The Newmarket footballers bowed out of the Senior A championship on Saturday afternoon at Cork GAA’s headquarters, after a tight contest against Newcestown.

With a place in the title decider at stake, it was Conor O’Keeffe who opening the scoring, with a free kick after two minutes. The sides were level again on four minutes, with Newmarket replying through O’Keeffe, again from a placed ball, at the 10 minute mark. The Duhallow side got their first point from play through Hugh O’Connor moments later and led 0-03 to 0-02 at the quarter hour. The Carbery men found the leveller on soon after but a burst of scores from Conor and Darren O’Keeffe put two between the sides, entering the last ten minutes of the half. The teams trades points in the closing stages, with Darren O’Keeffe and captain TJ Brosnan finishing opportunities well, to give their side a narrow 0-07 to 0-05 advantage at the break.

The gap was out to three on the resumption, with Barry O’Connor opening his account. Scores proved harder to come by for much of the period, with both sides having goal opportunities that neither could convert. A Newcestown brace after 43 minutes reduced the arrears to just one, with Ryan O’Keeffe scoring under pressure at the three quarter mark. Another pair of points from the Carbery side levelled up the contest entering the last ten minutes and crucially, the Newcestown outfit took the lead for the first time on 53 minutes, pushing it to a two point game moments later. Newmarket replied quickly through Ryan O’Keeffe and went searching for the equalising score, but it was Newcestown who found what would be the insurance point on 63 minutes. In the closing stages the Duhallow men advanced into the Newcestown area hunting for a winning goal but they were halted by the referee’s sharp whistle, to indicate full time.

While the result was not what was hoped for, the Newmarket players and mentors can look back in time on a very successful year, with fourteen matches played, comprising of two narrow losses, one draw and eleven wins. Along with those results came a well earned League 4 title and top four finish in the Senior A championship.

The Newmarket team and scorers…

Conor O’Keeffe (0-03, 3f), Darren O’Keeffe (0-02), Ryan O’Keeffe (0-02), TJ Brosnan (c) (0-01), Barry O’Connor (0-01), Hugh O’Connor (0-01)

Josh O'Keeffe
Mikey Browne		Alan Ryan		Paudie Allen
Aidan Browne		T. J. Brosnan		Paddy Browne
	Mikey Cottrell		Cathal Browne
Darren O'Keeffe		Donal Hannon		Barry O'Connor
Conor O'Keeffe		Ryan O'Keeffe		Hugh O'Connor
Subs: Kevin Sullivan for Darren O'Keeffe (35, inj), Bart Daly for TJ Brosnan (57), Tim Murphy for Cathal Browne (57), Gavin Forde for Paddy Browne (60), Daniel Culloty for Barry O'Connor (61)