The five week wait is almost over and the build up has reached fever pitch as the Newmarket team take their place in the County Premier Intermediate Football Championship Final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday next at 2pm.

A long season of training and games which commenced with a league visit to Mayfield on February 20th will culminate on the biggest date in the Cork County football calendar in the home of Cork GAA.

It is the club’s second time in reaching a County Intermediate Football Final having previously contested the 2002 final on September 15th at Macroom where they had to settle as runners up to Nemo Rangers on a scoreline of 2-9 to 0-10. There are four members of today’s team that lined out on that occasion, team captain Barry O’Leary (also captain in 2002), Denys O’Brien, David O’Flynn and Tony O’Keeffe. Team coach Danny Culloty was also a member of that team while fellow selector Donal O’Sullivan was also in the squad.

The Newmarket team on that occasion was James Morgan, Dermot O’Reilly, Dan Murphy, Dermot Moynihan, Barry O’Leary (captain), John McSweeney, John Fitzpatrick, Jerry McCarthy (0-1), Denys O’Brien (0-1), Mark O’Sullivan (0-5), Michael Cottrell (0-1), David O’Flynn, Tony O’Keeffe (0-1), Danny Culloty, Seanie Francis O’Connor (0-1). SUBS: Michael O’Keeffe, Gerard Sheahan, John Cronin, James Cashman.

Newmarket have also contested four county finals at junior level in 1927, 1950, 1970 and 1998, emerging victorious on the latter two occasions. Many of the present squad were members of the minor football team that contested county championship and league finals in 2005, claiming the county league final and also made the county under 21 football championship final of 2008 on September 28th against St. Finbarrs at Pairc Ui Rinn.

Newmarket and final opponents Clyda Rovers met in the championship last season, in a second round contest played at Banteer on June 19th, which ended in favour of Clyda by 0-14 to 1-8 ( half time 0-6 to 0-4).

The Newmarket lineout on that night was Niall O’Connor, Kevin O’Connor, Mark Murphy, Brian O’Riordan, Barry O’Leary, Timothy Murphy, Sean Doody, Denys O’Brien, Bart Daly (0-2), David O’Flynn (0-1), Maurice Feehan, Mark Reidy (1-0), John Ryan (0-4), Tony O’Keeffe, John Lane (0-1). SUBS: Kevin O’Sullivan, T.J. Bodie, Seanie Francis O’Sullivan, Colin O’Sullivan,  Anthony Crowley.

The sides most recent encounter was a league game played in Newmarket on July 24th, which ended all square, 0-14 to 2-8 ( half time 0-8 to 2-5).

The Newmarket team on that occasion was David Quinlan, Sean Doody, Denys O’Brien, Brian O’Riordan, Barry O’Leary, Timothy Murphy, John Ryan, Colin O’Sullivan, Gerard Casey, Tony O’Keeffe (0-1), Kevin O’Sullivan (0-1), David O’Flynn, John Lane (0-3), Nicky Flanagan (0-2), T.J. Bodie (0-7). SUBS: Bart Daly, Mark Reidy, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Kevin O’Connor, Michael O’Leary.

Admission fees to the County Finals are: Covered Stand €20, Uncovered Stand and Terrace €18, Students/OAPs €10, Under 16s – Free Admission.