*Newmarket-on-Fergus defender, Mark Delaney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
IT TOOK EXTRA TIME but Newmarket-on-Fergus claimed the inaugural U19B hurling championship on Wednesday evening.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-20
Kilmaley 2-14
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Ché Sheedy scored the insurance goal following seventy eight minutes of hurling with the teenager from the village of Newmarket-on-Fergus bringing an end to a tipsy turvy contest where the final margin of six points was not truly accurate of the tight affair.
In a game with plenty of blocks and hooks, there was equally plenty of spurned opportunities which as the tie wore on were always going to be a source of regret for the defeated side. The Blues would cough up fifteen scoreable opportunities in comparison to Kilmaley’s twelve.
Such is the case for the Kilmaley outfit who were expertly led by centre back, Brian McNamara, such was the influence of the Clare U20 footballer that he was even moved up the field when the game was in the melting pot to try work some scores.
Though it may have been scrappy, Cian Neylon’s twenty fourth minute green flag most importantly crossed the line and this would be the platform to give Kilmaley a 1-06 0-07 half-time advantage.
This advantage was quickly wiped out on the resumption with the lively Mikey Power rattling the net with the second half a mere sixty nine seconds old.
Power, Sean Arthur, Sol Frost and placed balls from the reliable Seadhna Liddy gave the Blues a four point cushion entering the closing stages of the game.
Kilmaley had no intention of giving up just yet and managed to force a draw with three of the final four scores of the second half, crucially Cian Neylon manoeuvred past the opposing defence to collect his second goal, bringing the tie to extra time.
Substitute Colm Killeen picked the first two scores of extra time but captain Seadhna Liddy was unerring from placed balls to keep the sides level at half-time.
Newmarket limited Kilmaley to two scores in the second period of extra time and more importantly hit the target via Power on the double, captain Liddy and subersub Ché Sheedy who accounted for 1-01.
Newmarket-on-Fergus:
1: Adam Enright
2: Dylan Crowe
3: Brian Molloy
5: Cathal Cullinan
4: Ronan O’Rourke
6: Mark Delaney
7: John Hogan
8: Darragh Jones
12: Aaron Moroney
13: Seadhna Liddy
11: Josh Ryan
14: Jamie Power
9: Sean Arthur
13: Sol Frost
15: Michael Power
Subs:
18: Jack Jennings for Cullinan (48)
17: John Lynch for J Power (54)
25: Ché Sheedy for Ryan (62)
19: Seamus Quinn for Lynch (FT)
14: Jamie Power for Frost (75)
13: Sol Frost for Jennings (77)
Kilmaley:
1: Kieran Daniels
23: Colin Clancy
3: Evan O’Haire
18: Alex Rynne
6: Brian McNamara
7: Mikey Burke
20: Luke Griffin
7: Mikey Burke
9: Thomas McGuire
8: Dylan Keane-Hayes
22: Mikey Clancy
11: Diarmuid Cahill
10: Tomas Clancy
13: Joe Casey
15: Cian Neylon
Subs:
21: Emmet O’Brien for Rynne (34)
29: Colm Killeen for Clancy (39)
Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clonlara)
