Newmarket-on-Fergus eventually navigate their way past neighbours Wolfe Tones

Mark Delaney under pressure from Daithi Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS recorded their third win in succession ahead of their already secured quarter-final while for Wolfe Tones it was a third defeat on the bounce ahead of their looming relegation battle.

Newmarket 3-17
Wolfe Tones 0-18
Venue: Clarecastle

A strong finish which yielded 1-4 without reply in the closing minutes saw Newmarket-on-Fergus maintain their unbeaten run in this season’s TUS Clare senior hurling championship on Sunday morning.

Sadly, however, this tie will not be remembered for its hurling or for scores recorded but rather for a free for all which occurred inside the final quarter and which held up play for ten minutes.

When the dust eventually settled referee Joe Mullins dispatched all from the sideline leaving just the respective team managers, the respective club secretaries and the respective physios were all that were allowed remain on the sideline.

Furthermore a Nemarket waterboy John Lynch and Wolfe Tones player John Guilfoyle were shown red. Wolfe Tones had led all the way to this point but with the advantage of an extra man, Newmarket dominated the remaining time.

Wolfe Tones were further weakened when defender Liam Murphy was shown red following a swipe on Colin Ryan who scored 1-2 after being introduced for the second half.

Newmarket will be happy to have made it three wins from three outings but they will admit that they will have to improve on this performance if they are to go on and win the title.

For Wolfe Tones who didn’t have inter county man Aron Shanagher because of injury, they now face into a relegation battle.

For patrons who wouldn’t have known where teams stood ahead of this tie, they may have been surprised to see Wolfe Tones make the running for much of this contest.

The Shannon men led by a point at the end of the first quarter and they had pushed this lead out to four points, 0-10 to 0-6 as the half time whistle sounded. Then Newmarket midfielder Shane Lynch burst through and his shot deceived Wolfe Tones goalkeeper Oisin O’Rourke and Jack Enright quickly followed with a point to level the tie.

A Sean Costelloe point gave Wolfe Tones a point lead at the break when the score was 0-11 to 1-7.

With the aid of the wind in the second half Newmarket were expected to take control but Wolfe Tones continued to enjoy the upperhand and they led by three, 0-16 to 1-10 at the three quarter stage

The aforementioned sideline melee followed and Newmarket-on-Fergus with a player advantage which extended to two for the closing minutes, dominated to emerge with a somewhat flattering eight point winning margin

Scorers Newmarket-on-Fergus: Peter Power (0-6, frees) Colin Ryan (1-2, 0-1 f) Colin Guilfoyle (0-3, 2 frees); Shane Lynch, Eanna Crimmins (1-0) each; Eoin Guilfoyle, Liam Clancy (0-2) each; Jack Enright, James Freeman (0-1) each.

Scorers Wolfe Tones: Cian O’Rourke (0-11, 7 frees); Aaron Cunningham (0-2), Daithi Lohan, Sean Costelloe, John Guilfoyle, Dean Devanney, Billy Connors (0-1) each.

Newmarket-on-Fergus:
1: Padraic Guilfoyle

2: Sean O’Connor
3: Colin Guilfoyle
4: Paudie McMahon

5: Jack Enright
7: Niall O’Connor
8: Mark Delaney

9: Shane Lynch
21: James Freeman

18: Eoin Guilfoyle
15: Peter Power
12: John Feehily

13: Stephen Casey
19: Liam Clancy
10: Mikey McInerney

Subs:
11: Colin Ryan for Lynch (HT)
14: Éanna Crimmins for Delaney (36)

Wolfe Tones:
1: Oisin O’Rourke

4: Liam Murphy
3: Rory Hayes
17: Shane Nihill

7: Sean Costelloe
5: Darragh Lohan
2: Sam Meaney

6: Daithí Lohan
12: John Guilfoyle

10: Cian O’Rourke
14: Evan O’Gorman
8: Dean Devanney