It was honours even on Sunday afternoon, with meeting of Newmarket and Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh in round two of the Bon Secours Senior A football championship.

Playing against a strong Kiskeam wind, it was the Muskerry side who faired best in the opening exchanges to lead 0-01 to 0-03 after ten minutes, with a Ryan O’Keeffe 45 resulting in Newmarket’s sole score. The Duhallow outfit dominated the next ten, registering six unanswered points through Conor O’Keeffe, Hugh O’Connor (2), Ryan O’Keeffe (2) and Donal Hannon, to create a four point advantage. Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh reduced the arrears on 24 minutes, with the effort cancelled out two minutes later by the boot of midfielder Cathal Browne. With regulation time complete, the gap was back to three through the concession of a free by Newmarket, but a late point from placed ball by Hugh O’Connor, ensured the Newmarket held a 0-09 to 0-05 at the break. Given the conditions and narrowly missing out on at least one goal, the Duhallow men would have hoped for a greater advantage heading to the dressing rooms at the break.

A Conor O’Keeffe free in the third minute of the second half briefly pushed the lead out to five but the Muskerry men were to level the contest soon after. A converted free was quickly followed up by a point from play. The resulting kickout was turned over by the attack and finished to the Newmarket net to level the tie, with the game barely restarted. Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh moved into the lead on 39 minutes, with a Hugh O’Connor free two minutes later bringing parity back to the sides. Ominously for Newmarket, the Muskerry side reeled off three points over the next six minutes, to put a goal between the sides, as the game entered the closing stages. A brace of Hugh O’Connor frees on 50 and 52 minutes reduced the difference to the minimum. O’Connor kicked his seventh point on 59 minutes, his sixth from placed ball to level the see-saw fixture. With both sides failing to convert closing stage chances, the game ended in a draw, 1-11 to 0-14, with neither side fully content with the outcome. Newmarket now move on to their final group game with Clyda Rovers, knowing a win or a draw will send them into the knockout stages of the championship. While Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh take on Kiskeam, hoping for a similar result.

The Newmarket team and scorers…

Hugh O’Connor (0-07, 6f), Ryan O’Keeffe (0-03, 1×45), Conor O’Keeffe (0-02, 1f), Cathal Browne (0-01), Donal Hannon (0-01).

Josh O'Keeffe
Mikey Browne		Gavin Forde		Paudie Allen
Aidan Browne		T. J. Brosnan		Bart Daly
	Mikey Cottrell		Cathal Browne
Darren O'Keeffe		Donal Hannon		Barry O'Connor
Conor O'Keeffe		Ryan O'Keeffe		Hugh O'Connor
Subs: Alan Ryan for Gavin Forde (40), Paddy Browne for Darren O'Keeffe (45), Kevin O'Sullivan for Conor O'Keeffe (52), John Ryan for Bart Daly (56)