Newport’s greatest day

KILLINAN END

The Irish language perhaps has it best: “bíonn blas ar an mbeagán” – a little is appreciated all the more. Thirty years ago, this saying was borne out as the hurlers of Newport and Lorrha fought out an intense North Senior Final. The occasion was so anticipated that the start was delayed to let the crowd in. And it was so good they did it twice, reconvening a week later in Nenagh for a replay.

Lorrha, relative regulars in the North Senior Final, had lifted the Frank McGrath Cup as recently as 1989. The same year, Martin Ryan Lacken held aloft the County Intermediate Cup for Newport. After a few years threatening, Newport had hit the jackpot; a first County hurling title since 1957. The same month the Berlin Wall fell, and in North Tipp hurling revolution was coming, decked in purple and gold.

Newport entered the 1990 Senior championship with the same trepidation as all promoted teams. Survival at all costs would have been the motto. Instead, they took to the Senior grade like veterans. Wins over Borris-Ileigh (All-Ireland champions three years earlier) and Lorrha (defending North champions) saw them reach a North semi-final. A narrow loss to a young Toomevara at the penultimate stage only waxed in quality as the following decade unfolded.

Another semi-final in 1994 saw a narrow defeat to Kilruane but a firm foothold achieved in the Senior grade. Unknown to all, a draw and one-point win in a replay in the 1995 championship against Lorrha foreshadowed glory days. A narrow quarter-final loss to Nenagh hurt but again took on a different complexion when Éire Óg torched Semple Stadium on Dan Breen day. Newport were hardly howling at the moon in their championship attempts. Progress was real if incremental.

Still, when a North Final was reached in 1996 those between the woodlands of Knockfune and picturesque Cnocán an Éin Fhinn could have rested on their laurels. They might have drunk porter for a month, celebrating their arrival at the top table. But all that would wait.

A team overseen by Colm Honan and Paudie Butler, with Len Gaynor in an advisory role - local wisdom provided by ’89 veterans Martin Ryan, Eddie Quigley and Timmy Floyd - had the scent of blood. What a tantalising prospect: to be mentioned by posterity in the same breath as the Coffey’s, Pat Humphries, Ned Delaney, Ned Rainsford and others, iconic parish names in two North Senior title wins six decades earlier.

Of more immediate impact in 1996 were gritty wins against Portroe, the perennial benchmark Toomevara, and Moneygall after a semi-final replay. The character of this team was beyond question. If things were tight and tense… bring it on. And a North Final against Lorrha, conquerors of County champions Nenagh, would certainly test their resolve.

Six of the 1989 team started in purple & gold as Newport reached for the stars. Seven of Lorrha’s starting fifteen held North Senior medals. With the door of opportunity yawning Newport surged early on. Dinny Ryan pinged points from play, and a Connie McGrath goal had them in control and six up at the break; a Ken Hogan save just kept Lorrha’s head above water. But this would not be simple. Though Lorrha managed just five points from play in the hour, Newport’s scores dwindled in the second half as Lorrha dug new depths of defiance. John Madden’s late free levelled it up. Adieu, adieu, sweet Frank McGrath, once more I’ll say adieu? The thought might have crossed a few minds by the Mulcair’s banks.

While the glass-half-empty men must have had a field day, this team embraced adversity. They hit Lorrha with a whirlwind early in the replay. John O’Mahony, in sniper mode, buried two goals. Seven points to the good approaching half-time? Ryan’s Fancy were clearing their throats.

Lorrha struggled, not least with injury as John McIntyre limped off, but rallied and counter-punched brilliantly, taking an unlikely two-point lead after the break. Goals win games? On this day it was death by points. Newport raised six unanswered white flags as the September sun waned. No bad way to finish a North Final; the perfect ending for a momentous year for Newport.

Heroes wore many guises. Goalkeeper Ger Floyd had first played championship hurling for Newport exactly twenty years earlier. What a contribution. A priceless image of captain Connie McGrath with 1930s veteran Butler Coffey after the final whistle reflected the achievement. This captain who had hurled up a storm back in 1989 at centre-back led from the front, was shouldered high into his native town by colleagues. They will shoulder him at the other end too. That’s how it works there.

Club chairman Frank Humphries described it as “the best day of my life”. That’ll do. The players should hardly have to buy a drink again where the Mulcair River flows: Ger Floyd; Timmie Jones; DJ O’Brien; Liam Jones; Barry Gleeson; Aidan O’Gorman; Martin McCabe; Tom Moylan; Pat Keating; Ger Bradley; Connie McGrath; John Ryan; Gerry Moloney; John O’Mahony; Dinny Ryan; PJ O’Rourke; Eoin Bonfield; Peter Coleman; Kieran Buckley; Kenneth O’Brien; John Keating; Ger Carey; Paddy Ryan; Denis Hickey; Mike Coffey; Brian Coffey.