Newmarket have ability to upset the formbook

Newmarket v St Michaels

NEWMARKET and St. Michaels arrive for this County Premier IFC with impressive credentials. When the sides met last season in a semi final, Newmarket ran out of road in a game of two contrasting halves.

Having trailing at the break, St Michaels upped the tempo on the restart, two goals in quick succession confirmed, they possessed the better balance and held more zip in their step as the second half moved on.

Indeed Newmarket found it difficult to come to terms with a power packed and energetic performance of an opposition who made most of their second half dominance. That contrasted to the opening half, Newmarket appeared the hungrier side, their application superb and in general play, the Duhallow outfit were much more enterprising. But after dictating much of that first half, Newmarket struggled for fluency on the restart as Michaels racked up telling goals to swing the initiative.

Both sides are currently a bit of unknown quantity, first out, a better balanced Newmarket produced a second half surge to overcome Na Piarsaigh by a seven point margin.

That fixture along with St. Michaels and Macroom emerged as the opening two games to the 2018 championship on April 8, maybe no shock to that yet neither Newmarket nor St Michaels haven’t played since.

In fairness, Newmarket have been involved in league and their B team retained the divisional championship where the likes of John Ryan, injured early in the year, is sure to be promoted to a starting 15. However Newmarket’s hopes are dented by the absence of key playmaker TJ Brosnan owing to an injury picked up with Meelin hurlers.

St Michaels secured a single point triumph on Macroom in the opening round, no doubt, the city side will be energised by that result and they will be keen to make progress after being defeated respectively by Carrigaline and Mallow in the 2015/2017 finals.

Newmarket are without a title since 2011 and though disappointed with their performance in the Duhallow JAHC final, featuring many dual players, they just might be in a position to provide a backlash and upset the form book here.

Verdict: Newmarket