Peter Power takes on Liam Markham. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Newmarket-on-Fergus got off to an emphatic start to the County Senior Hurling Championship when lowering Cratloe for the first time in eleven years in Cusack Park on Friday evening.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-15
Cratloe 0-15
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
A first championship win over their neighbours since the 2012 County Final, it was refreshening performance from the Blues (or in this case Saffrons, having donned the Clare jerseys to avoid a clash) as three timely goals sank a surprisingly lacklustre Cratloe.
Setting the tone from the outset, the electric Peter Power had the ball in Cratloe’s net after only 20 seconds of the new campaign. And while Cratloe recovered fully to actually edged in front by the end of the opening quarter, a second tsunami, this time stemming from a defensive error, allowed Eanna Crimmins to garnish a 1-4 unanswered blitz with a goal on Newmarket’s way to a 2-7 to 0-8 interval advantage.
Any hopes of a Cratloe backlash were quickly quashed on the restart as a hat-trick of Power frees were followed by a third goal for impressive substitute Eoin Guilfoyle to put the result beyond any doubt by the two-thirds mark.
indeed, such was the one-sided nature of this derby by that stage that the Blues actually carved out a whopping 13 point chasm entering the final ten minutes at 3-14 to 0-10.
Cratloe did raid for five of the last six points but the scoreline looked much better than the reality which was alarming to say the least.
Devoid of leaders aside from Diarmuid Ryan, Shane Neville and Podge Collins also fought hard but there were very few other positives to take from such an uncharacteristically meek display.
The statistics don’t lie in that regard as Cratloe only scored six points from play over the hour and a mere two of those after an encouraging opening quarter.
The old guard looked war weary, the new guard war shy, all attributes that were in complete contrast to a ravenous and enterprising Newmarket side that appeared to remedy a lot of the frailties of previous campaigns.
It’s only the opening round though so no rash calls can be made in either direction as Newmarket need to back this performance up against Clooney-Quin in a fortnight’s time while at best this was a forgettable day at the office for Cratloe.
Peter Power lit up Cusack Park with 1-1 inside two minutes but with Podge Collins causing equal consternation up the other end, Cratloe did manage to repair all that early damage with six of the next seven points through the returning Ryan Considine (3), Podge Collins (2) and Shane Neville at 0-6 to 1-2.
Indeed, at the time Newmarket were the ones living dangerously as a stray defensive crossfield lineball was intercepted by Podge Collins who couldn’t capitalise upon an empty goal to keep his shot on target while early in the second quarter, Shane Lynch made a superb block to deny the overlapping Neville.
The tie turned decisively in the 24th minute when a long Colin Ryan sideline deceived Cratloe’s last line for Eanna Crimmins to solo through and fire to the net followed quickly by a trio of Power points to soar 2-7 to 0-7 clear.
Shane Neville had another incisive run and shot repelled by Newmarket’s miserly rearguard in injury-time as goalkeeper Paudie Guilfoyle came to his side’s rescue to ensure a five point half-time advantage.
The only way was up for Cratloe but there was no kick from last year’s semi-finalists who looked increasingly disillusioned as the half developed. Newmarket expertly exploited those deficiencies as Peter Power was unerring from placed balls while Eoin Guilfoyle struck for a clinching third goal in the 38th minute to pour further misery on their neighbours.
Podge Collins could only find the side-netting while older brother Sean had a late effort tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Guilfoyle but by then it was damage limitation stuff as Cratloe now need some major introspection to rescue their Canon Hamilton hopes.
Newmarket meanwhile can take great reassurance from their opening display that they could blow away their neighbours and still have plenty of room for improvement, with the only downside being a late leg injury for defensive anchor Enda Barrett.
Overall, Newmarket could only beat what was put in front of them but with two more derbies to come for both, there are sure to be many more twists and turns before the two quarter-final berths from Group 3 are sealed.
Scorers for Newmarket-on-Fergus: Peter Power (1-9, 7f); Eoin Guilfoyle (1-1); Eanna Crimmins (1-0); Colin Guilfoyle (2f), Mikey McInerney (0-2 each); Colin Ryan (0-1)
Scorers for Cratloe: Rian Considine (0-6, 4f, 1’65); Diarmuid Ryan (0-3, 2f, 1’65); Podge Collins, Conor McGrath (f) (0-2 each); Shane Neville, Sean Collins (0-1 each)
Newmarket-on-Fergus
1: Paudie Guilfoyle
2: Sean O’Connor
4: Paudie McMahon
3: Colin Guilfoyle
5: Jack Enright
6: Enda Barrett
7: Niall O’Connor
8: Mark Delaney
9: Shane Lynch
11: Colin Ryan
14: Eanna Crimmins
12: John Feehily
13: Stephen Casey
10: Mikey McInerney
15: Peter Power
Subs
18: Eoin Guilfoyle for Feehily (17, inj)
20: Eoin Hayes for McInerney (46)
19: Liam Clancy for Barrett (48 inj)
Cratloe
1: Gearoid Ryan
4: David Collins
3: Liam Markham
2: Caimin Deegan
5: Shane Neville
6: Diarmuid Ryan
7: Sean Collins
8: Enda Boyce
9: Daithi Collins
12: Sean Gallagher
11: Cathal McInerney
10: Luke Healy
15: Conor McGrath
14: Podge Collins
13: Rian Considine
Subs
19: Sam Sheehy for Gallagher (42)
17: Aaron Costigan for Considine (46, inj)
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
