Original Report: The Corkman, Saturday, September 19th, 1970.

By John Joe Brosnan.

Three in a row for Newmarket

NEWMARKET became the first team to win the Duhallow junior football championship three years in succession when they defeated Dromtariffe by 1-8 to 1-3 in a hard-fought final played before a very large attendance at Banteer on Sunday. They led at the interval by 0-6 to 0-1.

It was a game that was interesting without providing the ultimate in excitement, for Newmarket built up an intimidating six-point lead in the first quarter and never afterwards allowed their opponents to get nearer than four points of them. The goal that Dromtariffe so badly needed eluded them until the very last minute of the game, when it came too late to make any difference.

Newmarket played far craftier football than their opponents in the first half. They did not get many chances from a sound Dromtariffe defence, but turned every one of them to good account, a fact that was amply illustrated by the fact that they did not register a single wide during the half hour.

Dromtariffe, on the other hand, were casual in their shooting, taking numerous pot-shots from far out, all of which went wide of the target. They had chalked up nine wides before John Neville opened their account with a point from a free in the 27th minute.

The two outstanding players on view in the first half were the Daly brothers of Newmarket. Seanie Daly, a member of Cork s under 21 football selection, gave an impeccable display of fielding in the centre halfback position and his brother Billy, playing at midfield, scored five of the six points (three from frees). His accuracy with a slippery ball-the first free was at a very acute angle-was a tremendous asset to his team.

MAJOR TASK

It was obvious at half-time that Dromtariffe had a major task in hand, for they had played with the slight wind and were beaten for pace during much of the half hour. Their hopes rested mainly in the fact that they had improved considerably in the last ten minutes before the interval.

The second half saw this improvement maintained, so much so that Dromtariffe got the upper hand on the play shortly after the resumption and set Newmarket the task of defending their lead. But this they did with a tenacity that thwarted Dromtariffe time and again in their scoring efforts.

Mick Byrne came on the Dromtariffe team at half time and infused new life into his side with a point from a free within a minute’s play. This cut the margin to four points, but it was the backs rather than the forwards on both sides who gained the honours in the next sixteen minutes as the play swung up and down the field without a score being registered.

Dromtariffe were having slightly the better of matters through the field, but with Newmarket goalkeeper Jimmy Culloty in excellent form and the backs playing very soundly outside him the efforts to get through for the goal Dromtariffe badly needed repeatedly ended in failure.

Then, in the 47th minute, Newmarket stretched their lead to five points when Donal Burke pointed from an acute angle on the left wing. Two minutes later Dan Joe O’keeffe had a Dromtariffe point, but Burke sent over again for Newmarket in the 50th minute, and with five points to make up in ten minutes Dromtariffe’s hopes of victory were very remote.

They kept trying hard, however, and were on the attack in the 67th minute when a free kick sent Newmarket downfield. The ball reached Donal Burke, who sent a low shot goalwards. Full forward Ben Eardley doubled on it with his fist and it went to the net for the clinching score.

FIGHTING SPIRIT

Dromtariffe showed all their traditional fighting spirit in the last few minutes and forced a penalty, which Mick Byrnes netted. But by this time the game had been won and lost.

Newmarket played soundly through the field and owed their victory to a solid team effort, but one will be pardoned for mentioning the Daly brothers, Ted Feehan for an inspired display in defence, and Donal Burke, for his vital contributions in the second half, as worthy of special commendation.

In a very clean and sporting game the goalkeepers on both sides stood out. Dromtariffe’s keeper, John Murphy, fielded a greasy ball with great assurance and drew one of the biggest cheers of the day when he saved a penalty from Ben Eardly in the 12th minute. At the other end of the field Jimmy Culloty was in brilliant form for Newmarket.

The Dromtariffe backs as a whole defended stoutly and Connie Duggan had an outstanding second half when he moved out to midfield. The forwards tried hard all through but were never able to make much headway against the Newmarket backs. As a matter of fact they failed to score from play, the only score apart from frees coming from midfielder Dan Joe O’Keeffe.

The championship cup was presented to Billy Daly, the Newmarket Captain. by Mr. Frank Healy, Chairman of the Duhallow Board, who complimented both teams on a sporting display and wished Newmarket success in the county championship.

The match was played on 13th of September in Banteer, Final score was Newmarket 1-8 to Dromtariffe 1-3. The team on the day was as follows:

Jim Culloty
Tony Forde		Jerh Dowling		Ted Feehin
Jack Collins		Seanie Daly		Con Collins
	Neilus Collins		Billy Daly (0-5, Capt.)
Donal Burke (0-2)		T.D. Cronin		Jim Deasy
Donal O’Gorman (0-1)		Ben Eardley (1-0)		Michael Flanagan
Sub: Eddie O’Sullivan

Referee: Seanie Barrows, Tralee.