Newtownshandrum 0-14 O'Loughlin Gaels 1-8The AIB-sponsored All-Ireland Club Hurling final at Croke Park on St Patrick's Day will be a Cork-Antrim affair following Newtownshandrum's deserved win over O'Loughlin Gaels in their semi-final replay at Semple Stadium on Saturday. Newtown fully deserved their success to set up an intriguing decider against Dunloy.
Newtown owed their success to a six-minute purple patch in the final quarter, when they scored three unanswered points against the wind before defending heroically in the closing stages as the Kilkenny champions sought an equalising goal.
Fittingly, man-of-the-match Ben O'Connor led the way with a free after 49 minutes to regain the lead, 0-12 to 1-8. Then, John Paul King found the range from an acute angle near the right touchline and Jerry O'Connor saved the best until last seven minutes from the finish.
Collecting a loose ball on the half-way line, O'Connor judged the tricky wind to perfection, guiding the ball towards the left upright to allow it drift back and dissect the posts for a sublime score.
For the third time in the game Newtown swept three points in front and, unlike the previous occasions, they weren't going to be caught again. Despite severe pressure, O'Loughlins couldn't find a way through a resolute defence.
Newtown, who never trailed, started promisingly by scoring three points inside the opening four minutes. Yet, O'Loughlins drew level inside 60 seconds with a goal which reflected the unease in the Newtown full-back line. They struggled to come to terms with the movement of their opponents' forwards and paid for not clearing swiftly when Colin Furlong placed Maurice Nolan for a soft goal.
Showing the kind of spirit and determination which was to stand to them later in the contest, Newtown shrugged off this setback. Ben O'Connor fired over three points without reply for a 0-6 to 1-0 lead after 11 minutes.
Unsurprisingly the pace dropped after this whirlwind start and O'Loughlins crept more into the game. A fine Furlong point from out wide started a revival which restored equality for the second time, 0-6 to 1-3, entering the closing 10 minutes.
The teams exchanged points before King ensured Newtown went in at the interval leading by a point, 0-8 to 1-4. Given the strength of the wind it hardly seemed sufficient.
Scores were slow to come by afterhe resumption as defences got on top with neither inside line of attackers posing any real threat. An impressive Nolan point after 40 minutes brought the sides level at 0-9 to 1-6.
Twins, Ben and Jerry, combined beautifully for the latter to complete the move with a stylish point. Back came O'Loughlins with Brian Dowling levelling before the sides swapped scores again to set up a rousing finish.
NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: P Morrissey; J McCarthy (capt), D Mulcahy, G O'Mahony; I Kelleher, P Mulcahy, P Noonan; A O'Brien, Jerry O'Connor (0-2); D Mulcahy, B O'Connor (0-8, five frees), JP King (0-3); J Bowles, D O'Riordan (0-1), M Farrell. Subs: D Naughton for O'Riordan, John O'Connor for Farrell.
O'LOUGHLIN GAELS: K Cleere; B Kelly, B Hogan, B Murphy; A O'Brien, A Comerford (capt), S Dowling; N Bergin (0-1), A Geoghegan; M Comerford, C Furlong (0-1), N Skehan (0-2, frees); J Comerford (0-1), M Nolan (1-1), B Dowling (0-2). Subs: S Cummins for J Comerford, J Lawlor for Bergin.
Referee: P Horan (Offaly).
