The Irish Examiner
4th December 2000

Newtownshandrum 4-8     Inniscarra 1-4

CHAMPIONS Newtownshandrum and Inniscarra went all the way to Knocknagree on Saturday to settle this Cork county U 21 championship quarter final clash and must have been pleasantly surprised to see a pitch in almost perfect playing order and conditions which at least made it conducive for good hurling.

In the end Newtown, in quest of a fabulous three in a row, were the victors. And deservedly so. Parading six of their senior championship winning side there was a solid and threatening look about the North Corkmen all through and when they did need to raise their game, when a handy Inniscarra side put it up to them, they were more than able to do so which must certainly have pleased coach Bernie O’Connor.

Big performances from Brendan Mulcahy at full back, Phil Noonan, who was a real driving force at centre back, John Paul King at midfield, and the two classy O’Connors, Ger and Ben up front proved too much for a game Mid Cork side to handle, with Ger O’Connor really buzzing, scoring a personal total of 3 3. Newtown were really quickly into their stride. A Finbarr Reidy point after only 30 seconds, followed by a free from Ben O’Connor had them bouncing. And when goalkeeper Paul Morrissey blasted home a penalty in the fourth minute after Ben O’Connor was upended, Inniscarra were already in dire trouble.

Ronan Wall did open Inniscarra’s account in the eighth minute with a point but Newtown’s crafty teamwork had them well in control of this contest and it took a great block by Ger Burke to deny Ben O’Connor a goal. However, points from a Phil Noonan ‘65 and Ger O’Connor from play had the champions back in the driving seat.

Then a lifeline for Inniscarra when Pat O’Riordan’s ‘65 went all the way to the net in the 12th minute, with both umpires undecided, and after the opening quarter there was still just three points between the sides, 1 4 to 1 1, and still all to play for.

With John Carey now operating at centre back for Inniscarra, in a bid to shackle Ger O’Connor, the Mid Corkmen made a bold bid to upset the champions. But a point from Ben O’Connor, then an opening goal for brother Ger in the 23rd minute, after good work by Peter Cotter, followed by a point from William Biggane saw Newtown in a commanding 2 6 to 1 2 interval lead. Both sides battled hard to control the contest after break and the hurling wasn’t bad either. But Newtown’s superior teamwork always had them in control against a real game Inniscarra outfit.

Two cracking goals from Gerry O’Connor in the 38th and 40th minutes, after great deliveries from Noonan, knocked the stuffing out of Inniscarra as Newtown led 4 6 to 1 3 entering the final quarter.

Matters got a little out of hand then as Inniscarra battled away in a bid to break the tough Newtown rearguard. Both Newtown’s Peter Cotter and Inniscarra’s Brian McCarthy were red carded after a flare up and it took a mighty save from Morrissey to block John Hogan’s blistering shot. But there was to be no way through for Inniscarra and Newtown now play Ballinhassig in the semi final as their quest for that three in a row gathers momentum.

SCORES:
Newtownshandrum: G. O’Connor 3 3 (0 1 free), P. Morrissey 1 0 (pen), B. O’Connor 0 2 (0 1 free), F. Reidy, P. Noonan (‘65), W. Biggane 0 1 each.
Inniscara: P. O’Riordan 1 0 (‘65), J. Hogan 0 3 (0 1 free), R. wall 0 1.

NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: P. Morrissey; A. J. O’Brien, B. Mulcahy, D. Coughlan; G. O’Mahony, P. Noonan, D. Coughlan; J. P. King, A. T. O’Brien; J. O’Connor, G. O’Connor, P. Cotter; F. Reidy, B. O’Connor, W. Biggane. Subs: R. Brown for J. O’Connor, K. McNamara for Reidy, J. Bowles for B. O’Connor, S. Naughton for Biggane, D. Naughton for J.P. King.

INNISCARRA: S. Cronin; B. McCarthy, G. Burke, L. Buckley; J. Carey, J. Cummins, M. McCarthy; J. Olden, N. Hegarty; P. O’Riordan, J. Hogan, J. Herlihy; D. Buckley, D. O’Riordan, R. Wall. Sub: M. O’Sullivan for Herlihy. Referee: R. Murphy (Lyre).