Bernie O'Connor stood down as Newtownshandrum manager in the wake of their Cork SHC fourth round replay defeat to Na Piarsaigh in Mallow last Saturday.

The O'Connor name is synonymous with the north Cork club, and the Newtownshandrum dressing room will certainly be a strange place next year without the veteran coach.

"I will retire gracefully now, I cannot make any excuses," he told The Corkman after Newtown's 1-11 to 1-15 defeat.

"We simply weren't good enough on the night. We missed three sitters of goals and you cannot expect to win games doing that."

Champions Carrigtwohill join Na Piarsaigh in the quarter-finals after they edged out Glen Rovers by 1-13 to 0-14 at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Carrig manager James O'Connor, whose side will face either Sarsfields or Blackrock for a place in the last four, was disappointed to have surrendered a six-point half-time lead.

"I would certainly have taken a six-point half-time cushion before the match, but I was disappointed with our second half performance. I'm certain, though, that we will get better," he said.

"We simply weren't up to the pace of the game in the second half and they nearly caught us. In the end, though, I thought our fitness told, at times were hurled really well and the aggression and willpower was still there. Defensively, we were terrific - the Glen were never able to break us down." Tweet

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