An outstanding all round team performance in the opening quarter enabled Newmarket to set a commanding platform for victory in the fourth round of the Evening Echo Premier Intermediate Football Championship by 0-13 to 0-6 over Ballinora at Macroom on Sunday and thus progress to a quarter final date for the first time in three years.

Ballinora registered the first score of the game on pointing a close in free in the second minute but Newmarket’s response was swift with Nicky Flanagan putting the sides on terms by similar means in the fourth minute. Newmarket proceeded to dominate in every sector of the field with Colin O’Sullivan, Mark Reidy and T.J. Bodie to the fore as they took control around the middle of the field.

It was T.J. Bodie who provided the finishing touches to some fine build up play with a well kicked point in the fifth minute and the alert Nicky Flanagan snapped over a point on reacting to an error in the Ballinora defence. In one of several forays into the attack Mark Reidy was on hand to kick Newmarket’s fourth point in the seventh minute. The relentless pressure was maintained as T.J. Bodie, Kevin O’Sullivan and Nicky Flanagan added to an impressive tally of seven points within the first twelve minutes of the contest.

Ballinora had their second point in the thirteenth minute but Newmarket were not to be deterred as they commanded virtually every sector of the pitch. They enhanced their position with further points towards the end of the half as the prolific Nicky Flanagan added two points, one from a free and the second a spectacular score from distance as Newmarket went into the interval with a well deserved lead of 0-9 to 0-2.

A far more mundane affair developed as the second half unfolded. Nicky Flanagan added to his tally in the fifth minute of the half but in contrast to the opening half, this proved to be the only score in a fifteen minute spell. Ballinora ended the scoreless period with two points in as many minutes but Kevin O’Sullivan restored a seven point advantage when kicking a fine point from a difficult angle. The game became sloppy as frequent showers of rain took its toll and several stoppages resulted. The introduction of Bart Daly and T.J. Brosnan added impetus to Newmarket and despite conceding the next two points they completed the game in the ascendancy again. Nicky Flanagan and the industrious John Lane added to the scoreboard as Newmarket closed out a fine and convincing victory.

The Newmarket team and scorers…

Nicky Flanagan (0-7),Kevin O’Sullivan (0-2), T.J. Bodie (0-2), Mark Reidy (0-1), John Lane (0-1).

David Quinlan
Sean Doody		Denys O'Brien		Brian O’Riordan
Barry O'Leary		Timothy Murphy		John Ryan
	Mark Reidy		Colin O'Sullivan
David O’Flynn		Kevin O'Sullivan		Tony O'Keeffe
T.J. Bodie		Nicky Flanagan		John Lane
Subs: Bart Daly, T.J. Brosnan