Newmarket maintained their winning start to their Ducon Cup Division 2 campaign when they recorded a second successive victory at home to Ballydesmond on Sunday when emerging winners in a game played in perfect sunny conditions by 1-12 to 1-6.

Newmarket proved clinical from frees in the opening quarter, Shane Murphy slotted over two points within five minutes before Kevin O’Connor landed a huge effort from near the sideline in the fourteenth minute. A fourth point followed courtesy of the accuracy of Shane Murphy again, as Newmarket enjoyed the better of the possession. Things got even better for Newmarket when debutant substitute, T.J. Brosnan raced through the Ballydesmond defence before confidently clipping the ball over the bar. A free flowing Newmarket were solid in defence with David Guiney, John Scanlon and Kevin O’Sullivan launching several attacks for the home side. Nicky Flanagan and Shane Murphy further increased the advantage before Anthony Crowley surged forward to kick an excellent eighth point for Newmarket in the twenty third minute.

Ballydesmond responded with two well taken points from distance but Newmarket concluded a half of supremacy in the best possible fashion, with Ian Flanagan playing a sublime defence splitting pass into the path of the on rushing Kevin O’Connor who kept his composure and finished clinically to the back of the net which left the score, 1-8 to 0-2 in Newmarket’s favour at the turnover.

Newmarket however, were lethargic for long periods of the second half and failed to build on their first half display. The defence proved resolute as Ballydesmond slowly clipped away at the lead and they cut the deficit on scoring three points without reply in the third quarter. Newmarket eventually regained their composure on Shane Murphy finding the target and the influential Kevin O’Sullivan followed up with a well executed free, which restored an eight point lead with little over ten minutes remaining. Ballydesmond replied with a goal but Newmarket kept their composure for the remainder of the game as the sides exchanged points, Shane Murphy first on target for Newmarket. The contest concluded with Kevin O’Connor adding an insurance point for the home side as Newmarket claimed the points on offer.

The Newmarket team was…

David Quinlan
John Scanlon		Mark Murphy		David Guiney
Anthony Crowley (0-1)		Kevin O’Sullivan (0-1)		Sean Doody
	Robert Stack		Timothy Murphy
Nicky Flanagan (0-1)		Colin O’Sullivan		Kevin O’Connor (1-2)
Ian Flanagan		Shane Murphy (0-6)		Donnacha Fitzpatrick
SUBS: T.J. Brosnan (0-1), John McSweeney, Anthony Lynch, Michael O’Leary, Michael Kenneally