Newmarket’s intermediate footballers recorded a fine victory when they defeated near neighbours Kiskeam by 1-13 to 1-10 in the first round of the Evening Echo Premier Intermediate Football Championship played before a large attendance on a fine Spring day in Kanturk last Sunday.

Newmarket’s young side got off to the best possible start with John Lane kicking a superb point within the opening minute. Kiskeam gained parity from their first attack a minute later from a converted free. Newmarket, playing with the aid of a strong breeze, took the initiative in the third minute. Denys O’Brien began a move from midfield and Kevin O’Sullivan and John Lane were involved before Denys O’Brien surged forward and finished to the net with style from ten yards. John Ryan then converted a long range free. Kiskeam responded with two points to reduce the deficit, 1-2 to 0-3, at the end of the first quarter.

Newmarket were impressive when they swept forward and Bart Daly ended another slick move with an excellent point from distance. Kiskeam were next to score and a pivotal moment in the game came in the twenty first minute, when Kiskeam were awarded what can only be described as a very dubious penalty. Undeterred, debutant Newmarket goalkeeper Niall O’Connor produced a wonderful save from the resulting kick and a buoyed Newmarket surged forward with team captain David O’Flynn on hand to slot over another fine point and leave Newmarket in front by 1-4 to 0-4. Newmarket took control of this phase of the game and a free flowing forward line answered with points through John Lane, David O’Flynn and Bart Daly. Kiskeam completed the scoring in the first half with a point but Newmarket turned over in front by 1-7 to 0-5.

Kiskeam had a point within the first minute of the restart as the expected Kiskeam comeback materialised. Another debutant John Ryan coolly converted a free to restore Newmarket’s advantage. Two frees brought Kiskeam to within a goal at the end of the third quarter. John Lane then scored his third point of the game but within a minute the game took a significant twist when Kiskeam made the most of some hesitant Newmarket defending and pounced to score a goal and leave just the minimum between the sides, 1-9 to 1-8 with little over ten minutes remaining.

Newmarket maintained their composure and enjoyed numerical advantage for the rest of the game. John Ryan neatly pointed to edge Newmarket further in front and a minute later his quick thinking from a free set up an unmarked Denys O’Brien to punch another point. The game entered injury time but still had a number of minutes remaining with Kiskeam next to score. Newmarket played cleverly when in possession and a fine interception from Kevin O’Sullivan set up Tony O’Keeffe and he pointed without hesitancy from twenty yards out. Kiskeam surged forward to salvage a result and again narrowed the margin to two points but a determined Newmarket outfit were not to be denied and fittingly experienced midfielder Denys O’Brien, who epitomised the team spirit, once more got forward to score the final point of the contest and leave Newmarket victors by 1-13 to 1-10.

It was a fine victory for a youthful, resourceful Newmarket side that contained six players who made their debut at this level of championship football and all performed admirably together with the rest of the team, they produced a fine all round team display as they maintained a lead from the third minute of the game It was Newmarket’s first championship victory for three years and they can now look forward to the third round in June.

The Newmarket team was…

Niall O’Connor
Pa O’Brien		John McSweeney		Mark Murphy
Sean Doody		Barry O’Leary		Mark Reidy
	Denys O’Brien (1-2)		Timothy Murphy
David O’Flynn (0-2)		Bart Daly (0-2)		Kevin O’Sullivan
John Ryan (0-3)		Tony O’Keeffe (0-1)		John Lane (0-3)
SUBS: Conor Cronin, Maurice Feehan