A typically sublime point from Newmarket man of the match T.J. Bodie, earned Newmarket’s under 21 footballers a draw, 1-9 to 2-6 against Fermoy in the Evening Echo County Under 21 football semi final played at Mallow’s state of the art GAA grounds on Saturday evening. Newmarket led for fifty minutes, from the fourth minute but were grateful to settle for a draw despite holding a five point lead at the interval.

Fermoy were quick off the blocks and pointed within seconds of the first whistle. Newmarket settled and impressed throughout the half when they attacked their opponents. In one of Newmarket’s first attacks, John Lane placed a pass to full forward John Scanlon and he was upended in the square for a Newmarket penalty in the fourth minute. Brian O’Riordan duly stepped up from his full back position and his effort hit the net despite a good effort from the Fermoy goalkeeper. Newmarket gained in confidence and John Ryan slotted over a sixth minute free.

At the other end Fermoy failed to convert a number of chances and this was due in no small measure to an outstanding effort by Newmarket’s defence. T.J. Bodie kicked his first point in the fourteenth minute with John Scanlon adding another in quick succession. John Lane converted a free before the free flowing T.J. Bodie kicked another memorable effort for a potent Newmarket attack which gave them a lead of 1-5 to 0-1 after twenty minutes. Fermoy eventually breached the Newmarket defence late in the half and they struck for an important goal bringing to an end a period of twenty eight minutes without a score. Newmarket did get forward again and once more T.J. Bodie was on hand to kick over another point and an impressive Newmarket turned over in front by 1-6 to 1-1, without having a single wide in the opening half.

Fermoy resumed with a point within two minutes and Newmarket withstood a period of Fermoy pressure before Bart Daly responded for Newmarket eleven minutes into the half when he kicked a superb point from a long distance free.

Towards the end of the third quarter Fermoy hit a purple patch and hit three points in quick succession cut the deficit to two points, 1-7 to 1-5. Once more Bart Daly stepped forward and converted another terrific dead ball from distance for a much needed Newmarket score. Fermoy responded with a point and inevitably they scored a critical second goal six minutes from time to regain the lead. Newmarket responded to this setback in typical fashion and buoyed on by the performances of Conor Cronin and Nicky Flanagan in the second half they managed to overcome a frustrating half hour when T.J. Bodie landed his fourth point of the evening and tie the sides for the first and only time during the game. Proceedings came to an end shortly afterwards and both sides will have to renew acquaintances again to see who will advance to the ultimate prize.

The Newmarket team was…

Niall O’Connor
Paul Cashman		Brian O’Riordan (1-0)		Brendan Stack
Conor Cronin		Bart Daly (0-2)		Robert Stack
	Kevin O’Sullivan		Timothy Murphy
John Ryan (0-1)		T.J. Bodie (0-4)		Nicky Flanagan
John Lane (0-1)		John Scanlon (0-1)		Ian Flanagan
SUBS: