Newmarket were defeated by Freemount in the Duhallow Junior B hurling league final by 2-13 to 3-7 at Meelin on Saturday afternoon.

Freemount playing with the aid of the breeze got off to an ideal start when pointing in the first minute. As the teams settled into the contest it was Freemount who were the more clinical and they reeled off four points in as many minutes. They confirmed their dominance with the opening goal of the game in the fifteenth minute. Newmarket needed a swift response and they hit back with the perfect reply when team captain Shane Murphy surged down on goal and kicked the ball to the roof of the Freemount net. The sides traded points as Newmarket’s most effective forward Shane Murphy pointed superbly from way out on the sideline. Freemount were potent in front of goal and three unanswered points gave them a commanding lead, 1-9 to 1-1 at the halfway mark.

Freemount increased their lead within seconds of the resumption before Shane Murphy scored a Newmarket point. The sides then swapped points with the outstanding Conor Cronin converting a long range free. Freemount appeared to take the contest beyond doubt when a second goal ten minutes into the second half gave them an advantage of eleven points. Newmarket failed to relent the contest and led by the outstanding contributions of Brendan Stack and Conor Cronin, the team rallied to the end. Conor Cronin’s free from distance found the back of the net and the score read 2-11 to 2-3 going into the final quarter. Donnacha O’Dea hit a fine point but Newmarket found it difficult throughout to make inroads into the Freemount lead despite ample opportunities. Typically, Freemount replied with a point but Newmarket were in the ascendancy and points from Conor Cronin and two from Shane Murphy reduced the deficit to six points as the game entered the final five minutes. Freemount added the next score yet Newmarket piled on the pressure. With the game well into injury time Colin O’Sullivan found the net for a third Newmarket goal with a bullet of a shot. In a last attempt to get on level terms Newmarket fell short and Freemount held on to claim a three point victory.

It was no doubt a disappointing conclusion to the year for a gallant Newmarket side, who produced a number of fine displays during the campaign but on the day they will look back on the fact they had fourteen wides in a game where they were chasing the result from the first quarter.

The Newmarket team was…

Kieran Hayes
William O’Flynn		John McSweeney		Donnacha Fitzpatrick
Michael Kenneally		Pa O’Brien		Brendan Stack
	Colin O’Sullivan (1-0)		Conor Cronin (1-2)
Timothy Murphy		Robert Stack		Donnacha O’Dea (0-1)
Bryan O’Connell		Shane Murphy (1-3)		Paul Verling
SUBS: Liam Murphy, Denis McCarthy, Billy Daly