FL Division 1: Newcestown battle back to earn draw with St Finbarr's

Newcestown 1-9

St Finbarr’s 1-9

St Finbarr’s remain unbeaten at the top of Division 1 of the McCarthy Insurance Group FL but they were denied a third victory in four games as Newcestown fought back to draw on Saturday afternoon.

A huge Richard O’Sullivan effort at the death – his sixth points – was the culmination of a five-point sequence from the hosts in the final quarter, meaning that they have yet to experience a defeat from their three outings to date.

Both sides will feel that they could have won but on a wretched day, each will take some heart from how they battled to avoid a loss. With the westerly gale threatening anything that was not nailed down, the Barrs established an eight-point lead at one stage in the first half but Humphrey Canty’s goal for Newcestown made the deficit a manageable five points, 1-7 to 1-2, at half-time.

On the restart, a good move by the home side led to the ball being worked to centre-back Micheál McSweeney and when he was fouled, a penalty accrued. Unfortunately for them, St Finbarr’s goalkeeper Darragh Newman saved well from Jack Meade’s effort, though O’Sullivan did land the resultant 45 and they were back within three soon after when Canty pointed after solid pressure had yielded a turnover.

The Barrs looked to have settled, however, as their primary scoring outlet Cillian Myers Murray converted a free that had been brought forward and then a breakaway almost brought a second goal – Newcestown goalkeeper Eoin McSweeney made an important intervention on a Trevor Howe pass across the square, though Cathal Crowley did divert the ball over the bar.

It made it 1-9 to 1-4 with 41 minutes gone, but that proved to be the Barrs’ last score. Newcestown might have eaten into the deficit more readily in the wake of another Richard O’Sullivan long-ranger – two-pointers were not in operation due to visibility issues – but Newman saved well to deny Canty on 48 and, moments later, Canty’s intended pass for Séamus O’Sullivan was just behind his colleague.

The lead was down to two after a point from each of the O’Sullivan brothers and the minimum separated the sides when Richard O’Sullivan punished a sideline dissent call from a close-range free.

With time running out, matters became scrappy; Myers Murray put a difficult free wide before Newcestown were reduced to 14 when hard-working midfielder Eoghan Collins received a second yellow card for a mistimed challenge.

As the clock ticked into the red, manpower parity was restored as the Barrs’ John Wigginton Barrett was black-carded and Newcestown were able to work the opening they needed, Richard O’Sullivan exchanging passes with Colm O’Donovan before letting fly with a boomer, ensuring a share of the points.

It was an outcome that looked remote as the Barrs scored the game’s first six points while Newcestown failed to take advantage of the rare opportunities that came their way.

After Richard O’Sullivan opened Newcestown’s account on 15 minutes, Myers Murray replied with his fourth of the game. Then, following a Collins point after a Newcestown move that might have led to a goal chance, the Barrs found the net.

Enda Dennehy, impressive at wing-back was the architect with a nice pass for Myers Murray, who still had plenty to do but crashed a superb shot beyond McSweeney.

A 1-7 to 0-2 lead could have proven too much to overhaul but just before the break Newcestown had renewed hope as Canty exchanged passes with Meade and then produced a looping finish to leave five in it. By the end, it was a gap they had bridged.

Scorers for Newcestown: R O’Sullivan 0-6 (0-2 f, 0-1 45), H Canty 1-1, E Collins, S O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

St Finbarr’s: C Myers Murray 1-5 (0-3 f), E Dennehy 0-2, C Crowley, C O’Sullivan -1 each.

NEWCESTOWN: E McSweeney; J Kelleher, C O’Donovan, G Kelleher; R O’Sullivan, M McSweeney, C Dinneen; J Kenneally, E Collins; P Collins, S O’Sullivan, D McAree; J Meade, F Kenneally, H Canty.

Subs: C Keane for F Kenneally (38), O O’Sullivan for McAree (56).

ST FINBARR’S: D Newman; S Ryan, D Quinn, T Howe; B Hennessy, A O’Connor, E Dennehy; C Doolan, C Crowley; A Lyne, I O’Callaghan, J Wigginton Barrett; J Brady, C Myers Murray, C O’Sullivan.

Subs: J Kennefick for Brady (half-time), S Kirby for O’Sullivan (46).Referee: J Ryan (Macroom).