Newcastle West hurlers bow out of Munster intermediate club championship at hands of Cashel

A LATE, late revival from Tipperary champions Cashel King Cormacs ended Newcastle West's fairytale season when securing a dramatic 0-20 to 2-13 success in their AIB Munster club intermediate hurling championship quarter-final at Newcastle West on Sunday afternoon.

From a strong, five-point lead, Limerick premier intermediate champions Newcastle West were witness to the Eoghan Connolly and Devon Ryan show as the duo notched 17 of the 20 points for the Tipperary outfit.

Newcastle West, under the management of Derry McMahon, will rue a dozen wides over the hour, something they were made to regret once Connolly started arrowing over frees over the crossbar from all angles.

Bryan Nix, who bagged 2-2, netted inside 20 seconds and when he added his second early in the second half, the home side were dreaming of a Munster club semi-final.

Further points from sub Cathal Hayes had them five clear, but Newcastle West only managed two points in the closing stages with the Cashel men taking control.

It ends a superb season for Newcastle West, who will end 30-plus years outside of Senior hurling next season. In total, they won eight of their ten outings in an entertaining campaign.

SCORERS: Newcastle West: Bryan Nix 2-2; Cathal Hayes 0-4 (0-2 frees); Eoin Hurley 0-3 (0-3 frees); Mike Quilligan (0-2 frees), Diarmaid Lyons 0-2 each. Cashel Kings Cormacs: Eoghan Connolly 0-9 (0-6 frees; 0-2 ‘65); Devon Ryan 0-8 (0-4 frees); Cathal Quinn, Oisin O’Donoghue, Conn Bonnar 0-1 each.

NEWCASTLE WEST: Mike Quilligan; Maurice Murphy, Seamus Hurley, Aaaron Neville; Michael Cremin, Ethan Hurley, John Whelan; Diarmaid Lyons, Brain Hurley (C); Diarmaid Kelly, Con Hayes, Eoin Hurley; Brian Foley, Mike McMahon, Bryan Nix. Subs: Cathal Hayes for McMahon (injured, 22 mins); Willie Hurley for Foley (half-time); Evan McMahon for Kelly (60 mins).

CASHEL KING CORMACS: Jonathan Walsh, Conn Bonnar, Nathan Ryan, Kieran O’Dwyer; James Cummins, Conor O’Dwyer, Anthony Walsh; Ronan Connolly, Paddy Fahy; Eoghan Connolly, Cathal Quinn, Devon Ryan; Oisín O’Donoghue, David McGrath, Ross Bonnar. Subs: Ger Browne for R Bonnar (43 mins); Adrian Cummins for R Connolly (49 mins); Dan Moloney for McGrath (59 mins).

REFEREE: Niall Malone (Clare).