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*John Feehily in possession for Newmarket-on-Fergus keeping the sliotar from Adam Mungovan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
FOR THE second year in a row Newmarket-on-Fergus have survived a relegation play-off, once again overcoming St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield to secure their senior status for 2027.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-19
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-17
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
Fully deserving of their eight point victory over St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Newmarket-on-Fergus took control of the game in the last ten minutes of the opening half.
The sides had exchanged points five times in the opening eighteen minutes and everything in this period of the game suggested that it would be a really tight affair.
Then the game was turned on its head in the space of a minute as the Blues struck for two goals.
Colin Guilfoyle’s switch to full forward turned things in the winner’s favour and he struck for their first goal, Kicking the ball to the net having won possession from a long delivery.
From the resumption they won possession and Seán Arthur raced through and his daisy cutter from outside the 20m line flew low past Aaron Landy. Suddenly the winners were eight points clear and Doora/Barefield were, clearly, rattled.
They responded well and Graham Ball fired over a point before striking for a goal to bring the lead back to four with three minutes of the half remaining.
Points from the Power brothers, Michael and Peter saw the Blues go to the break with a six point advantage with the score at 2-10 to 1-7.
It was clear that the Doora/Barefield men needed a big start to the second half but it was Newmarket who struck. After the sides exchanged points, Newmarket hit 1-2 without reply.
Eoin Hayes, an Irish international demonstated his soccer skills when booting the sliotar to the top right corner of Aaron Landy’s net to put them 3-13 1-8 in front, leaving The Parish with a mountain to climb.
Arguably, they played some of their best hurling after this but they were guilty of a lot of bad wides. They outscored the winners 0-7 to 0-1 in the next twenty minutes to bring the margin back to five.
Newmarket regained the upperhand and they had the better of matters in the closing minutes, outscoring their opponents 0-5 to 0-2 to seal a merited win.
Peter Power and Seán Arthur led the way on the scoring front for the winners. Power hit 0-11, six from frees and one from a ‘65 while Arthur finished with 1-4 to his credit. Eoin Hayes and Colin Guilfoyle both caused a lot of problems for St. Joseph’s who had good performances from Eoin McMahon, Adam Mungovan, Graham Ball, Fionn Kelleher and substitute Cathal McMahon with Michael Nash firing three points from corner forward.
Scorers Newmarket-on-Fergus: Peter Power (0-9, 6f, 1’65), Seán Arthur (1-4, 0-1 SC); Colin Guilfoyle (1-1, 0-1f); Eoin Hayes (1-0); Michael Power (0-3), Liam O’Connor, John Feehily,
Scorers St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Eoin Burke (0-5, 3f); Graham Ball (1-1) Cathal McMahon (3 frees), Michael Nash (0-3) each; Oige Fanning (0-2), Eoin McMahon, Adam Mungovan, Darragh Ball (0-1) each
Newmarket-on-Fergus:
1: Adam Enright;
2: Stephen Casey,
3: Jack Enright,
4: Mark Delaney;
5: Shane Lynch,
6; Eanna Crimmins
7: Evan Crimmins;
8: Liam O’Connor,
9: Seán Arthur;
10: Colin Guilfoyle,
11: John Feehily
12: Dara McInerney
13: Michael Power
14: Eoin Hayes
15: Peter Power
Subs:
18: Damien Lyne for S. Lynch (39)
21: James Freeman for D. McInerney (50)
22: Conor McCarthy for Michael Power (52)
17: Páraic McMahon for E. Hayes (55)
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield:
1: Aaron Landy;
2: Conor Daly,
3: Paddy Nagle,
4: Mark O’Connor;
18: Francie Meaney
6: Eoin McMahon
7: Fionn Kelleher;
8: Adam Mungovan,
13: Graham Ball;
15: Eoin Lahiffe,
11: Eoin Burke,
5: Eoin Oige Fanning;
17: Darragh Ball
14: Thomas O’Connor
28: Michael Nash
Subs:
10: Cathal McMahon for T. O’Connor (41)
29: Darragh McMahon for C. Daly (41);
23: Brian Guilfoyle for G. Ball (50);
25: Senan Crosbie for Fanning (57)
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
