Newtown determined to stay at top table after 29 years: 'Lot of clubs have come up and gone back down'

When Newtownshandrum defeated Cloyne in the Cork intermediate hurling championship final of 1996, it was the start of something great.

Success after success story followed them at the turn of the millennium, culminating in four senior counties, three Munsters and an All-Ireland title.

The first county was claimed in 2000. The most recent in 2009 was their sixth decider in an extraordinary 10-year spell for the rural north Cork club.

Three decades later and they are still competing at the highest level.

Milford was the backdrop for Sunday’s neighbourly clash with Charleville, and having retained their top-tier status last year following a relegation battle with Erin’s Own, Newtown wanted to finish the year on a high, despite being effectively out of the championship.

They did the business, emerging 1-21 to 1-17 victors.

As a player and now a mentor, Gerdy O’Mahony has seen it all.

“I was coming out of a match recently and someone said Newtown aren’t like the team they were before. All I could have said back to that fella - and I didn’t, I didn’t even know him - next year in 2027 we are 30 years at the top table of Cork hurling.

“Every team goes out and tries to win a county, that’s the dream. And for us, and the people of Newtown, we want to be there at the top table.

“What’s the point of all our coaches helping the young lads if we don’t have the dream to stay where we are and be competitive.

This is a massive win for us, there was bragging rights. You compare it to Liverpool/Man United, Leinster/Munster, Celtic/Rangers.

“We are a small club and that is the base we are picking from. We try to give everything. Today it worked out, other days it won’t.

“Our big motto is to try and stay up and be competitive.

“There are a lot of clubs in the last 29 years that have come up and gone back down. I counted it one day and I didn’t have enough fingers in my two hands.

“It’s testament to our lads. It is not all about winning.” 

Old school

The rivalry with Charleville brings the best out in both.

“The fellas in Charleville are dead sound. We have great time for them. They love beating us and we love beating them.

“Charleville are through and they will give a fair rattle in the quarter-final and best of luck to them.

“Today was an old-school battle and we showed unbelievable heart and passion and that’s what we pride ourselves on down here.

We tell them every time to go out with the heart and the passion. Some days it doesn’t look like they are giving it. But we know it is there, which is key.

“We wouldn’t ask something of these fellas if we didn’t think they were capable of it.

“We are joined with Dromina at underage and the boys won the U21 county last year. They’ll take a couple of years to develop but this will do them the power of good.” 

Jamie Coughlan is one of their most dedicated servants, and is still going strong. He was just 17-years old when he starred in the ’09 decider at corner-forward. Incredibly, he remains their principal marksman.

“I played with him in 2009. What he has done for Newtown down through the years, he has given us everything. We are so proud of him and he is one of our main men. Tim O’Mahony is our leader. They drive it in training.”