Kilbrin edge out Newmarket in epic
Kilbrin 2-13 Newmarket 1-15
HOLDERS Kilbrin edged out Newmarket in an epic Kanturk Co-Op Mart Duhallow Junior A Hurling Championship round 3 in the presence of a large attendance in Freemount last Tuesday evening.
As the game aged, Kilbrin proceeded to hurl with a frenzy that eventually wore down a brave Newmarket where ultimately a 56th minute point from Garret Linehan sealed the outcome. Fiercely contested, Newmarket were devastated to lose and passed over a number of opportunities to force parity and a replay.
However the defending champions Kilbrin made a bold statement, raising their game with a wind assisted offensive on the turnover to shade the outcome. From the off, Newmarket utilising the breeze, began on a promising note with points registered by Tony O’Keeffe and Donal Hannon.
Kilbrin got to work and made a decisive break on a fine goal netted by Eoin Sheahan. Back came Newmarket to regain control through the solid work of Donncha Fitzpatrick, Robert Stack, Kevin O’Sullivan, O’Keeffe and Hannon.
However, Newmarket failed to avail of a goal chance, a foul on Derek O’Keeffe earned a penalty that Kilbrin ‘keeper Paudie O’Callaghan saved superbly from Hannon. Hannon made amends to point from a delightful sideline before his probing delivery allowed full forward Conor O’Keeffe touch home to net.
Follow up points from the O’Keeffes’ , Conor and Tony boosted Newmarket’s cause to enjoy a 1-10 to 1-5 advantage at the break. On the restart, Hannon added to the Newmarket tally to enhance position of the challengers.
Kilbrin didn’t flinch and reacted positive, William Egan and Sheahan combined for William Heffernan to pounce for a goal to cut the leeway. Indeed Kilbrin’s game improved in most sectors, influenced by the play of Toss Mullane, Thomas O’Reilly, Egan, Shane Crowley and Daniel Sheahan.
Points from Stephen O’Reilly, Sheahan and Linehan helped force parity amidst exciting passages of play. In fairness, Newmarket did answers and won back the lead on three occasions on points from Hannon.
At the opposite end, O’Reilly was showing his accuracy to oblige and deadlock. During the closing 10 minutes, the tension rose and every tussle was contested with physically and intensity that the crowd enjoyed.
Unfortunately for Newmarket in the tricky wind, Hannon found it difficult to reach the their target on the run to the finish. That allowed Kilbrin shade the outcome, Linehan snapping up possession to bisect the uprights for an all important point.
In the five minutes of injury played, Newmarket worked hard to rescue the situation but a number of opportunities slipped their grasp to force a replay. At the full time whistle, all involved with Kilbrin released a huge sigh of relief, hopes to retain their crown remains on track and progress to a quarter final against Millstreet.
KILBRIN: P O’Callaghan; T Mullane, T O’Reilly, W Corkery; D Sheahan 0-2, W Egan, C Carroll; S Crowley, S O’Reilly 0-5(0-4f); G Linehan 0-3, M Linehan, D O’Sullivan; N Field, E Sheahan 1-2, W Heffernan 1-1 Subs: D Daly for Field, M Buckley for O’Sullivan
NEWMARKET: S McAulliffe; D Fitzpatrick, J Hayes, P Allen; A Ryan, J Ryan, R Stack; K O’Sullivan, J Guiney; C Browne 0-1, N Rohan, D Hannon 0-10(0-8f, 0-1 sideline); D O’Keeffe 0-1, C O’Keeffe 1-1, T O’Keeffe 0-3 Subs: B O’Connor for D O’Keeffe
REFEREE: S Stokes (Tullylease)