SHC Youghal 1-13 Newtownshandrum 1-18.

SHC Youghal 1-13 Newtownshandrum 1-18.
Not a great week for hurling clubs in the eastern part of the county with Youghal, Killeagh, Fr O'Neils, and Midleton all failing to progress in their respective championship games.
Youghal making a return to senior ranks after their great season last year were always chasing their game against Newtownshandrum played in Fermoy last Sunday in very hot conditions. Teams level after 8 minutes 2 points apiece before Newtown hit 6 points to a single pointed free from Brendan Ring by the 22nd minute, Ring and Bill Cooper scoring Youghal's opening scores to leave the score 0-08 to 0-03.
Then Brendan and Damien Ring added 2 points (a free and a 65) before Jamie Coughlan eased Newtown into a 6 point half time lead 0-11 to 0-05 with 3 delightful scores. It was significant in the first half that John Paul King, wearing no 11, but playing a very deep defensive role, was having a profound influence on the game and Youghal really had no answer to his continuous long deliveries.
Youghal came out for the second half In determined fashion and after Damien Ring pointed in the first minute Leigh Desmond rattled the net from a penalty after only 3 minutes to put it up to Newtown and make it a 2 point game. Cathal Naughton then added 2 points for Newtown before Nigel
Roche, who had another wonderful game for Youghal, added a point to leave it 1-07 to 0-13 after only 7 minutes play. Jamie Coughlan showed all his Inter County experience to add a point only to be cancelled out by Ollie Dempsey immediately.
John Paul King made it a 4 point game, before Damien and Brendan Ring added a point each to narrow the gap to 2 points, 1-10 to 0-15 with 15 minutes left, before Ritchie Cunningham showed why he is the Cork custodian on Wednesday night in the Munster Intermediate Final when he saved brilliantly from Cathal Naughton who was coming at him at speed to deny what would have been a wonder goal. In that last quarter both sides added 3 points, but more significantly Newtown substitute got a goal that killed off the Youghal challenge and each team were also reduced to 14 men in two separate incidents in the last 3 minutes.
So all in all, a disappointing first outing in senior ranks, and while only 5 points separated the teams at the final whistle, selectors and players will know that a huge improvement in pace and cuteness will have to come if we are to match the experience of Na Piarsaigh in round 2 next month.
​
TEAM; R Cunningham, B O'Sullivan, J Grace, Barry Ring, M Cronin, C Spillane, K Walsh, N Roche, O Dempsey, B Cooper, C O'Mahoney, D Ring, Brendan Ring, B Moloney, L Desmond. Subs Used; Chris Morrisson. AF O'Connor, Garreth Hogan