Newtownshandrum GAA
Encyclopedia
Newtownshandrum GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association
club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork
, Ireland
. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling
.
In senior hurling Newtownshandrum compete annually in the Cork Senior Club Hurling Championship
, which they have won four times as of 2009. The club, one of the few senior teams from the Avondhu
division in the northern part of the county, also competes in various other championships in all grades within Cork.
Four years after graduating from the intermediate grade, Newtownshandrum took the senior grade by storm and reached the championship decider in the top tier of Cork hurling. It was far from a ‘traditional’ final as one-time champions Erin's Own
provided the opposition. It was east Cork versus north Cork, however, the club from the tiny parish of 800 triumphed on their first attempt in a county final, albeit in controversial circumstances as a late Erin's Own goal was disallowed. A 0-14 to 0-11 victory gave Newtownshandrum a coveted county championship title in the senior grade. The county final victory was the highlight of the year as Newtown failed to make any impact in the subsequent Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
.
2002: county final defeat
After surrendering their county title in 2001, Newtownshandrum bounced back the following year to qualify for a chance to claim a second county title in three years. The task ahead of the club was immense as Blackrock
, the kingpins of Cork hurling and the reigning champions, were the opponents on this occasion. Newtown gave a good account of themselves in that game, however, ‘the Rockies’ know-how sealed a 1-14 to 0-12 victory. This defeat for Newtownshandrum made their victory in 2000 look like a flash-in-the-pan.
2003-04: All-Ireland champions
In 2003 Newtownshandrum continued their dominance of the county club championship; however, they had yet to claim a second county title. The county final that year was a repeat of the 2002 decider when Newtown faced Blackrock once again. The stakes were high for both teams. A win for ‘the Rockies’ would give them a coveted third county title in-a-row, while a defeat for Newtownshandrum would surely undermine all the good work that had been done in getting the club into the senior ranks of the championship in the first place. On the day Newtownshandrum ran away with the victory. A 0-17 to 0-9 defeat of the mighty ‘Rockies’ cemented Newtown’s reputation as a great team and also gave them a coveted second county title.
This victory allowed Newtown to represent Cork in the provincial club championship, with the tiny club even reaching the final. Patrickswell
of Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, history was made as Newtown claimed a 2-18 to 2-9 victory. It was the Newtownshandrum's first Munster club title, while the dream season continued.
The club championship season culminated on St. Patrick's Day, 2004 with an All-Ireland club final appearance. Perennial runners-up Dunloy
provided the opposition and had cause for optimism. After a quiet outing in the Munster final Ben O'Connor
made amends by scoring ten points of Newtown's tally of 0-17 and single-handedly beat the Antirm men who only recorded 1-6. It was yet another historic day for the north Cork parish as the ultimate prize of an All-Ireland club title was annexed.
2005-06: All-Ireland runner-up
After surrendering their county title at the semi-final stage in 2004, Newtownshandrum were back in the championship decider again in 2005. Cloyne
provided the opposition on that occasion, as the breakthrough teams continued to dominate. The north Cork men, however, recorded an emphatic 0-15 to 0-9 victory over the east Cork side, giving the club a third county championship title of the decade.
Once again the tiny club wnet on the provincial march and lined out against Ballygunner
. Ben O'Connor proved the scoring hero, chipping in with six points, to help his side to a narrow 0-16 to 1-12 victory over the Waterford champions. It was Newtown's second Munster club winners' medal.
A second All-Ireland club final appearance beckoned with Portumna
standing in the way of a second All-Ireland club medal. Newtwon, however, were outclassed by a hungrier side as Newtown were defeated by 2-8 to 1-6.
2007: county final defeat again
In 2007 Newtownshandrum qualified for their fifth county championship final of the decade. Reigning champions Erin's Own provided the opposition and successfully defended their title with a convincing 1-11 to 0-7 victory over the previous year's All-Ireland runners-up. Once again it looked as if the Newtown fairytale had ended.
2009: the Cork team of the decade
At the start of the 2009 county championship few pundits gave Newtownshandrum a chance of claiming back the Seán Óg Murphy Cup. The team that had burst on the scene a decade earlier was now an ageing one, however, some younger players freshened things up somewhat. After some convincing victories the north Cork club reached their sixth county final of the decade. It was a clash of the past masters and the reigning champions as Sarsfield's attempted to retain their title for a second year in succession. While a poor opening half saw little separating the sides Newtown went on the rampage in the second-half. The final score of 3-22 to 1-12 was a complete surprise as the 10,000 spectators at Páirc Uí Chaoimh
saw the tiny club battle back to the big-time. Newtownshandrum's fourth county championship triumph from six county final appearances inside ten years cemented their reputation as the Cork team of the decade.
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
.
In senior hurling Newtownshandrum compete annually in the Cork Senior Club Hurling Championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
, which they have won four times as of 2009. The club, one of the few senior teams from the Avondhu
Avondhu GAA
Avondhu GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division in the north of Cork, Ireland. The division includes towns such as Charleville, Mallow, Fermoy, and Mitchelstown. It is one of eight divisions of Cork County Board. It organizes competitions for the clubs within the division, from Under 12 up to...
division in the northern part of the county, also competes in various other championships in all grades within Cork.
Overview
The oldest piece of evidence which shows the existence of hurling in Newtownshandrum comes in the form of a medal inscribed 'Newtown Hurling Club 1896'. An old ballad is the first record of a Newtownshandrum hurling game played in nearby Milford. In spite of having a population of little more than 800 people, Newtownshandrum has become one of the most successful hurling clubs in Cork over the last decade, winning senior honours at Cork, Munster and All-Ireland levels.History
2000: the big breakthroughFour years after graduating from the intermediate grade, Newtownshandrum took the senior grade by storm and reached the championship decider in the top tier of Cork hurling. It was far from a ‘traditional’ final as one-time champions Erin's Own
Erin's Own GAA (Cork)
Erin's Own GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Glounthaune in east County Cork, Ireland. The club is made up of players from Little Island, Knockraha, Brooklodge and Glounthaune areas of the parish...
provided the opposition. It was east Cork versus north Cork, however, the club from the tiny parish of 800 triumphed on their first attempt in a county final, albeit in controversial circumstances as a late Erin's Own goal was disallowed. A 0-14 to 0-11 victory gave Newtownshandrum a coveted county championship title in the senior grade. The county final victory was the highlight of the year as Newtown failed to make any impact in the subsequent Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
.
2002: county final defeat
After surrendering their county title in 2001, Newtownshandrum bounced back the following year to qualify for a chance to claim a second county title in three years. The task ahead of the club was immense as Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
, the kingpins of Cork hurling and the reigning champions, were the opponents on this occasion. Newtown gave a good account of themselves in that game, however, ‘the Rockies’ know-how sealed a 1-14 to 0-12 victory. This defeat for Newtownshandrum made their victory in 2000 look like a flash-in-the-pan.
2003-04: All-Ireland champions
In 2003 Newtownshandrum continued their dominance of the county club championship; however, they had yet to claim a second county title. The county final that year was a repeat of the 2002 decider when Newtown faced Blackrock once again. The stakes were high for both teams. A win for ‘the Rockies’ would give them a coveted third county title in-a-row, while a defeat for Newtownshandrum would surely undermine all the good work that had been done in getting the club into the senior ranks of the championship in the first place. On the day Newtownshandrum ran away with the victory. A 0-17 to 0-9 defeat of the mighty ‘Rockies’ cemented Newtown’s reputation as a great team and also gave them a coveted second county title.
This victory allowed Newtown to represent Cork in the provincial club championship, with the tiny club even reaching the final. Patrickswell
Patrickswell GAA
Patrickswell GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Patrickswell in County Limerick, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 2...
of Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, history was made as Newtown claimed a 2-18 to 2-9 victory. It was the Newtownshandrum's first Munster club title, while the dream season continued.
The club championship season culminated on St. Patrick's Day, 2004 with an All-Ireland club final appearance. Perennial runners-up Dunloy
Dunloy GAA
Dunloy Cú Chulainn's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Dunloy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling...
provided the opposition and had cause for optimism. After a quiet outing in the Munster final Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Biography:Ben O’Connor was born in the village of...
made amends by scoring ten points of Newtown's tally of 0-17 and single-handedly beat the Antirm men who only recorded 1-6. It was yet another historic day for the north Cork parish as the ultimate prize of an All-Ireland club title was annexed.
2005-06: All-Ireland runner-up
After surrendering their county title at the semi-final stage in 2004, Newtownshandrum were back in the championship decider again in 2005. Cloyne
Cloyne GAA
Cloyne GAA club is located in the small town of Cloyne in east County Cork, Ireland. Founded in 1887 they have yet to win a Cork Senior Hurling Championship title and have the dubious distinction of losing in the last 3 finals...
provided the opposition on that occasion, as the breakthrough teams continued to dominate. The north Cork men, however, recorded an emphatic 0-15 to 0-9 victory over the east Cork side, giving the club a third county championship title of the decade.
Once again the tiny club wnet on the provincial march and lined out against Ballygunner
Ballygunner GAA
Ballygunner GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballygunner in County Waterford, Ireland. The club is exclusively concerned with hurling.- History :...
. Ben O'Connor proved the scoring hero, chipping in with six points, to help his side to a narrow 0-16 to 1-12 victory over the Waterford champions. It was Newtown's second Munster club winners' medal.
A second All-Ireland club final appearance beckoned with Portumna
Portumna GAA
Portumna GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Portumna in County Galway. The club is almost exclusively focused on hurling.-History:...
standing in the way of a second All-Ireland club medal. Newtwon, however, were outclassed by a hungrier side as Newtown were defeated by 2-8 to 1-6.
2007: county final defeat again
In 2007 Newtownshandrum qualified for their fifth county championship final of the decade. Reigning champions Erin's Own provided the opposition and successfully defended their title with a convincing 1-11 to 0-7 victory over the previous year's All-Ireland runners-up. Once again it looked as if the Newtown fairytale had ended.
2009: the Cork team of the decade
At the start of the 2009 county championship few pundits gave Newtownshandrum a chance of claiming back the Seán Óg Murphy Cup. The team that had burst on the scene a decade earlier was now an ageing one, however, some younger players freshened things up somewhat. After some convincing victories the north Cork club reached their sixth county final of the decade. It was a clash of the past masters and the reigning champions as Sarsfield's attempted to retain their title for a second year in succession. While a poor opening half saw little separating the sides Newtown went on the rampage in the second-half. The final score of 3-22 to 1-12 was a complete surprise as the 10,000 spectators at Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in the Ballintemple area of Cork in Ireland, where major hurling and Gaelic football matches are played. It is the home of Cork GAA...
saw the tiny club battle back to the big-time. Newtownshandrum's fourth county championship triumph from six county final appearances inside ten years cemented their reputation as the Cork team of the decade.
Honours
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
s:- Winner (1): 2004
- Runner-Up (1) 2006
- Munster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
s:- Winner (3): 2003, 2006, 2009
- Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
s:- Winner (4): 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009
- Runner-Up (2): 2002, 2007
- Cork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
s:- Winner (4): 1953, 1976, 1981, 1996
- Runner-Up (3): 1947, 1949, 1978
- Cork Junior Hurling ChampionshipCork Junior Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
s:- Winner (2): 1946, 1968
- Runner-Up (2): 1940, 1992
- Cork Minor Hurling ChampionshipCork Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Minor Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for Gaelic Athletic Association players under the age of 18 in County Cork, Ireland. This competition is also known as the Cork Premier Minor Hurling Championship since 1992. It is played on a countywide basis. Prior to 1992, all teams...
s:- Winner (0):
- Runner-Up (2): 1997, 2003
- Cork Minor A Hurling ChampionshipCork Minor A Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Minor A Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for Gaelic Athletic Association players under the age of 18 in Cork, Ireland. This championship was begun in 1992 when the strongest minor hurling teams were placed in the Premier Division of the championship...
s:- Winner (1): 1999
- Runner-Up (1): 1995
- Cork Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipCork Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for players under the age of 21. Clubs affiliated to Cork board compete to win this championship. Seven of the divisions in Cork organize their own championship . The divisional winners compete against each other to decide the county...
s:- Winner (5): 1973, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2010
- Runner-Up (1): 2006
- North Cork Junior Hurling Championships: 8
- Winner (8): 1939, 1940, 1944, 1946, 1951, 1952, 1968, 1992
- Runner-Up (2): 1941, 1942
All-Ireland winning team 2003-04
| Year | Squad | Opponent | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | Team: Paul Morrissey, John McCarthy (c), Brendan Mulchay, Gerdie O'Mahoney, Ian Kelliher, Pat Mulcahy Pat Mulcahy Pat Mulcahy is an Irish sportsperson.-Club:Mulcahy plays his club hurling with his local Newtownshandrum club. He enjoyed some success at underage levels before winning a county intermediate title in 1996. That same year he won a county senior medal with divisional side Avondhu... , Phil Noonan, Jerry O'Connor Jerry O'Connor Jerry O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and with the Cork senior inter-county team.-Early & private life:... , Alan T O'Brien, John Paul King, Donal Mulcahy, Maurice Farrell, James Bowles, Dan O'Riordan, Ben O'Connor Ben O'Connor Ben O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Biography:Ben O’Connor was born in the village of... . Subs Used - John O'Connor |
Dunloy Dunloy GAA Dunloy Cú Chulainn's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Dunloy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling... |
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