It’s Up Up Newmarket
WHAT a week it’s been in Newmarket!
On Sunday last their hurlers won the Duhallow Junior A Hurling Championship - ending a 40-yr famine.
This came on top of their under 16 side winning the North Cork Rebel Óg Final ... but Newmarket was still only getting started.
On Monday they pulled out all the stops as they welcomed the judges of this year’s BoI Enterprise Town awards, where Newmarket is a finalist bidding for some of the €200k pot. And they certainly didn’t hide their very many lights under a bushel for the judges. Along the way, the town has seen new shops opening, as well.
Newmarket 1-22 Kilbrin 2-11
NEWMARKET hit new heights not previously visited since 1979 by overcoming Kilbrin in a lively E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Dealer Duhallow Junior A Hurling Championship Final at Tullylease last Sunday.
Overall, the laurels went where they belonged for Newmarket emerged the better side, showing the greater teamwork, determination and scoring power. On doing so, Newmarket hurled with a fury and intensity that eventually wore down a brave Kilbrin effort short a number of regular players.
Kilbrin had no complaints on relenting to a well drilled and strong Newmarket side, obviously injuries and suspension robbed Kilbrin of key players and as a result, they simply had no answers to the superior power of the new champions. Still a commendable and spirited Kilbrin comeback during the closing quarter delivered a quick 2-1 tally to offer a semblance of hope.
However Newmarket were in no mood to let their earlier good work slip, their response calm and assured to wrestle back the initiative and finish on the ascendancy. At the last whistle, there was an all round acceptance that the better side had prevailed much to the delight of success starved Newmarket nsupporters.
Last season’s runners-up Newmarket came with a real purpose and played hurling with a high level of intensity. In defence, Kevin O’Sullivan, Paddy Browne and Michael Browne stood out to mop up ball efficiently with Seán Meehan and Alan Ryan busy and engaging at midfield. That allowed the attack raise queries that the Kilbrin rearguard found difficult to answer.
Indeed Newmarket confirmed their intentions, full forward Conor O’Keeffe collected a long delivery from Paddy Browne to blast to the Kilbrin net with just five minutes elapsed. For a spell, a depleted Kilbrin offered a response, availing of pointed frees from Stephen O’Reilly and Shane Crowley to get on the scoreboard.
However Newmarket hit back with a flurry of scores, five points without reply from Hannon, Cathal Browne, Ryan and Conor O’Keeffe helped build up a commanding 1-11 to 0-7 advantage at the break.
A stalemate on the restart, Newmarket points to Hannon and man of the match Conor O’Keeffe matched by O’Reilly and Wesley Corkery. Still Newmarket looked more dangerous, sharpshooter Hannon pointed four in a row for a clear 1-17 to 0-9 grip at the three quarter stage.
Kilbrin mounted a spirited comeback, driven on by Micheael Buckley, Con Carroll and O’Reilly, they threw caution to the wind.
A probing delivery from
Shane Crowley found substitute Daniel O’Sullivan to net.
That score lifted Kilbrin, Crowley again the source for a follow up green flag, substitute Noel O’Callaghan fetched brilliantly for Niall Field to fire home.And when O’Reilly tacked on a pointed free, the leeway had trimmed to just five points. Still
Newmarket always looks capable of stepping up a gear, duly weathering the storm on points to Jonathan Flaherty and Hannon. From seven minutes of injury time, Newmarket were rarely without possession and it made for joyous scenes of celebration amonst supporters once team captain Alan Ryan lifted the John Joe Brosnan Memorial Cup.
*Amidst joyous scenes, Newmarket captain Alan Ryan accepted the John Joe Brosnan Memorial Cup from Duhallow Board Chairman Joe Kearns with the rich scoring form of Conor O’Keeffe rewarded with the Man of the Match Award presented by Con Tarrant representing sponsors E Tarrant & Sons Skoda Dealer. NEWMARKET: D Kearney; P Allen, K O’Sullivan, A Browne; P Browne, M Cottrell, J Ryan; A Ryan, S Meehan; T O’Keeffe, C Browne 0-1, R O’Keeffe 0-2; B O’Connor 0-1, C O’Keeffe 1-4, D Hannon 0-13 (8f, 1 s/l). Subs: J Guiney for S Meehan (49), J Flaherty 0-1 for T OKeeffe (50), G Forde for P Browne (56 inj).
KILBRIN: E O’Riordan; C Buttimer, T O’Reilly, B Power; T Mullane, M Buckley, C Carroll; S Crowley 0-2f, W Corkery 0-1; N Field 1-0,
B O’Mahony, S O’Reilly 0-8 (6f), G King, T O’Brien, W Heffernan. Subs: D Daly for C Buttimer (27 inj), N O’Callaghan for T O’Brien (ht), D O’Sullivan 1-0 for B O’Mahony (38), M Field for G King (57), P Aherne for T Mullane (59). Compliments to Tullylease GAA at a splendidly appointed venue helped by the weather, with the rain keeping away until the last car had departed. Long time associates on divisional final day, the Newmarket Pipe Band attended, and were surely