Tullylease swept past the challenge of Newmarket with a well deserved victory by 1-13 to 1-8, in the first round of the Kanturk CoOp Mart Duhallow Junior Hurling Championship game played in warm conditions at Kilbrin on Sunday afternoon.
In doing so, Tullylease avenged defeat in the divisional league final played between the sides, two weeks previously.

Tullylease laid a marker on pointing within thirty seconds of the throw in. Donal Hannon levelled the scores on converting a second minute free. Tullylease added a second point but again Donal Hannon answered with a pointed free. Tony O’Keeffe did well on creating and scoring a point to give Newmarket the lead on ten minutes but a Tullylease point tied the sides for a third time. Ian Flanagan pointed from distance following some good play by John Lane but Tullylease turned the balance of the contest on hitting home an eighteenth minute goal. Newmarket recovered as Donal Hannon hit an inspirational point from a sideline cut before John Scanlon restored parity with an excellent point on twenty one minutes. Tullylease edged in front once more but Newmarket were on level terms as Kevin O’Sullivan found the target with a sublime point from close on the sideline. Tullylease ended the half in the ascendency as three points in succession gave them a lead of 1-7 to 0-7 at the half time whistle.

As in the first half, Tullylease registered a point within a minute of the restart. They strengthened their position with two further points. The half developed into a mundane affair with Tullylease in control and dominating several key positions on the pitch. The Newmarket defence found themselves under increasing pressure, but throughout the hour, the full back line of Jack Guiney, Robert Stack and Padraig Allen performed well and gave prominent displays. Fourteen minutes elapsed without a score, and when the barren spell ended, it was Newmarket substitute Tadgh Ryan who produced a quality point. This unfortunately was a rare highlight for Newmarket as Tullylease added the next three points to take an eight point lead. Newmarket did register a goal, late in the game as Donal Hannon somehow found the net from a free past a crowd of players with a screamer of a shot. This merely put a better complexion on the scoreboard as Tullylease progressed, leaving Newmarket to face the prospect of a second round game to keep their championship season alive.

The Newmarket team and scorers…
Donal Hannon (1-3), Ian Flanagan (0-1), Kevin O’Sullivan (0-1), John Scanlon (0-1), Tony O’Keeffe (0-1), Tadgh Ryan (0-1).

Shane McAuliffe
Jack Guiney		Robert Stack		Paudie Allen
Gavin Forde		John Ryan		Alan Ryan
	Ian Flanagan		Pa O’Brien
Jacko Flaherty		Kevin O'Sullivan		John Scanlon
Donal Hannon		Tony O'Keeffe		John Lane
Subs: Barry O’Connor, Tadgh Ryan, Jamie Hayes, Eddie Allen.