Newcestown manager Jim O'Sullivan praises show of style as well as steel in beating Mallow

Newcestown showed character, as they always do, to beat Mallow in Friday’s McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC clash in Macroom, but there was no shortage of footballing ability on show, either.

When veteran James Loughrey struck for a 54th-minute Mallow goal, it put them ahead by 1-13 to 0-14 but Newcestown did not let their heads drop. Three frees from David Buckley – two of the two-point variety – earned them a second victory in the group and, coupled with Castlehaven’s win over Valley Rovers on Saturday, earned them a knockout spot with a game to spare.

To have taken the win in such fashion was pleasing for manager Jim O’Sullivan.

“It’s a relief, to be totally honest,” he said.

“It was a great performance, a great game of football I'd say, and we’re just delighted to get out on a tight game.

“There were some great scores. You have to credit David Buckley for standing up in the last ten minutes – he really carried us and kicked some immense scores under huge pressure.”

Despite the setback of the concession of the goal – a rare defensive lapse in an otherwise diligent performance – O’Sullivan never doubted his side’s resolve.

“It was four minutes left, I think,” he said, “and we were down two points. So, it just showed character to come back.

“All of a sudden, if Mallow got another point or two, it was game over. But with the new rules, a two-point free is a big game-changer, really.

“David put us back into the game with some great scores and the momentum was with us towards the end, instead of momentum being with Mallow.

“The lads are very experienced. They didn't panic and with a couple of minutes to go, the game was in the melting-pot.

“We were just fortunate enough to get the scores, and we drove on from there.”

Coming a week after a Premier SHC draw with Midleton, the win over last year’s semi-finalists was a further example of Newcestown’s ability to punch above their weight.

However, O’Sullivan was keen to praise the ability of his side as much as their courage.

“It was always a bug-bear of mine,” he said, “if you were reading the paper, you know – ‘Newcestown dogged a victory, they showed great heart.’

“But you can show great heart and have talent as well, and the talent the lads are showing at the moment, going from hurling to football, it shows the skill level they have.

“They're not afraid to show it, either.”

In the immediate aftermath of the game, O’Sullivan was wary of the possibility of a team finishing on four points and still missing out on a quarter-final place, but such worries were eased by Saturday evening’s result in Clonakilty.

For the majority of the Newcestown side, the focus will now turn to hurling, but O’Sullivan is hopefully that they can take the morale boost with them.

“The lads will go back to playing hurling now for two weeks and they'll take on Newtownshandrum and hopefully get a positive result in that.”