The Irish Examiner
21st July 2001

Cork Senior Hurling Championship
Newtownshandrum 2-19   Glen Rovers 0-7
20th July 2001 @ Fermoy

An occasion of excruciating anguish for once mighty Glen Rovers as Newtownshandrum tore them apart, piece by piece, in the third round of the TSB Cork County SHC in Fermoy last night. Fabulously displaying the true credentials of champions, Newtownshandrum inflicted one of the worst defeats ever suffered by the Glen in this competition, which they dominated up to their last triumph in 1989.

There was nothing between the sides in the opening quarter. The class of the O'Connor twins was evident early on for Newtown but the Glen, with centre back Kieran O'Callaghan performing magnificently and defended stubbornly.

A point from a free from wing forward Conor O'Riordan, his second of the match, nudged the Glen in front.

On a splendid night for hurling, with the pitch in immaculate condition, the standard of play failed to reach spectacular heights with both sides hitting six wides each before Ben O'Connor brought the sides level for the fourth time in the 25th minute.

Then his brother Gerry pointed Newtown into the lead for the first time. And with centre back Pat Mulcahy turning in a five star performance the Glen were resolutely held at bay.

The county champions went in leading by 0-6 to 0-4. They were denied a goal when Glen net minder Ian Lynam saved brilliantly from Alan O'Brien. But everything in the garden looked rosy for Newtown as they turned over to play with the aid of a fairly strong wind.

In truly devastating style after the change of ends, Newtown ruthlessly put the Glen to the sword. The O'Connor brothers were absolutely superb as the champions moved beyond reach of their opponents with five scintillating points in six minutes of hurling wizardry.

But worse, much worse, was to follow for a shell-shocked and totally outcast Glen Rovers side when first Ben and Jerry scored a goal apiece in the space of a minute.

This was unquestionably one of the saddest nights in the history of one of Ireland's most premier clubs. Over the past two decades, they have receded into the shadows after illuminating the Leeside horizon with brilliance personified, since the fabled eight-in-a-row days back in the 30s.

But this performance was the most dismal ever served up by a Glen team in the Senior Championship and it must have deeply pierced the hearts of all Blackpudians to see their famed colours lowered in a humiliating defeat.

Newtown, leading by 2-16 to 0-5 at the three-quareter stage, were well out the gap and won pulling up.

Scorers:

Newtownshandrum: Ben O'Connor 1-8 (0-5f), Jerry O'Connor 1-4, John O'Connor, John Paul King 0-2 each, Pat Mulcahy, Ian Kelleher, Donal Mulcahy 0-1 each.

Glen Rovers: G Foley 0-2, C O'Riordan 0-2 (0-2f), S McGrath, R Brosnan, B Wall 0-1 each.

Newtownshandrum: Paul Morrissey, John Griffin, Brendan Mulcahy, John McCarthy, Philip Noonan, Pat Mulcahy, Gerard O'Mahony, Declan Murphy, Ian Kelleher, Alan O'Brien, Donal Mulcahy, John Paul King, John O'Connor, Gerry O'Connor, Ben O'Connor.

Subs: William Biggane for King, James Bowles for Ben O'Connor, David Coughlan for Noonan

Glen Rovers: I Lynam, S Kennefick, R Considine, G Hackett, G Foley, K O'Callaghan, E Neville, L Tracey, G Callanan, C O'Riordan, R Brosnan, S McGrath, P Burke, B Coughlan, B Wall.

Subs: E McCarthy for Corcoran, L Galvan for B Wall, B McSweeney for Considine.

Referee: C McAllister (Midleton).

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