Newmarket’s under 21 hurling team suffered a disappointing defeat against Meelin in the semi final of the Duhallow championship at Meelin on Sunday, the home side emerging easy winners by 0-18 to 0-5.

The early exchanges were tight and close on a perfect playing surface before Meelin registered the first score in the fifth minute and quickly followed with a second three minutes later. Newmarket got off the mark when their most potent forward, John Lane converted a free in the ninth minute. The sides then exchanged a brace of points with John Lane finding the target for Newmarket before a Meelin point gave them an advantage of 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter. Once more the sides traded points, again, John Lane finding the target for Newmarket. Meelin proved more clinical and sharper as the game developed and a burst of three points in as many minutes created a five point lead. Newmarket responded with T.J. Bodie neatly pointing after some good build up play and John Lane pointed another placed ball as the half entered the closing five minutes. Meelin ended the half by adding another point and they enjoyed a four point advantage, 0-9 to 0-5 at the turnover.

Meelin added a point within three minutes of the restart but in a tight third quarter both attacks were kept at bay, however once Meelin got the next point they cruised to victory in the final fifteen minutes as they added nine unanswered points in total during the second half while unfortunately for Newmarket they failed to add to their tally. Newmarket were put under intense pressure towards the end of the game but the defence did well, particularly goalkeeper John Ryan and Nicky Flanagan who were in fine form throughout.

The Newmarket team was…

John Ryan
David Kelly		John Scanlon		Nicky Flanagan
Brendan Stack		Niall O’Connor		T.J. Bodie (0-1)
	Kevin O’Sullivan		Conor Cronin
John Lane (0-4)		Robert Stack		Timothy Murphy
Ian Flanagan		Michael Kenneally		Bryan O’Connell
SUB: William O’Flynn