Newmarket edge out Rockchapel in close tussle
DUHALLOW JUNIOR ‘B’ FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Newmarket 0-10 Rockchapel 1-5
NEWMARKET came good during the closing stages to edge home narrow winners over Rockchapel in a keenly contested Duhallow Junior B Football Championship Final at a scorching Freemount.
Though both sides spurned scoring opportunities to a dour contest yet no quarter was asked or given to a game that held interest right up to the last action. Though finishing the contest with 14 players, Newmarket facing a test of their resolve answered in emphatic fashion to sample the accolades and complete a hurling and football double in the grade.
A nip and tuck affair straight from the off, the teams swapped points to Eoin Collins and Eddie Allen. However the scoring rate dropped significantly due to a combination of poor shooting and the steadiness of both defences to dominate the proceedings.
Matters livened up approaching the interval, Rockchapel, against the run of play pounced for a goal courtesy of Jason O’Callaghan. That setback roused an immediate response from Newmarket, a pair of pointed frees from T J Bodie helped force parity 0-5 to 1-2 at the interval.
Rockchapel restarted smartly and availed from the solid play of Mike Doody, David Murphy, Maurice Stack and John Doody with a Collins pointed free nudging his side ahead. Back came Newmarket, Bodie and substitute Jack Guiney on target to regain the lead.
Guiney might well had goaled only to be denied by a smashing save from Rockchapel ‘keeper Tony Collins before O’Callaghan levelled matters at the opposite end. Some tense exchanges saw
Newmarket substitute Colin O’Sullivan red carded only for his side to raise the tempo.
Indeed, Newmarket defied their numerical disadvantage, driven on by the efforts of Donncha Fitzpatrick, Brendan Stack, Daniel Norton, Robert Stack and Pa O’Brien. Key substitutes Guiney and Jamie Hayes contributed to the cause as Guiney and Bodie added points.
Though Shane Geaney replied for a Rockchapel point, Newmarket maintained their grip for substitute Shane Murphy to deliver the clinching score. NEWMARKET: S McAulliffe; D Fitzpatrick, B Stack, M O’Leary; S Murphy, G Forde, D Norton; C Crowley, R Stack; E Allen 0-1, P O’Brien, P O’Sullivan; T J Bodie 0-5 (3f), M Kenneally, N Barrett 0-1. Subs: C O’Sullivan for P O’Sullivan, S Murphy 0-1 for N Barrett, J Guiney 0-2 for M Kenneally, J Hayes for E Allen.
ROCKCHAPEL: T Collins; D Murphy, D Carroll, M Doody; D Keating, P Curtin, P Stack; M Stack, J Doody; D O’Mahony, J O’Callaghan 1-1, S Geaney 0-1; M Geaney, B Cahill, E Collins 0-3f. Subs: D Buckley for D O’Mahony, P Collins for M Geaney, M Daly for P Collins. REFEREE: E Walsh (Freemount)
RESULTS Castlecor Potatoes JAFC Final Boherbue 1-18 Cullen 0-6 Duhallow JBFC Final Newmarket 0-10 Rockchapel 1-5 County Premier SAFC Duhallow 0-16 Valley Rovers 0-15 County Premier IFC Quarter-finals
Knocknagree 1-10 Nemo Rangers 0-12 Kanturk 0-17 Aghada 0-8 County IAFC Quarter-finals Rockchapel 2-14 Ballinora 1-11 Aghabullogue 2-17 Millstreet 0-9 FIXTURES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Dealer JAHC Final
Dromtariffe v Kilbrin, Kanturk 5pm.
Co-Op Superstores County SAHC semi-final
Kanturk v Charleville, Mallow 2pm
Bons Secour County Premier IFC semi-final
Knocknagree v Newmarket, Kiskeam 4pm
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
JBHC County Qualifier
Freemount v Newmarket, Tullylease 2pm