The playing season commenced with defeat for Newmarket’s junior footballers in the opening round of the Ducon Cup away to Boherbue on Sunday.

A youthful Newmarket side began brightly and Anthony Lynch slotted over a second minute point but the home side gained parity within two minutes. The lively Nicky Flanagan edged Newmarket in front for a second time but a brace of Boherbue points overturned the scales by the tenth minute. A keenly contested opening half developed and Nicky Flanagan scored two points to turn the fortunes in Newmarkets favour by the twentieth minute. Boherbue tied proceedings for a fourth time before the sides exchanged another two scores and yet again it was Nicky Flanagan who was on target for Newmarket. Newmarket’s cause was dealt a severe blow when the excellent Gerard Sheahan had to retire injured just before the interval before the game swung in Boherbue’s favour when they were awarded a penalty in the dying stages of the half. The penalty was duly converted and Boherbue went in at the end of an entertaining first half in front by 1-5 to 0-5.

Boherbue completely dominated after the restart with three early points added to their tally. Shane Anthony Murphy converted a free in the fifth minute but this proved to be Newmarket’s only score of the half. Another two points gave Boherbue a lead of 1-10 to 0-6 at the end of the third quarter and a second goal sealed the contest with little over ten minutes remaining. They ended the game by adding another goal and three points to leave Newmarket comprehensively defeated by the end. Newmarket were well served by a number of fine individual performances. Goalkeeper David Quinlan gave a very mature display on his debut while, Donnacha O’Dea, Anthony Crowley, Anthony Lynch and Nicky Flanagan also impressed as did the unfortunate Gerard Sheahan.

The Newmarket team was

David Quinlan
Brendan Stack		John McSweeney		Donnacha O’Dea
Michael Kenneally		Brian O’Riordan		Gerard Sheahan
	Timothy Murphy		Robert Stack
Maurice Feehan		Anthony Crowley		Anthony Lynch (0-1)
Nicky Flanagan (0-4)		Shane Murphy		Kieran Lehane
SUBS: Shane Anthony Murphy (0-1)