Sport

Newtown soar after finally getting off the ground

Newtownshandrum 1-16 Thurles Sarsfields 0-13: Newtownshandrum recovered from a slow start to book their place in the Munster…

Mon Nov 21 2005 - 00:00

Newtownshandrum 1-16 Thurles Sarsfields 0-13: Newtownshandrum recovered from a slow start to book their place in the Munster final following a well deserved win over Thurles Sarsfields at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

The Tipperary champions, coached by former Newtown manager Ger Cunningham, had a flying start, sprinting 0-6 to no score in front inside 10 minutes as the Cork side struggled.

Redser O'Grady was prominent in Sarsfields' opening which would have been even better but for a number of scoreable frees missed by the normally reliable Johnny Enright.

The Cork team's plight was reflected in three players being shown the yellow card, including county player Pat Mulcahy, who received a second yellow towards the end of the game.

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They eventually settled, however. Once Ben O'Connor opened their account from a free after 15 minutes the home side dominated, forcing the visitors to wait 21 minutes for their next score.

The three O'Connors - Ben, Jerry and John - all found their range and by half-time Newtown had reeled in their opponents to be level at 0-8 apiece.

The pattern continued on the resumption as Newtown again took control. Ben O'Connor pointed twice before twin Jerry soloed through for the game's only goal after 36 minutes for a 1-10 to 0-9 lead.

Substitute John Paul King stretched the advantage to five, and while Sarsfields cut the gap to 1-11 to 0-11 with points from Enright and Padraig Burke, Newtown pulled away again.

Four unanswered points ended any doubts about the outcome - though goalkeeper Paul Morrissey had to be vigilant to deny a Pat Lawlor effort near the end and Sarsfields' frustrations spilled over with the red carding of Lawlor deep in added-time.

NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: P Morrissey; G O'Mahony, B Mulcahy, D Gleeson; D Murphy, P Mulcahy, J Noonan; AT O'Brien, Jerry O'Connor (1-1); D Mulcahy, John O'Connor (0-2), C Naughton (0-2); J O'Mahony, J Bowles (0-1), B O'Connor (0-8, four frees). Subs: JP King (0-2) for Murphy, M Farrell for O'Mahony.

THURLES SARSFIELDS: P McCormack; T King, G Mernagh, S O'Sullivan; S Lillis (0-1), B Carroll, J Lawlor; J Corbett, W Cully; E Enright (0-2), J Enright (0-4 frees), G O'Grady (0-4, one free); R Ruth, L Corbett, P Lawlor (0-1). Subs: P Burke (0-1) for Ruth, S Mason for J Corbett, B Walsh for L Corbett.

Referee: M Wadding (Waterford).