Newtownshandrum win All-Ireland hurling
Dunloy 1-6 Newtownshandrum 0-17
Cork club champions Newtownshandrum have won the All-Ireland Club Hurling Championship with
a win against Antrim club Dunloy at Croke Park today.
The Cork club relied heavily on the scoring talents of county wing forward Ben O’Connor who notched 10 points in total, seven from frees.
It hadn't started so well for the Cork side, seeking a first club hurling title for Cork since Midleton's success in 1988.
Antrim forward Colm McGuckian raced down the right flank to point after 40 seconds.
Dunloy's strong opening was blighted by six first half wides, and 14 in total, and they had to wait 19 minutes for their second point, from fit-again attacker Liam Richmond.
That was as good as the first half got for Dunloy, as O'Connor pointed six times, allied to midfielder Alan T O'Brien's rumble forward on 9 minutes for a 0-7 to 0-2 break lead.
Martin Curry drew a foul in the Cork area from Newtownshandrum goalkeeper Paul Morrissey on 33 minutes, and McGhee stepped up to hammer low to the left side of the Newtown net.
A Paddy Richmond point four minutes later put a single point between the sides but from the 41st to the 52nd minute, Newtown doubled their tally.
Scores from O'Connor, his brother midfielder Jerry, forward James Bowles and the second off the stick of Alan T O'Brien on 43 minutes put the Corkmen out of sight, with Paddy (0-2) and Liam Richmond (0-2) answering back.
Dunloy forward Ally Elliott was to add a seventh score for the Ulster men with two minutes remaining, but replacement forward Michael Morrissey's touch line point, Ben O'Connor's left wing free and Alan T O'Brien's third point in injury time, saw the Tommy Moore Cup into Cork hands.
