This article is from page 85 of the 2011-11-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 85 JPG
Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-18 – Kilmaley 0-09 at Clarecastle
MOMENTUM was undoubtedly the deciding factor for Newmarket as they emphatically maintained their late season push for honours. With a Senior B title already in the bag, the hunt for a first Clare Cup title in 37 years take precedence as the Blues bid to finish the year on a high and add to the Junior A and C adult crowns.
They were unquestionably the more sharper side on display on Saturday following their successful Senior B campaign to put a ringrusty Kilmaley to the sword without little fuss. Kilmaley’s pre-Halloween nightmare was fueled by their contrasting inactivity over the past five weeks since their disappointing exit from the championship at the quarterfinal stage. It dictated a slow start against the conditions for Kilmaley who found themselves ten points in arrears before they finally found the target in the 19th minute.
Newmarket’s well-oiled machine hit the ground running from the outset, with David Barrett (5) and Colin Ryan (3) doing the bulk of the damage while there were also two inspitational long range points from centre-back James McInerney to lift their supporters.
Kilmaley craved a spark and by bringing back full-forward’s Colin Lynch and Niall McGuane around the centre, they finally got a foothold in the game. Ken Kennedy (2) and Diarmuid McMahon settled them with points, only to be put back on their heels when Colin Ryan converted four more of his own to give his side a 0-14 to 0-03 advantage deep into injury-time.
However, Kilmaley’s afternoon was turned on its head before the break when Diarmuid McMahon earned his side a penalty. Scoring it would have given them a much needed boost going in at half-time, with the wind to come but instead they were to suffer a double whammy as Daire Keane’s penalty went wide and in the resulting heated discourse, Diarmuid McMahon was dismissed for striking. No way back surely for Kilmaley but in truth, with Colin Lynch and Daire Keane to the fore, they refused to throw in the towel on the turnover. Both sides would only score six more times apiece in an increasingly dreary winter backdrop but decisively, two of Newmarket’s scores were goals for Colin Ryan and Sean O’Connor, a minute either side of the turn for the final quarter. Kilmaley earned a second penalty that was saved but there was never any doubt about the result that earned the Newmarket Blues a Clare Cup final place for the second consecutive year.