*The Newmarket-on-Fergus senior hurlers. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A blistering finish ensured that Newmarket-on-Fergus completed their group campaign in the best possible fashion to effectively seal a quarter-final place in Cusack Park, Ennis on Friday evening.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 0-19
Clonlara 1-10
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Trailing by the minimum entering the final ten minutes, the Blues rallied superbly, albeit against a 14 man Clonlara, to fire the last seven points and extend their unbeaten run to three matches.
With a 28 point scoring advantage over Feakle who take on Whitegate in the final round in a fortnight’s time, Newmarket are virtually assured of a last eight berth for the second successive season.
It was far from straight forward though as for the majority, this was a blow-for-blow war of attrition that was level on eight occasions as late as the 52nd minute.
Unfortunately for Clonlara, the major score of the hour was followed by the most decisive moment as Ian Galvin attracted Newmarket’s last line before popping a pass inside to Micheál Stritch to roof to the net at 1-7 to 0-8 by the two-thirds mark, only to see captain Cathal O’Connell dismissed for a second yellow card two minutes later.
While Clon fought on admirably, the numerical disadvantage eventually took its toil and in the end, it was Newmarket who found the greater leadership, with Eanna Crimmins (3), Colin Ryan (2), Colin Guilfoyle and impact sub Eoin Hayes applying the finishing touches to a powerful last ten minutes.
Ryan was immense throughout as chief marksman, with Enda Barrett, Paudie McMahon, Sean O’Connor, Jack Enright, Colin Guilfoyle, Stephen Casey, and Éanna Crimmins providing the bulk of the inspiration and perspiration over a tough hour.
As ever, John Conlon was a rock as defensive anchor, with Colm O’Meara, Dylan McMahon, and Ian Galvin also to the fore for a Clonlara side now realistically out of the championship running.
What a fascinating contest this proved to be though as having traded points on two occasions by the end of the opening quarter before Newmarket found their feet. Despite facing into the slight conditions and more worryingly struggling on their own puck-outs, three points in as many minutes through Mikey McInerney, Liam Clancy and Crimmins powered the Blues 0-5 to 0-2 in front by the 18th minute.
Amazingly, they wouldn’t score for another 15 minutes by which time they found themselves trailing by the minimum after Cathal O’Connell (3) finally ignited Clonlara’s challenge.
A last gasp Mikey McInerney point tied up the game for a fourth time at 0-6 to 0-6 by the break, with that seesaw pattern continuing on the restart until Stritch’s opportunist goal in the 40th minute.
After being booked in a robust 16 man melee only minutes earlier, a loose flick on the passing Colin Guilfoyle earned Clonlara’s captain a second yellow card and from there, it was advantage Newmarket albeit that they would only hit the front for the first time since the goal in the 55th minute through Éanna Crimmins who also might have added a goal, only for his subsequent shot to be cleared off the line.
The freshness and pace of Eoin Hayes off the bench made a marked difference as the game opened up and the Irish Junior soccer international would also get in on the scoring action before the finish as Newmarket are quarter-finalists elect with a month to prepare for the next phase of their campaign.
Scorers for Newmarket-on-Fergus: Colin Ryan (0-7, 3f); Eanna Crimmins (0-4); Mikey McInerney, Peter Power, Colin Guilfoyle (0-2 each); Liam Clancy (f), Eoin Hayes (0-1 each)
Scorers for Clonlara: Cathal O’Connell (0-3, 2f); Micheál Stritch (1-0); Ian Galvin, Micheál O’Loughlin (0-2 each); Paraic O’Loughlin, Dylan McMahon, Ger Powell (0-1 each)
Newmarket-on-Fergus
1: Ronan McCormack
3: James McInerney
2: Sean O’Connor
4: Jack Enright
5: Colin Guilfoyle
6: Enda Barrett
7: Stephen Casey
8: Paudie McMahon
10: Mikey McInerney
9: Eoin Guilfoyle
11: John Feehily
14: Colin Ryan
15: Peter Power
12: Liam Clancy
13: Eanna Crimmins
Substitutes:
18: Eoin Hayes for Clancy (HT)
17: Niall O’Connor for J. McInerney (52)
19: Mark Delaney for Feehily (54)
20: Frank Melody for Barrett (60)
Clonlara:
1: Seimi Gully
4: Michael Clancy
3: Colm O’Meara
18: Tommy Walsh
5: Dylan McMahon
6: John Conlon
7: Aidan Moriarty
8: Cathal O’Connell
9: Ger Powell
12: Daniel Moloney
17: Cian Moriarty
10: Paraic O’Loughlin
15: Micheál Stritch
14: Ian Galvin
13: Conor Bourke
Substitutions:
11: Micheál O’Loughlin for Moloney (39)
22: David Fitzgerald for Powell (43)
19: Cormac O’Donovan for Stritch (52)
2: Jathan McMahon for Bourke (55)
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
