*Éanna Crimmins raided for both of Newmarket-on-Fergus’ goals. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Newmarket-on-Fergus snatched the whip hand in Group 3 after finally holding off obstinate neighbours Clooney-Quin on Saturday afternoon.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-16
Clooney/Quin 0-19
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
A blistering start with the aid of the strong conditions in including a brace of timely Éanna Crim-mins goals at either end of the half catapulted Newmarket into a ten point cushion at 2-9 to 0-5 by the 28th minute. And despite an inevitably Clooney-Quin backlash, a straight red card for tal-isman Peter Duggan saw the Blues carve out a seven point advantage by the 58th minute.
However, with seven minutes of additional time to come, Clooney-Quin admirably never panicked and led by Jack O’Neill, a five point unanswered blitz ensured an anxious finish.
Fittingly however, chief marksman Peter Power fired the last point to maintain Newmarket’s per-fect start to the championship and put themselves within touching distance of the quarter-finals ahead of their final round showdown against Wolfe Tones.
Power, two goal hero Crimmins and the experience of Colin Ryan and Mikey McInerney were cru-cial factors in Newmarket’s victory as was Niall O’Connor’s switch to centre-back to try and curb 2018 All-Star Peter Duggan after Enda Barrett had to retire after only ten minutes.
By then however, the Blues were in complete control, having outscored their neighbours by 1-8 to 0-2 by the start of the second quarter. The goal kickstarted Newmarket’s challenge as it came in fortuitous circumstances when Eanna Crimmins shot for a point dropped short, with the bounce deceiving goalkeeper Cathal Hannon to end up in the net at 1-3 to 0-2.
Suddenly everything Newmarket hit sailed over the bar including a 50 metre lineball from Colin Ryan and an inspirational point from the left wing for Barrett’s replacement James Freeman on his senior debut.
To their credit, Clooney-Quin did rally against the conditions with Peter Duggan unlucky to see a goal chance from an interception just clear the crossbar before warring over a free to cut the def-icit to six by the 27th minute.
However, any hope of holding their gale-assisted neighbours evaporated when a slick move end-ed with Eanna Crimmins racing through from 45 metres to fins the net for the second time on their way to a 2-9 to 0-7 interval cushion.
Six pf the first eight points of the new half including a brilliant brace from centre-back John Con-neally’s driving runs did lower the arrears to just four entering the final quarter.
However, the dismissal of Duggan for his over-exuberant retrieval of his hurley from Colin Guilfoyle was sandwiched by three Newmarket points for Colin Ryan, Eoin Guilfoyle and Mikey McInerney to restore a seven point cushion at 2-14 to 0-13 by the 54th minute.
14 man Clooney-Quin rallied superbly, despite seeing goal attempts for Dannan Fox and Jimmy Corry go abegging. Jack O’Neill stepped up with three singles as his side converted six of the next seven points in an extended additional time to raise the anxiety levels once more at 2-15 to 0-19.
A 67th minute point from Peter Power finally sealed a merited second win for the Blues who se-cured top spot in Group 3 with a game to spare. They will be joined in the business end by the winners of Clooney-Quin v Cratloe, with Tommy Corbett’s side set to be without influential county seniors Peter Duggan (suspension) and Ryan Taylor (injury) for that season-defining showdown.
Scorers for Newmarket-on-Fergus: Eanna Crimmins 2-1, Peter Power 0-6 (3f, 1’65), Colin Ryan 0-3 (1s/l), Eoin Guilfoyle 0-3, Mikey McInerney 0-2, James Freeman 0-1
Scorers for Clooney-Quin: Peter Duggan 0-7 (5f), Jack O’Neill 0-4 (3f), Jimmy Corry 0-3, John Conneally 0-2, Dannan Fox 0-1, John Cahill 0-1, Shane Harrison 0-1
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
18: Eoin Guilfoyle
14: Éanna Crimmins
13: Stephen Casey
11: Colin Ryan
10: Mikey McInerney
15: Peter Power
Subs
21: James Freeman for Barrett (10, inj)
12: John Feehily for Delaney (46)
20: Eoin Hayes for Lynch (46)
19: Liam Clancy for Casey (57)
Clooney/Quin
1: Cathal Hannon
4: Evan Maxted
3: Conor Grogan
2: John Cahill
5: Darragh Keogh
6: John Conneally
7: Mike McNamara
8: Jimmy Corry
9: Donagh O’Sullivan
10: Eoghan O’Brien
11: Peter Duggan
12: Jack O’Neill
13: Dannan Fox
14: Sam Scanlan
15: Shane Harrison
Subs
18: Cillian Duggan for O’Brien (27)
21: Dylan Cunningham for Scanlan (46)
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
