SAHC: Newcestown push on after half-time against Killeagh to reach semi-finals

Newcestown 1-19

Killeagh 2-10

A dominant second half sent Newcestown past Killeagh in Saturday’s Co-op SuperStores Cork SAHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

After the sides had gone in level at half-time, Newcestown tidied up on the shot-taking front and had moved into a three-point lead – their biggest of the game – before a fortunate goal put them firmly in control.

Edmund Kenneally, near-metronomic from dead balls all evening, sent a delivery goalwards, where Jack Meade was lurking. While goalkeeper Philip O’Neill managed to claim possession in the first instance, he couldn’t stop the ball squirting from his grasp and over the line.

That made it 1-11 to 1-5 for Newcestown and by the time Killeagh scored again, Newcestown had added three more – a pair of Kenneally frees and a point he set up for strong-running midfielder Niall Kelly.

By the end, six points separated the teams – Seán Long’s late goal gave Killeagh brief hope that was soon doused – and Charlie Wilson’s side will now look ahead to a semi-final tie with Carrigtwohill.

While Richard O’Sullivan got Newcestown off to a good start with a point 30 seconds after throw-in, most of the first half revolved around wayward efforts from them – ten in all before the interval.

Killeagh had less of the play in that opening period but still had the lead for much of it. They hit the front in the sixth minute as Seán Walsh’s sideline cut was touched to the net by Gary Leahy and Leahy followed that with a superb score from the right-hand sideline.

However, while Dylan O’McCarthy did add a lovely point following Shane Smiddy’s catch to put them into a 1-2 to 0-2 lead on 11 minutes, they were unable to build on their advantage to any substantial degree.

With Luke Meade coming to the fore at centre-back for Newcestown and the evergreen Tadgh Twomey never short of activity at midfield, the West Cork side created a lot. That did yield a good point from Twomey’s partner Niall Kelly and Edmund Kenneally got on the scoresheet with a free from halfway, but the wides continued to mount.

They had seven by the 21st minute, by which time they were 1-4 to 0-5 behind after a pair of McCarthy frees for Killeagh but Kenneally landed two points from dead balls to send the sides in level at half-time.

Kenneally started the second half as he ended the first as Newcestown regained the lead and, though Darragh O’Brien set up Seán Walsh to level, Killeagh would endure 16 scoreless minutes after that.

Newcestown moved 0-9 to 1-5 in front as Luke Meade sent a free to Colm Dinneen on the right flank and he fired over his second after good interplay with Richard O’Sullivan. A Meade free was also the source of the score to move them two in front, as he found Kenneally in splendid isolation and the attacker sent over his fifth point of the evening.

His sixth, a 65, made it 0-11 to 1-5 before the goal buttressed the advantage, which reached nine points at its apex in the 49th minute.

A pair of Dylan McCarthy frees did end Killeagh’s drought but Newcestown stayed in front as Jack Meade (two) and David Buckley – by this stage joined on the pitch by his Killeagh namesake – ensured a healthy advantage.

Killeagh did have late hope as a long-range Eoghan Keniry point was followed by a well-taken goal from corner-back Seán Long but even then it only brought them back to within four points and Jack Meade and David Buckley had the final say with points at the death for Newcestown.

Scorers for Newcestown: E Kenneally 1-8 (0-6f, 0-1 65), J Meade 0-3, C Dinneen, R O’Sullivan, N Kelly, D Buckley 0-2 each.

Killeagh: D McCarthy 0-7 (0-5f), G Leahy 1-1, S Long 1-0, S Walsh, E Keniry 0-1 each.

NEWCESTOWN: C Wilson; M McSweeney, G O’Donovan, J Kelleher; C O’Neill, L Meade, E Collins; T Twomey, N Kelly; S O’Donovan, R O’Sullivan, D Buckley; C Dinneen, E Kenneally, J Meade.

Subs: T Horgan for S O’Donovan (52, injured), C O’Donovan for O’Sullivan (55).

KILLEAGH: P O’Neill; S Long, P O’Brien, D Hogan; R McCarthy, K Murphy, D O’Brien; C Leahy, S Walsh; D Walsh, E Keniry, S Smiddy; C Leahy, G Leahy, D McCarthy.

Subs: C Fitzgibbon for S Walsh (36), A Leahy for D Walsh (56), D Buckley for Smiddy (55).

Referee: W King (Banteer).