Footballers progress to the last four

Newmarket sealed a place in the semi finals of the Bon Secours Senior A football championship on Sunday afternoon, after a strong second half performance against Clyda Rovers.

Entering the fixture, the Duhallow side knew a draw was enough to qualify for the knockout stages, but they were also fully aware that a lost could easily result in an end to their campaign.

The season at stake, the first half proved to be a tense encounter, with neither side able to stamp their control on the contest. With thirteen minutes played the teams were tied at two points a piece, all scores coming from placed ball, with Hugh O’Connor providing Newmarket’s scores. It took another twelve minutes before the next point when Conor O’Keeffe put his side ahead through a close range free. Clyda responded with a free of their own two minutes into injury time to level up the game. Newmarket got their first score from play on the 35th minute with a well taken Darren O’Keeffe score. Indeed it could have been better moments later as Newmarket quickly turned over a Clyda kickout and with an eye on goal, Barry O’Connor’s shot flew just over the bar. As the half time whistle sounded, Newmarket held a 0-05 to 0-03 lead. While happy with the advantage, the side could look back on missed opportunities while being grateful to goalkeeper Josh O’Keeffe from preventing a certain goal during the period.

Conor O’Keeffe opened the scoring after the break, with Clyda cancelling out the effort moments later. Ryan O’Keeffe converted a free from distance on 36 minutes, with Mikey Cottrell putting four between the sides on 41 minutes. Newmarket pushed further ahead a minute later when Cathal Browne added to the total. The resulting misplaced kickout was collected by a quick thinking Barry O’Connor, who coolly finished to the open net. The sides traded scores entering the last ten, with Ryan O’Keeffe on target for Newmarket. A second point from Barry O’Connor on 51 minutes put his side nine points up and looking good to see out the tie. The Avondhu side rallied in the closing stages, scoring three points without reply, to trail by six with normal time almost up. A Hugh O’Connor free on 59 minutes settled the nerves of the Newmarket supports, with Barry O’Connor rounding off his fine total for the day with a point from play three minutes later. Clyda reduced the arrears to seven on 63 minutes, but closing points from Mikey Cottrell and Hugh O’Connor confirmed Newmarket’s strong 1-15 to 0-09 win, in the challenging heat at the Banteer venue.

With two wins and a draw, Newmarket topped group B and enter the semi-final stage of the competition. Their opposition will be determined on the weekend of the 23rd of September when quarter-finalists Kanturk, Newcestown, Knocknagree and Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh do battle, with the aim of joining Dohenys and Newmarket in the last four.

The Newmarket team and scorers…

Barry O’Connor (1-03), Hugh O’Connor (0-04, 3f), Conor O’Keeffe (0-02, 1f), Ryan O’Keeffe (0-02, 1f), Mikey Cottrell (0-02), Cathal Browne (0-01), Darren O’Keeffe (0-01).


Josh O'Keeffe

Mikey Browne		Alan Ryan		Paudie Allen

Aidan Browne		T. J. Brosnan		Paddy Browne

	Mikey Cottrell		Cathal Browne

Darren O'Keeffe		Donal Hannon		Barry O'Connor

Conor O'Keeffe		Ryan O'Keeffe		Hugh O'Connor
Subs: Gavin Forde for TJ Brosnan (51), Tim Murphy for Cathal Browne (51), Daniel Norton for Paddy Browne (58), John Ryan for Darren O'Keeffe (58), Dave Cottrell for Mikey Cottrell (65).