This article is from page 105 of the 2009-04-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 105 JPG
NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS maintained their impressive run of form in the Clare Cup by proving too strong for Inagh Kilnamona on Saturday.
Leading by three points at half time, the Blues gradually eased away in the second half with their sharp- ness in front of goal ultimately prov- ing decisive.
Seanie Arthur bagged Newmarkets first goal before Martin O’Hanlon stormed through to put his side 2-5 to O-5 clear in the 37th minute.
After a solid first half performance, Inagh Kilnamona struggled in the second half. They slumped to a 12 point loss when Jamie Liddy goaled
late on for Newmarket.
The defeat, Inagh Kilnamona’s fourth in a row, leaves them anchored at the bottom of Division one and badly in need of a turn in fortunes.
With Clare playing a challenge in Ogonnelloe, throw-in in Newmar- ket was put back just over an hour as both sides awaited their return of their county representatives.
However the waiting could only go on so long and both sides started the game without their county players.
Not that that diluted the intensity of a keenly contested first half.
Shane O’Brien pointed in the fifth minute for the game’s opening score before Cathal Lafferty responded with a well-taken point for Inagh Kilnamona, two minutes later.
With Lafferty the focal point of the attack, Inagh Kilnamona settled into the game.
Dermot Gannon swapped frees with O’Brien before O’Hanlon edged Newmarket 0-3 0-2 ahead in the 15th minute.
Gannon pointed after a strong run through the middle of the Blue’ de- fence before converting a free in the 18th minute. Eoin Hayes landed per- haps the point of the afternoon with a powerful long-range strike in the 19th minute.
Inagh Kilnamona introduced Patrick Kelly in the 25th minute but the Clare goalkeeper’s first task was to pick the ball out of the net. O’ Hanlon chased down Collins’ free and did well to work the sliotar back
to the unmarked Seanie Arthur, yards from goal, who made no mistake, banging home in the 28th minute. Lafferty posted a point a minute later but Shane O’Brien’s free made it 1-5 to O-5 at the break for the Blues.
The second half developed with Newmarket looking more focused and more determined. Substitute Ger Arthur pointed for Inagh Kilnamona in the 36th minute but it didn’t take long for Newmarket to take over.
The rain was still bucketing down when Martin O’Hanlon charged through the middle before offloading to Arthur in the 37th minute. The sli- otar bounced back to the midfielder who finished high to the net.
The introduction of James MclIn- erney stiffened the blues defence as Inagh Kilnamona struggled to create chances.
O’Brien converted a free before James Liddy’s point made it 2-7 0-6 in the 42nd minute. Darren Duggan hoisted over another point in the 35th minute. Inagh Kilnamona hit back with a point from Conor Tierney but The Blues finished the game strongly with points from O’Brien and Mar- tin Murphy and a goal from Martin Murphy.