A heroic effort from Newmarket’s hurlers saw them narrowly defeated by Kilbrin in their second game in this years Duhallow championship by 2-15 to 2-13, after an entertaining game at Kanturk on Friday evening.

John Lane and Anthony Crowley slotted over early points before Kilbrin got off the mark. John Lane pointed next but Kilbrin struck for a goal in the eighth minute. The unnering John Lane hit over two points and Shane Anthony Murphy another as Newmarket gained parity on three different occasions, which left the score 0-6 to 1-3 after the opening quarter. Exchanges continued to be tight with John Lane and Shane Anthony Murphy ensuring scores were tied for a fifth time during the half. A Kilbrin point completed the scoring for the half and gave them a slender lead of 1-6 to 0-8 at the interval.

Kilbrin resumed with stunning effect and hit a goal and three points within seven minutes. Newmarket responded when a long distance Kevin O’Sullivan free found the back of the Kilbrin net. Bouyed on by this and despite a Kilbrin point, a fine piece of play involving Anthony Crowley and Donnacha O’Dea ended with Michael Kenneally making a superb catch and crashing the ball to the back of the net for a second goal. A Shane Anthony Murphy point left just the minimum of margins between the sides again. A couple of Kilbrin points left them in front by 2-12 to 2-9 at the end of the third quarter.

Kilbrin gained a four point lead but Kevin O’Sullivan and Shane Anthony Murphy quickly halved the deficit. Kilbrin restored their advantage but yet again Newmarket hit back through Shane Anthony Murphy and John Lane but ultimately time ran out on a terrific Newmarket effort.

John Ryan
William O’Flynn		John McSweeney		Gerard Sheahan
Kieran Hayes		Pa O’Brien		Nicky Flanagan
	Kevin O’Sullivan (1-1)		Anthony Crowley (0-1)
Maurice Feehan		Shane Anthony Murphy (0-5)		John Lane (0-6)
Donnacha O’Dea		Colin O’Sullivan		Michael Kenneally (1-0)
SUBS: Tony O’Keeffe