Newtown hurlers take top spot from Douglas with impressive win

Newtownshandrum 1-26 Douglas 2-17
SHEER DELIGHT for Newtownshandrum in Mourneabbey where a six-point victory over a fancied Douglas was enough to book their place in the Cork Premier SHC quarter-finals and a clash with Glen Rovers.

Douglas also booked their passage and a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with St Finbarr’s thanks to earlier victories over Midleton and Kanturk.

No question this was a super Newtownshandrum show. They thundered quickly into the contest with the strong wind at their backs and they were two points up inside a minute courtesy of Coughlan and Jack Twomey and never looked back.

With Cathal Naughton and Jerry Lane operating at midfield, Jamie Coughlan full of fight down the right flank and Tim O’Mahony imperious at centre-back, Newtown held all the aces and kudos too to wing-back Conor Twomey, who held Shane Kingston scoreless from open play.

It was an opening Newtown start that left Douglas for dead. Further points from O’Mahony, Naughton, Cormac O’Brien and Jerry Lane had them 0-7 to 0-2 clear after 12 minutes, an Alan Cadogan point and a Kingston free the lone replies from a lethargic Douglas side.

It was 0-8 to 0-4 after the opening quarter, Conor Kingston and Cadogan finding the target for Douglas but it was Newtown, full of fire, who were playing all the hurling. Then a lift for Douglas when Kingston fired a free all the way to the net past a bemused Newtown rearguard in the 17th minute and with only a point separating the sides now a Douglas resurgence was on the cards.

But not a bit of it. The goal sparked Newtown to even greater heights as points from Ronan Geary and Coughlan let Douglas know they were in a battle and then a cracking Newtown goal in the 26th minute. 

Mark Harrington was dispossessed 40 yards from goal, David O’Connor fed Cormac O’Brien in space and he shot low past Douglas keeper Donal Maher to earn his side a handsome 1-14 to 1-6 interval lead.

Newtown never relented in the second half, were full of energy and played as if their lives depended on it. Another Shane Kingston free and a monster free from keeper Maher kept Douglas ticking over but a cracking team point from Thompson in the 35th minute epitomised just how much Newtown were up for this must-win contest.

It was all about Jamie Coughlan now for Newtown, the former Cork hurler firing over frees from all angles. He ended up with 12 points in all, eight in the second half and his overall contribution was immense.

By the 45th minute, it was 1-21 to 1-11 for Newtown who were showing no signs of letting up as they drove hard for every ball.

Alan Cadogan did end up with five points but his radar was off at times. Sub Mark O’Connor and Cillian O’Donovan got nice Douglas scores but Newtown were always in control. 

Kingston did convert a late penalty for Douglas but it mattered little; Newtown were the masters of this contest.

Scorers for Newtownshandrum: J Coughlan 0-12 (0-8 f), C O’Brien 1-1, C Naughton 0-3, T O’Mahony (0-1 f), M Thompson 0-2 each, J Twomey, J Lane, R Geary, S Griffin, C Griffin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Douglas: S Kingston 2-5 (1-5 f, 1-0 pen), A Cadogan 0-5, M O'Connor 0-2, C Kingston, A O’Connell, D Maher (f), M Harrington, C O’Donovan 0-1 each.

NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: J Bowles; K O’Sullivan, P O’Sullivan, M Ryan; J Herlihy, T O’Mahony, C Twomey; C O'Brien, J Twomey; M Thompson, J Lane, D O’Connor; R Geary, J Coughlan, C Naughton.

Subs: R Geary for Twomey (41), S Griffin for Thompson (52), M Bowles for O’Connor (60).

DOUGLAS: D Maher; D Murphy, D Donnegan, M Howell; E Cadogan, M Harrington, C O’Donovan; C Kingston, S Moylan; E Dolan, N Hartnett, D Harte; A O’Connell, S Kingston, A Cadogan.

Subs: M O’ Connor for O’Connell (h-t), D Burke for Harte (41), B O’Neill for C Kingston (41), J Harte for (Dolan 49).

Referee: Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).