Newcestown 0-10 Ilen Rovers 0-4
Newcestown have qualified for a first Cork SFC semi-final after battling past Ilen Rovers in difficult conditions at Rosscarbery.
While they led by 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time after playing with the wind, Newcestown had shot eight wides and seemed set to face an Ilen onslaught but instead they held them scoreless, with the Baltimore side having nine second-half wides.
David Buckley starred for Newcestown in the early stages, kicking four points as they moved 0-5 to 0-2 ahead by the end of the first quarter. While Dan Mac Eoin pulled one back for Ilen with a free, by and large they struggled to get good ball to their inside line and Newcestown almost had a goal on 21, Gearóid O’Donovan’s shot crashing off the crossbar and away.
Five minutes before half-time, Newcestown went close again, with Micheál McSweeney palming wide from Mark Kelly’s pass but, though Seán O’Donovan’s free reduced the gap to a point, Carthach Keane ensured Newcestown led by two at half-time.
With Ilen unable to convert early second-half territory into scores, registering five wides in the ten minutes after the restart, it took until the 44th minute for the first point of the second half, Newcestown’s Luke Meade – who had hit the bar shortly before that – on target.
Daniel Twomey’s free pushed them four ahead with nine minutes left and dogged defending ensured that no goal chances were allowed. When the opportunity arose, Newcestown were able to counter-attack and points from Colm Dinneen and Daniel Twomey (free) ensured they ran out victors.
They will face Duhallow or Clonakilty in the semi-final.
Scorers for Newcestown: D Buckley 0-4, D Twomey 0-2 (frees), L Meade, C Dinneen, C Keane, M Kelly 0-1 each.
Scorers for Ilen Rovers: S O’Donovan 0-2 (frees), S Leonard, D Mac Eoin (free) 0-1 each.
NEWCESTOWN: C White; M Kennelly, C Twomey, M McSweeney; G O’Donovan, L Meade, C Dinneen; F Keane, S O’Donovan; C Keane, M Kelly, D Buckley; J Meade, T Twomey, D Twomey.
Subs: E Kelly for Kennelly (6, injured), C O’Neill for M Kelly (51), C Healy for O’Neiill (60, black card), R Bradfield for Buckley (60).
ILEN ROVERS: D O’Sullivan; P Minihane, T O’Regan, D O’Driscoll; T Bushe, D O’Donovan, B Leonard; C O’Driscoll, Peadar O’Driscoll; Peter O’Driscoll, D Collins, D Hegarty; S Leonard, S O’Donovan, D Mac Eoin.
Subs: K O’Sullivan for Hegarty (37), S Minihane for B Leonard (41), J Collins for O’Regan (48), C Harrington for Collins (53), A O’Sullivan for D O’Donovan (54, black card).
Referee: A Long (Argideen Rangers).