 20 point lead, 6-8 to 1-3.

Good work by Jerry O'Mahony and Jerry O'Connor led to a John Paul King point at the end of the third quarter before Midleton were wide once again from Aongus Cotter. Newtown's Jerry O'Connor and Michael Morrissey added further points by the 50th minute as Tom Ryan's charges cruised into a 6-11 to 1-3 lead.

Newtown relaxed at this stage and introduced a number of substitutes in the last ten minutes.

Mickey O'Connell pointed for Midleton with Ben O'Connor replying in the 56th minute. O'Connell addedd another point for the East Cork side with Alan G O'Brien making a good clearance out of defence for Newtown to Michael Morrissey who pointed, 6-13 to 1-5. Midleton's second half substitute Ger Manley completed the scoring with a late point.

Newtown on this display will be very hard to stop in their attempt to regain the title they held in 2000.

They will now face the winner of the Cloyne/Erins Own replay in what should be a cracking quarter final.

Scorers:
Newtownshandrum: Ben O'Connor 2-8 (0-5 frees), John Paul King 2-1, Jerry O'Connor 1-2, James Bowles 1-0, Michael Morrissey 0-2.
Midleton: Liam Walsh 1-3 (0-3 frees), Mickey O'Connell 0-2, Michael Keohane 0-1.

Newtownshandrum:
Paul Morrissey, Alan G O'Brien, Brendan Mulcahy, John McCarthy, Philip Noonan, Pat Mulcahy, Jerry O'Mahony, Alan T O'Brien, Declan Murphy, Jerry O'Connor, Michael Morrissey (Captain), John Paul King, John O'Connor, James Bowles, Ben O'Connor.
Subs: Diarmuid Naughton for James Bowles, William Biggane for John O'Connor, Maurice O'Farrell for Noonan, Gerry O'Mahony for Ben O'Connor, John Noonan for Jerry O'Connor.

Midleton:
Robert Fitzgerald, Aidan Brennan, Willie Wallace, Pat Fox, Michael Keohane, Peter Smity, Darragh Coll, Mickey O'Connell, Muiris Quirke, Willie O'Brien, David Quirke, Justin Costigan, Liam Walsh, Eamonn Murphy, Paul Barry.
Subs: Oisin Cotter for Pat Fox, Ger Manley for Eamonn Murphy, Aongus Cotter for David Quirke, Pat Hartnett for Justin Costigan.

Referee: Willie Horgan (Brian Dillons)