Newmarket’s minor footballers recorded a fine victory over Boherbue to claim the Duhallow Minor B football league title after a 2-13 to 0-9 win in the final played at Kiskeam on Saturday evening.

The early exchanges were tight before the first point arrived courtesy of a superbly converted free by the outstanding T.J. Brosnan in the fifth minute. Newmarket enjoyed the better of the possession at this stage but failed to capitalize on the scoreboard. Boherbue found an equalizer in the eighth minute but Newmarket kept their composure and set about their task by eventually converting good possession into scores.

The impressive Nicky Barrett clipped over a fine individual point in the thirteenth minute with Vinny Molloy converting a free three minutes later. Daniel Culloty pointed superbly from distance on the right hand side of the pitch before Vinny Molloy was on target again to give Newmarket a lead of 0-5 to 0-1 by the eighteenth minute, following an impressive period of play. Boherbue added their second point five minutes later but in their next venture forward, Newmarket’s excellent corner forward Gavin Forde kicked a point of the highest quality from the narrowest of angles to restore a four point lead. Boherbue responded with a third point but once more Newmarket replied in a positive manner with Timmy O’Keeffe on target. Boherbue had the final score of the half but Newmarket turned over with a three point advantage, 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval from a half in which they had seven wides, several from good scoring positions.

The second half began in whirlwind fashion, as from a dangerous delivery from T.J. Brosnan into the Boherbue goalmouth, Timmy O’Keeffe gathered possession and unleashed a bullet of a shot towards goal from which the Boherbue goalkeeper produced an incredible save. Moments later, T.J. Brosnan once more converted a superbly executed long range free from the ground for the half’s opening score. Newmarket were again playing impressively and fittingly Nicky Barrett had his second point in the sixth minute with a clinically taken score.

T.J. Brosnan orchestrated proceedings, while in defence Timmy O’Flynn excelled alongside his fellow defenders and in attack Newmarket’s forward line looked threatening throughout. Gavin Forde was in top form and he engineered a wonderful solo point by unleashing a spectacular effort to establish a six point lead, 0-10 to 0-4 by the eleventh minute of the half.

At this stage Boherbue stood up to the challenge and responded in style. In the next six minutes Boherbue dominated and three quickfire points halved the deficit as a gripping contest developed. With Boherbue in the ascendancy, Newmarket crucially hit back immediately. A well taken free found T.J. Brosnan in plenty of space and as he set off on yet another of his defence splitting solo runs he unleashed another splendidly executed point. For good measure moments later, T.J. Brosnan again found the target to stamp his authority on the game and re-establish a five point lead for Newmarket. Boherbue pointed next but once more T.J. Brosnan rewarded the endeavours of his team-mates with his fifth point of the contest. Boherbue pointed again and with little over five minutes remaining, four points separated the sides.

Newmarket eventually settled the contest in the closing minutes. Another dangerous delivery from T.J. Brosnan towards the Boherbue goalmouth resulted in a scramble but Vinny Molloy kept his composure to clip the ball to the net from close range to gain Newmarket a substantial lead. Boherbue poured forward in response but a resolute Newmarket defence held firm with goalkeeper David Quinlan producing a couple of excellent saves. As the contest came to a conclusion, Newmarket surged forward once more and when Timmy O’Keeffe gathered possession he unleashed an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net to seal a superb victory and the title by 2-13 to 0-9.

The triumph culminates a season of hard endeavours for a young a committed squad of players. In goal David Quinlan was an inspiring figure and his monstrous kick outs launched several Newmarket attacks. Timmy O’Flynn excelled with Jack Birtley and Paudie Allen prominent in a well marshalled full back line. David Enright and Eoin Murphy were to the fore in defence and also when driving forward, either side of the teams captain Michael O’Leary who led his team with another customary faultless display. T.J. Brosnan and Patrick Kelly were a formidable and commanding partnership at midfield that worked tirelessly throughout the pitch. The half forward line of Daniel Culloty, Timmy O’Keeffe and Vinny Molloy contributed greatly to both open play and crucially to the scoreboard. The inside forward line of  Gavin Forde, Luke McCarthy and Nicky Barrett were in formidable form and a constant threat throughout as they earned their own scores and also set up others to take their chances.

Congratulations to the teams very dedicated mentors, Peter Foley, Barry O’Leary, Sean Doody and Niall O’Connor on their great achievements and in moulding together a fine side during a long campaign. Team captain Michael O’Leary was presented with the cup after the game by Tony McAuliffe, Development Officer of the Duhallow Board, while the ever obliging Newmarket Pipe Band, to whom the club are ever so grateful, were on hand to lead the victorious squad on their arrival through Newmarket.

The Newmarket team was…

David Quinlan
Timmy O’Flynn		Jack Birtley		Paudie Allen
David Enright		Michael O’Leary (Captain)		Eoin Murphy
	T.J. Brosnan (0-5)		Patrick Kelly
Daniel Culloty (0-1)		Timmy O’Keeffe (1-1)		Vinny Molloy (1-2)
Gavin Forde (0-2)		Luke McCarthy		Nicky Barrett (0-2)
SUBS: Con McAuliffe, Alan Ryan, Jerry Murphy, Gavin Keane, Billy Lane