Newmarket were denied agonisingly at the death of their hurling league contest at home to Kilbrin on Friday evening, falling just short by a solitary point, 3-10 to 1-15.

Kilbrin got off to a dream start and had the ball in the Newmarket net within a minute. Newmarket recovered well and three John Lane points, the latter two from free had the sides level by the sixth minute. Robert Stack gave Newmarket the lead for the first time but this was cancelled within a minute. The sides went on to exchange four points with John Lane and Tony O’Keeffe on target for Newmarket to leave the score at 0-6 to 1-3 after nineteen minutes. Newmarket who performed excellently throughout the opening half went on to produce a memorable ten minute spell of hurling for the remainder of the half. The prolific John Lane hit a brace of points before Shane Anthony Murphy and Shane Murphy found the target. The half concluded with further scores from John Lane and Robert Stack as Newmarket turned over in front by 0-12 to 1-3.

Kilbrin resumed strongly and had three points on the board within six minutes. Newmarket had the best possible response when the industrious Robert Stack created an opening and Shane Murphy found the net from close range. The sides exchanged points with Conor Cronin pointing from distance as Newmarket held a lead of 1-13 to 1-7 at the three quarter mark. Crucially, the next score went to Kilbrin courtesy of their second goal and this buoyed on their efforts as two quickfire points left just a solitary point the margin with ten minutes to play. Newmarket recovered and John Lane scored but this was answered by a Kilbrin score. As the game entered the dying moments Kilbrin struck for a third goal and despite a John Lane point with the last puck of the game, Kilbrin emerged with the spoils.

The Newmarket team was…

John Ryan
Donnacha Fitzpatrick		John Scanlon		John McSweeney
Michael Kenneally		Anthony Crowley		Conor Cronin (0-1)
	Barry O’Leary		Colin O’Sullivan
John Lane (0-9)		Shane Anthony Murphy (0-1)		Tony O’Keeffe (0-1)
Ian Flanagan		Shane Murphy (1-1)		Robert Stack (0-2)
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