Newtown, the first team to win the Cork County U-21 title back in 1973 (played in 1974), will attempt to recapture the trophy from a star studded Na Pairsaigh outfit in Fermoy at 2.00pm, Sunday 5^th December 1998. Last Sunday in front of an estimated attendance of 3,000 people at a well prepared Fermoy venue, these sides could not be separated in what turned out to be a cracking contest, with both teams fighting to the bitter end to bring the trophy back to their respective clubs.

In the end Newtown will be most pleased with the draw in a game that threatened to go terribly wrong for them. Persisting with their short passing game (from open play and also from placed balls),which had worked very well earlier in the campaign, Newtown came up against a team who had their homework well done for this game.

The result was that Na Pairsaigh dominated in almost every sector of the opening half, with the exception of Jerry O'Connor, Brendan Mulcahy and to a lesser extent Peter Cotter.

Action between Newtownshandrum's Gerry O'Connor and Na Piarsaigh's Sean Og O hAilpin during the Cork County U21 Hurling Championship Final in Fermoy, Co.Cork

It is true to say that Newtown were denied two goals, one from a bad referring decision in the first minute, and the other from a brilliant save from the Na Pairsaigh goalkeeper, but this aside Newtown were finding it very difficult to penetrate a Na Pairsaigh defence which was playing its best hurling of the year, Couple this with some fine score form their ace freetaker Kieran O'Sullivan, Na pairsaigh went into the half time interval much the happier side leading 0-10 to Newtown 0-05.

Whatever was said to the Newtown players at half time seemed to work a treat. Abandoning their short passing game, newtown roared into the game scoring 1-03 inside the first 10 Minutes. Newtowns goal was excellently taken by 17 year old John Paul King after great work out of defence from Jerry O'Connor and Philip Noonan. Na Pairsaigh sensed danger and immediately move Sean Og halpin back to centre back, where Newtowns' Michael Morrissey was beginning to dominate. This stemmed the tide as far as Na Pairsaigh were concerned, and with three unanswered points Na Pairsaigh were now firmly in the driving seat with eight minutes to go.

In between Ben O'Connor was very unlucky for a goal, when he was hooked just as we were expecting the see the net rattling. On the other side Na Pairsaigh had an effort for goal just over the crossbar, which brought a huge sigh of relief from the newtown contingent. The game was now reaching fever pitch as newtown press relentlessly for scores. They were eventually rewarded with Jerry O'Connor and Michael Morrissey pointed leaving the bare minimum between the sided approaching full time. In a last gasp attempt, following a foul on Michael Morrissey, Ben O'Connor pointed. The final whistle followed shortly after, to give the huge crowd great value for money and give the respective teams a chance to fight another day.

Newtownshandrum's Donal Mulcahy hand passes out of defence against Na Piarsaigh

Newtownshandrum:
Paul Morrissey, Alan O'Brien, Brendan Mulcahy, Paddy Egan(Capt), Declan Murphy, Philip Noonan. BrianBowles, Peter Cotter(0-1), Jerry O'Connor(0-3), Donal Mulcahy(0-1), Mike Morrissey(0-1), Alan O'Brien, John Paul King(1-2), Ben O'Connor(0-3), Ronan Browne.

Superb Newtownshandrum crush city Rivals

By John O'Mullane

Newtownshandrum retained the title they last won 25 years ago, when on heavy underfoot conditions in Fermoy, they tore the form book to shreds to crush a Star studded Na Pairsaigh outfit in a game that might have lacked the nailbitting excitement the drawn game produced, but in its place came a performance from Newtown that oozed class and determination.

Newtown dropping the short passing game that almost cost them the title last week, replaced it with direct hurling, that had the Na Pairsaigh defence in trouble from early on. Their intentions were made clear as early as the 4^th minute when Donal Mulcahy, latching on to a puckout from Paul Morrissey, shook off his marker and pointed on the run from 50 yards. Further scores followed, 2 from Phil Noonan from long range frees, 1 from a close in free from Ben O'Connor and an excellent score from 17 year old John Paul King, who was to go on to have a blinder on the wing.

This Left the score at half time Newtown 0-5 Na Pairsaigh 0-2, with Na Pairsaigh ominously coming into the game more as the first half progressed. During this first half, the defence in which Brendan Mulcahy, Alan O'Brien and Philip Noonan excelled, neutralised the Na Pairsaigh attack, while at the other end Na Pairsaigh were finding it difficult to cope with Donal Mulcahy, Alan O'Brien and Ben O'Connor.

The second half started brightly for Na Pairsaigh when Damian O'Sullivan pointed, and at this stage it looked like a Na Pairsaigh revival was on the cards. However, this was to be as close as Na pairsaigh would get to Newtown and the game was turned on its head 5 minutes into the second half when a long delivery from Phil Noonan, the Na Pairsaigh Corner back failed to clear, and all credit to Alan O'Brien for chasing what seemed like a lost cause, to square for Jason O'Meara to strike an unstoppable ground shot from 20 yards to the bottom left hand corner of the net. This sent the Newtown supporters, in a large attendance into hysterics.

For the next 15 minutes Newtown were on fire. Brilliant scores follow from Jerry O'Connor, John Paul King(3), brother Ben(1) and another score from Jason O'Meara put the North Cork side well in control. To be fair to Na Pairsaigh they never gave up and responded with points from Damian O Sullivan(3 - form frees) and 2 more form Gearoid Fitzgerald, which only served to put a more respectable look on the score board.

Na Pairsaigh will rue the decision to move Sean Og Halpin to centerfield for the second half, when it seemed like he was finally getting to grips with Michael Morrissey, who gave him a torrid time of it up to then. The game seemed to totally pass him by and you would be hard pressed to pick him out if you didn't know him.

For Newtown, all of whom played their hearts out Paul Morrissey didn't put a foot wrong, with his puckouts in the second half especially, pinpoint with accuracy. Outside him Brendan Mulcahy oozed class along with Alan O'Brien, Philip Noonan commanded the centre back position, with Na Pairsaigh trying numerous opponents on him, none having the slightest effect. Gerry O'Connor, well what can you say about this fellow that hasn't been said before, magnificent. Up front all six forwards contributed handsomely to this victory, with Michael Morrissey working very hard but for sheer class and at such a tender age, John Paul King gave an exhibition of stickwork and was my Man of the Match.

After the final whistle, the massive cup was presented to the Newtown captain Paddy Egan in front of the packed stand. The Newtown players broke into a chorus of 'The Green and Gold' and wild celebrations followed till all hours of the night.

Scorers:
Newtownshandrum: Jason O'Meara 1-1, John Paul King 0-4, Ben O'Connor 0-3 (0-1 free), Philip Noonan 0-2 (frees), Jerry O'Connor 0-1, Donal Mulcahy 0-1.
Na Piarsaigh: D. O'Sullivan 0-5 (0-4 frees), G. Fitzgerald 0-2.

Newtownshandrum: Paul Morrissey; Alan O'Brien, Brendan Mulcahy, Paddy Egan; Brian Bowles, Philip Noonan, Declan Murphy; Jerry O'Connor, Peter Cotter; John Paul King, Mike Morrissey, Donal Mulcahy; Jason O'Meara, Ben O'Connor, Alan O'Brien.

Na Piarsaigh: S. McMahon; L. Cunningham, B. Kidney, R. O'Byrne; B. Murphy, S. Og O hAilpin, D. Murphy; M. Prendergast, R. Healy; K. O'Sullivan, D. Gardiner, G. Fitzgerald; D. O'Sullivan, T. O hAilpin, S. Glasgow.
Subs: G. Cotter for K. O'Sullivan; Shane O'Sullivan for T. O hAilpin.

Referee: Ken Healy (Ballymactle).

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