Newmarket began their 2018 PIFC campaign with a 1-21 to 0-17 points victory over Na Piarsaigh after extra time. The game was played Sunday April 8th in Mallow.

Newmarket began brightest with early scores coming from TJ Bodie, Danny Culloty and Conor O’Keeffe. This showed no ill effects on the Na Piarsaigh team work and game plan and the city team lead by a point after 12 minutes. With some great defending from Donnacha Fitz & Aidan Browne and with the O’Keeffe cousins working hard inside Newmarket once again gained the advantage. With 25 minutes played TJ Bodie added another off the left and Newmarket lead on a score line of 0-10 to 0-06. Culloty added another, however Na Piarsaigh added two quick points just before the break, leaving the score board showing Newmarket 0-11, Na Piarsaigh 0-08 at half time.

Newmarket began the second half brightly with early frees scored by Conor O’Keeffe & Bart Daly putting Newmarket up by five points. Both sets of defenders took over and there was no score kicked from either side for a 14 minute spell. Na Piarsaigh kicked the next three points and only trailed Newmarket by two points with 5 minutes remaining. With Na Piarsaigh now dominating and minutes remaining, Brosnan kicked Newmarket back into a three point lead. However this wasn’t to be the end of the city side, who kicked three unanswered points to level the game with normal time up. The drama continued and Na Piarsaigh kicked a fine score to put them a point up deep into injury time. Newmarket took the kick out quickly and a long ball sent in from Aidan Browne resulted in a free being won by Conor O’Keeffe who then tapped it over confidently to leave the score-line showing Newmarket 0-15, Na Piarsaigh 0-15 after the final whistle. Extra time to follow.

Na Piarsaigh once again came out the traps flying and lead on a score-line of 0-17 points to 0-16 after the first period of extra time.

Substitute Mike Cottrell levelled the game at the start of second period of extra time. With substitutes Cottrell, O’Keeffe and Browne giving Newmarket that extra bit of energy. They began dominating proceedings kicking four unanswered points. Newmarket showed no let-up throughout this period and young Cathal Browne hit the Na Piarsaigh net with the final kick of the game. The final score showed Newmarket 1-21, Na Piarsaigh 0-17.

The Newmarket team and scorers…

Conor O’Keeffe (0-06, 3F), Daniel Culloty (0-05, 1F), Bart Daly (0-03, 1F 2x45s), Ryan O’Keeffe (0-03), Cathal Browne (1-00), TJ Bodie (0-02), TJ Brosnan (0-01) and Mike Cottrell (0-01).

Josh O'Keeffe
Paudie Allen		Aidan Browne		Donnacha Fitzpatrick
Paddy Browne		Alan Ryan		Bart Daly
	T. J. Brosnan		Kevin O'Sullivan
Tony O'Keeffe		Daniel Culloty		Donal Hannon
Ryan O'Keeffe		Conor O'Keeffe		T.J. Bodie
Subs: Mike Cottrell, Barry O'Connor, Cathal Browne, Gavin Forde, Darren O'Keeffe