This was no hurling classic, far from it, but few could argue with the final verdict. Newtown were the better side but their hearts must have been pounding as Erins Own threatened to pull the rug from under them in the closing minutes when they should have had it all wrapped up.

And once more we had a contest shrouded in controversy, with referee Diarmuid Kirwan a central figure, in a dramatic incident in the 59th minute when he awarded Erins Own a penalty after right corner forward Sean Dunne was upended as he bore down on goal.

There was no question about the decision to award a free but, without fear of contradiction, from this observer's viewpoint, I would certainly query if it was a penalty. When Kirwan's whistle sounded I though Dunne was marginally outside the penalty zone.

A few weeks ago young goalkeeper Kieran Murphy saved Erin's Own's bacon in the drawn semi-final encounter with Imokilly when he scored from a free. Now, after he had made two stunning saves during the course of the game, he was asked to do it all over again. Up he came, lifted the ball high into the Marina sky, but this time his connectiion was nowhere near the required effort. Newtown's Phil Noonan saved but in the ensuing schmozzle Tomas O'Leary batted the ball into the net.

Again, from my vantage point a perfectly legitimte goal and one that should hav stood, but Kirwan, for reasons only known to him, pointed for a free out. Ben O'Connor had the last say with another point from a free and Sean Og Murphy had found a new home for the next 12 months.

Erins Own, to their dying day, will claim that the goal should have been allowed but, in truth, on this day they were second best. Newtown were the superior team in the opening sequences but their territorial advantage was not reflected on the scoreboard as they trooped off at the interval and it was Erin's Own who wore he broader grin at that stage. Newtown's 0-8 to 0-7 lead should have been greater after some outstanding individual contributions from Pat Mulcahy, brother Donal, operting in the half-forward line, and to a lesser extent the midfield partnership of Ian Kellher and Decie Murphy and the O'Connor twins.

Mike Morrissey, however, was not his usual threatening self as Brian Corcoran lorded it for Erin's Own in the heart of their defence. Points were exchanged on the resumption and John Corcoran tied it all up at nine points a piece in the 39th minute from a free. And when the same player lined up a 65 five minutes later it was 'money on' the Caherlag lads to lead for the first time. But the ball trailed wide and Erins Own could not get their noses in front at any stage of the game.

Gerry O'Connor, now operating on the 40 posed problems and Newtown's inner resolve was winning them the day. Murphy made two super saves from Ben O'Connor and Dan Riordan. It all then came down to that main topic of conversation, the penalty award and the subsequent disallowing of the goal.