Kanturk almost let victory slip away against Newcestown

Kanturk 3-13 Newcestown 1-17

FULL value for a six-point lead approaching the last ten minutes, Kanturk were ultimately put to the pin of their collar to prevail in the county senior ‘A’ hurling championship encounter with Newcestown played in sweltering conditions at Coachford last Saturday.

They had their advantage reduced to the minimum before a brace of converted frees by Anthony Nash and Lorcan McLoughlin eased their anxiety, but it wasn’t until Newcestown’s Tadgh Twomey blasted a close-in free over the bar in the dying seconds that the Duhallow men could afford to breathe easily.

While it was a bit too close for comfort for Kanturk in the end, there could be no quibbling about the merit of their victory, as they looked the more convincing side for long periods.

They certainly deserved better than to be just four points in front, 3-4 to 1-6, at the interval.

Denied an early goal when full-forward Aidan Walsh failed to beat Newcestown ‘keeper Cathal Wilson from point-blank range, they also clocked up 8 wides, five more than the losers, before the break.

With Lorcan McLoughin, ably supported by Brian O’Sullivan, dictating matters at midfield, and John Browne keeping a tight rein on Newcestown’s Cork senior Luke Meade in a half back line that had Paul Walsh and Darren Browne shining on the flanks, Kanturk enjoyed a definite edge territorially in the first-half.

Under limited pressure, Kanturk’s full-back line comprising John McLoughlin, Liam Cashman and Alan Sheehy performed most assuredly as well in front of Anthony Nash, who went untested between the sticks until Newcestown full-forward Cathrach Keane connected on a long-range free to rattle the net deep in stoppage time.

It was a badly-needed boost for the Carbery men, who, even if Michael McSweeney came to terms with the early threat posed by Aidan Walsh, weren’t without their problems at the back in the first-half.

Ryan Walsh and teenager Alan Walsh carried the main threat up front for Kanturk, with the former bagging two goals in quick succession towards the end of the opening quarter.

His first was a fine individual effort, while the second resulted from good work by Liam O’Keeffe, leaving Kanturk leading by 2-1 to 0-3 with 13 minutes gone.

They were 3-2 to 0-4 to the good after Alan Walsh placed O’Keeffe for their third goal in the 20th minute, and they looked set to go in at halftime on a high until they were stung by Cathrach Keane’s late strike for Newcestown.

Making light of that set-back, Kanturk hit the ground running on the resumption, with Darren Browne and Ryan Walsh sharing a couple of excellent points inside 33 minutes, and they appeared to be well equipped to cope with Newcestown’s spirited efforts to snatch the initiative for much of the second-half.

Nearing the three-quarter mark, Kanturk, with Christopher Mullane impressing as a replacement for the injured John McLoughlin at corner back, were really shaping up like winners after Alan Walsh pulled a Paul Walsh delivery from the clouds to earn a free which allowed Lorcan McLoughlin to make it 3-9 to 1-8 at that juncture.

Following another foul on the high-fetching Alan Walsh, McLoughlin was on target again in the 49th minute when, leading by 3-11 to 1-11, Kanturk remained firmly in the driving seat.

Benefiting from the impact made by substitute Daniel Twomey at midfield, however, Newcestown finally managed to build up a bit of momentum, which yielded five unanswered points over the next seven minutes.

The seasoned Twomey had been introduced in attack before half-time, but it was following his redeployment that he brought his experience to bear on the proceedings in earnest.

Half-backs Colm O’Donovan, who stood out on the right wing, Conor O’Neill and Gearoid O’Donovan were others to spearhead Newcestown’s gallant bid to haul themselves back from the brink, as were Cian Walsh and, to a lesser extent, Fionn Keane in attack.

In light of their never-say-die attitude and the fact that they finished just two points in arrears after being forced to play second-fiddle for so long, Newcestown, victors over Killeagh in their first outing, will take encouragement from this performance ahead of their final test in the round-robin series against Cloyne.

It’s quite conceivable, of course, that both of these protagonists will advance to the knock-out stages of the competition, with Kanturk needing just a draw in their next assignment against Killeagh to guarantee their progress. KANTURK: A Nash 0-1 (f); J McLoughlin, L Cashman, A Sheehy; P Walsh, J Browne, D Browne 0-1; L McLoughlin 0-8 (f), B O’Sullivan 0-1; L O’Neill, R Walsh 2-1, J Fitzpatrick; Alan Walsh 0-1, Aidan Walsh, L O’Keeffe 1-0. Subs: C Mullane for J McLoughlin, 36 (injured), D O’Donoghue for O’Keeffe, 51, M Healy for D Browne, 57 (injured).

NEWCESTOWN: C Wilson; N Murray, M McSweeney, M Courtney; C Dineen 0-1, C O’Neill, G O’Donovan; T Twomey 0-2 (1f), J Meade; D Buckley, L Meade, F Keane 0-2; O Walsh, C Keane 1-0, C Healy 0-12 (10f). Subs: D Twomey for Walsh, 22, E Kenneally for Buckley, 47, S O’Sullivan for J Meade, 56.

REFEREE B Sweeney (Erins Own)