Newmarket bowed out of the Duhallow junior hurling championship following a second round defeat to Freemount by 2-17 to 1-8 at Kanturk on Friday evening.

It was a much improved showing from Newmarket following a very disappointing display against Castlemagner, five days previous, but they had to relent to a sharper more clinical Freemount side.

Freemount opened the scoring on converting a third minute free but Newmarket replied when Gavin Forde found the target from distance by similar means.

Heavy showers were a feature of the first half as Freemount regained the lead after a tenth minute free was fired between the posts. Newmarket battled well but were hit for a goal in the eleventh minute as Freemount established a platform. A third Freemount point gave them a lead of 1-3 to 0-1 midway through the half.

Donal Hannon added a second Newmarket point as the side were led by towering displays from Padraig Allen and Pa O’Brien.

Donal Hannon scored his second point as the sides traded points but Newmarket were hit by a more potent Freemount attack with a second sucker punch goal in the twenty second minute which was drilled unstoppably to the roof of the Newmarket net. Despite playing their part, Newmarket were suddenly adrift by 2-6 to 0-3 which was a harsh reflection on the overall complexion of the game.

The impressive Michael Kenneally finished a brilliant solo run by narrowly grazing the crossbar and Barry O’Connor also pointed from play but Freemount answered both with similar points and they led by 2-8 to 0-5 at the half time whistle.

Freemount improved their position with the first two points of the second half but Newmarket improved with substitute Kevin O’Sullivan a key figure, evident from a brilliantly taken point, ten minutes into the half.

Chances were created but went abegging before a speculative long distance effort from Donal Hannon somehow ended in the back of the net. A long range free from Donal Hannon brought Newmarket right back into contention, as the score read 2-10 to 1-7 by the end of the third quarter. Freemount withstood the comeback as Newmarket hurled well throughout the pitch but lacked the potency and accuracy to make further inroads into the lead.

Freemount added the next two points to stem the tide but Kevin O’Sullivan had another excellent effort on target for his second point. Freemount finished much better and a flurry of points enhanced their position as they progressed to the latter stages of the championship while also gaining revenge for last years reversal.

The Newmarket team and scorers…

Donal Hannon (1-3), Kevin O’Sullivan (0-2), Gavin Forde (0-1), Barry O’Connor (0-1), Michael Kenneally (0-1)

Shane McAuliffe
Ian Flanagan		Robert Stack		Paudie Allen
Gavin Forde		Brendan Stack		Alan Ryan
	Pa O’Brien		John Ryan
Jacko Flaherty		Barry O'Connor		Shane Murphy
Nicky Flanagan		Michael Kenneally		Donal Hannon
Subs: Kevin O’Sullivan, John Scanlon