Extra time was needed to separate Newport from Drom & Inch in feisty relegation semi-final

FBD Insurance Co Intermediate Hurling Relegation Semi-Final 

Newport 1-19 

Drom & Inch 1-15 

By Liam Hogan 

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Newport’s stay in intermediate hurling is safe for the time being following their dramatic extra-time win over Drom Inch at Kilcommon last Saturday afternoon.

In a tense game, the winners deserved their victory, but they had to work hard for it but they had to wait until the two periods of extra time before they began to show their ability and take hold of the game, where they shot 22  wides in the eight minutes. Drom Inch hit thirteen. 

The win was not without a cost as the game sometimes bordered on the edge, and while it was not a dirty game, its discipline frayed at times, and referee Alan Tierney didn’t hang about in sending Frank Bergin, Drom & Inch, to the line for a straight red in the 52nd minute. 

Newport’s Aaron O’Neill followed suit in the seventh minute of extra time, while Conor Floyd and Diarmuid Brennan, Drom & Inch, both received second yellows followed by a red to the line in the 74th and 80th minutes. 

In the end, Newport prevailed. Their spirit and never-say-die attitude got them over the line with Cian Flanagan, Oran Connors and Colin Floyd, the standout players, especially Flanagan, who was outstanding from start to finish. 

For their part, Drom had ideal moments from Paul Bergin at centre back (until his dismissal), plus those from Jack Ryan and Mikey Connors, but when Drom were in charge during the first half their wides tally was much too big. 

Blessed in sunshine, Sean Treacy Park, Kilcommon proved to be the ideal venue, and Drom Inch had the sun to their backs as they controlled the opening ten minutes with Mikey Connors scoring the first, followed by two Aidan O’Meara points in the opening four.  

Colin Floyd had Newport’s opener in the fifth minute, but Drom contoured to hold the upper hand, but three wides in as many minutes curtailed their efforts to increase their lead. As they continued to press, it was Newport goalkeeper Paul Hogan who denied TJ Kinnane with a great save. It didn’t end there as Drom went four clear after Liam Ryan made it 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes. 

However, Newport gradually found their feet and by the 22nd minute they had the deficit down to one, 0-7 to 0-6 as Aaron O’Neill, Conor Floyd, Cian Flanagan and Thomas Floyd had found the target. 

However, the next five minutes saw wasted opportunities at both ends before Drom goalkeeper Sean Dempsey was called into action in the 26th minute and with the defence turned into attack, his team increased their lead thanks to a long-range effort by Paul Bergin. 

A quick response from Thomas Floyd had the margin back to the minimum as Newport began to increase the gears, coming level through Oran Connors before Cian Flanagan gave them the lead for the first time on the half hour, 0-9 to 0-8.

Two minutes of additional time followed as Aidan O’Meara levelled, but Oran Connors had the final say, his second point giving Newport a 0-10 to 0-9 half-time lead. 

Paul Bergin’s long-range free had the teams level 25 seconds into the second half, but Newport responded quickly as Colin Floyd scored two quick points. Another Bergin long-range free had Drom within the minimum by the 38th minute before Colin Floyd forced Drom keeper Sean Dempsey to make a great save. 

The game had by now increased in tempo, and Pa Ryan, who had come from the subs bench, found the target moving Newport 0-13 to 0-11 in front after forty minutes. However, the lead didn’t last very long as Drom pressed. Substitute Brian Moore was fouled close to goal but his quick thinking saw him switch play to Jamie Ryan, who first timed to the net. Drom led 1-11 to 0-13. 

Mikey Connor’s free in the 50th minute had Drom two clear but they would be unable to maintain the challenge and losing Paul Bergin to a red card for an off the ball incident didn’t help either as Newport took advantage per Conor Floyd and the hard working Cian Flanagan, each scoring a point to bring parity at the end of normal time 1-12 to 0-15.

The two periods of extra time brought the best of the game, starting with Newport taking a two-point lead inside three minutes through a long-range score by Cian Flanagan before Oran Connors added another. 

However, Newport received a setback when Aaron O’Neill was red-carded in the 63rd minute. Drom were able to take advantage, and Mikey Connors picked up a brace, the second coming from play. Meantime, Newport corner back Damien O’Brien stole yards upfield and picked off a valuable score, but substitute Enda Walsh replied to level with a super point.

It was still anybody’s game and approaching half-time Newport won a penalty when Colin Floyd was through on goal but was hauled down by full back Michael Purcell. Colin Floyd stepped up and fired low past Dempsey. Newport in front 1-19 to 1-15 as the final changeover was signalled. 

Colin Floyd's point after the break had Newport five in front, but Diarmuid Brennan replied with a perfect free from long range. As play continued, Oran Connors and Brenna swapped frees before Brennan stroked his third placed ball to leave his team three in arrears 1-21 to 1-18, three minutes from time. 

Newport had just lost Conor Floyd to a second yellow card offence but they the hungrier and from there they took over as their lead increased with Oran Connors close in free, Pa Ryan’s point from play and Paul Hogan’s long range monster made Newport six clear and looking safe and despite conceding last minute point Mikey Connors from play, the Mulcaire were desperately happy to have avoided the drop. It would have been disastrous. 

Newport: Paul Hogan (0-1f); Rob Houlihan, Sean O’Brien, Damien O’Brien (0-1); Cian Flanagan (0-4), Shane Flanagan, Aaron O’Neill (0-1); Aidan Moloney (0-1), Callum Poole; Oran Connors (0-3), Conor Floyd (0-2), Thomas Floyd (0-2); Cillian Collins (0-2f), Brian Tobin, Colin Floyd (1-4, 1-0 pen).

Subs used: Pa Ryan (0-2, 0-1 65) for C Collins (38); Lee Ryan (0-1) for Tobin (46); Luke Kennedy for Sean O’Brien (49, inj); Cillian Collins for Oran Connors (HT ET); Callum Poole for Aidan Moloney (ET, 7). 

Drom Inch: Sean Dempsey; Conor O’Meara, Michael Purcell, Jim Bob Kennedy; Jack Ryan, Paul Bergin (0-3, 0-1f), Diarmuid Brennan (0-3f); Jamie Ryan (0-1), Jamie Shanahan; Aidan O’Meara (0-3), Oliver Barry (0-1), Mikey Connors (0-6, 0-3f); Liam Ryan (0-1), Jack Costello, T J Kinnane. 

Subs used: Brian Moore for Barry (39); Enda Walsh (0-1) for Shanahan (39); Colm Kinnane for Costello (39); Jack Johnson for Aidan O’Meara (49); Jack Costello for TJ Kinnane (60); Jamie Shanahan for Costello (ET). 

Referee: Alan Tierney (Shannon Rovers) 

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