Newmarket played host to Millstreet in the junior B hurling league on Monday evening and it was the visitors that claimed the points at the end of the hour, emerging the right side of a 2-9 to 2-4 final scoreline.

Donnacha O’Dea had the first point of the evening on pointing a second minute free but the lead was shortly held as Millstreet found the net for a fourth minute goal. Millstreet increased their lead with a point but Newmarket struck back with a superbly worked goal in the seventh minute. John Scanlon burst through the Millstreet defence and laid the ball off into the path of Billy Daly and he finished to the net with a well struck shot to the corner of the net to tie the sides. Millstreet had a second goal and the score after an end to end opening ten minutes read, 2-1 to 1-1. David Enright struck an excellent long range free and another fine score from John Scanlon reduced the arrears to a solitary point after the opening quarter.

As the game progressed Millstreet gradually assumed the ascendancy and were more accurate in front of goal. Despite a resilient Newmarket defensive display, Millstreet had five points without reply in the remainder of the half and they turned around in front at half time by 2-6 to 1-3.

Newmarket tried with great endeavour throughout the second half but despite concerted effort and periods of territorial dominance, unfortunately scoring proved to be a major burden. It took fifteen minutes for the first score of the half to be registered and when it arrived, Milllstreet followed it up with a second, two minutes later. Newmarket were given a lifeline when Billy Daly kicked to the net for his second goal as the score read 2-8 to 2-3 with thirteen minutes remaining. However, both defences held firm for the remainder of the game as the sides shared two further points, Bryan O’Connell on target for Newmarket in the closing moments.

The Newmarket team was…

Kieran Hayes
William O’Flynn		Brendan Stack		Michael O’Leary
David Enright (0-1)		Robert Stack		Jack Birtley
	Bryan O’Connell (0-1)		Donnacha O’Dea (0-1)
Vinny Molloy		John Scanlon (0-1)		Donnacha Fitzpatrick
Nicky Barrett		Billy Daly (2-0)		Kieran Lehane
SUBS: Eddie Allen, Luke McCarthy