A brave Newmarket were narrowly defeated by Castlemagner in the opening round of the Kanturk Credit Union Duhallow junior football championship in difficult conditions at Banteer on Sunday evening last.

Shane Murphy pointed a free in the sixth minute before Castlemagner tied proceedings two minutes later. Castlemagner edged in front before Seanie Francis O’Connor tied matters for a second time after twelve minutes. Two points gave Castlemagner the advantage again but a resolute Newmarket side responded through points from Shane Murphy and Seanie Francis O’Connor. Late in the half Castlemagner gained the interval lead with a fifth point to gain a slender advantage.

Newmarket got a major boost in the opening minute of the second half when John Scanlon delivered the ball into the square and Shane Murphy was on hand to finish to the net with a bullet of a shot. Castlemagner hit back with three unanswered points but Ian Flanagan tied the contest for a fourth time with little over ten minutes remaining. Colin O’Sullivan edged Newmarket in front but it was Castlemagner who finished the contest the much stronger point and four points in succession saw them run out victors in the end.

The Newmarket team was…

David Quinlan
Brendan Stack		John McSweeney		Donnacha O’Dea
Michael Kenneally		Mark Murphy		Anthony Crowley
	Robert Stack		Colin O’Sullivan (0-1)
Anthony Lynch		Seanie Francis O’Connor (0-2)		Jerry McCarthy
Kieran Lehane		Shane Murphy (1-2)		John Scanlon
SUBS: Matthew Fitzpatrick, Ian Flanagan, David Guiney, John Cronin, Donnacha Fitzpatrick.