Kelly’s goal makes Newmarket history

Newmarket Celtic A 1
Avenue United B (AET) 0

THE value of experience in team sport was highlighted yet again when Newmarket Celtic A completed a wonderful season for the club with victory in the Clare Junior Cup final at sun-splashed Doora on Friday evening last.

 

With most in the good-sized crowd planning for a replay at the same venue this Friday, the favourites struck for the all-important goal. Just under five minutes remained in extra time when the breakthrough came and while Avenue B and their followers were understandably disappointed with the outcome, few can complain that Newmarket didn’t deserve the victory.
The win sees Newmarket complete, arguably, the club’s most successful season ever in which they won the league and cup double for the first time in 22 years. In doing so, they went through both competitions without tasting defeat, a feat never before achieved in Clare soccer.
Stephen Kelly was a doubt right up to match time but he passed a late fitness test and took his place at midfield. In the lead-up to the game, team boss Liam Murphy described him as a key member of the side and his performance on Friday highlighted just why the manager rates him so highly.
Kelly struck for the goal when he rose highest to head Seamus Considine’s cross to the corner of the net, which sparked off great celebrations among Newmarket supporters.
The first half was a rather tame affair with neither goalie being stretched. Darren Cullinan, Eoin Hayes and Stephen Kelly showed some good touches for the eventual winners, while Darragh Kerins threatened danger on an occasion or two for the underdogs.
Newmarket stepped up the pace at the start of the second half and team captain Noel Donlon came close with a header following a Darren Cullinan corner shortly after play resumed.
For much of the half, the Avenue defence was under pressure but they dealt well with it. Eoin Hayes made some great runs from midfield but the experienced Eamonn O’Reilly had his defence well organised, while goalkeeper Killian Culligan looked sharp and denied the speedy Newmarket man on a few occasions.
Half an hour into the second half, Newmarket had claims for a penalty waved away by the match official, after Stephen Kelly appeared to have been taken down in the area.
The first period of extra time continued like the second half with Newmarket applying the pressure. Their best chance came eight minutes in when captain Mark Donlon’s powerful header from a Darren Cullinan cross went narrowly wide.
Avenue started the second period brightly but Darragh Kerin’s effort just went over the crossbar. Then, five minutes in, the breakthrough came and Kelly ensured Celtic would enter the history books with the all-important and decisive goal.
The winners’ defence excelled throughout with the central pairing of Enda Kelly and Mark Donlon outstanding. Eoin Hayes, until he was forced to retire with an ankle injury, and Stephen Kelly contributed handsomely at midfield.
The Avenue defence must also get great credit for ensuring Newmarket’s scoring opportunities were few. Eamonn O’Reilly, Keith Dormer, David Considine and Shane Browne got through some great work.

Newmarket Celtic A: Jason Casey; David O’Grady, Darren Cullinan, Enda Kelly, Mark Donlon (capt), Mike Devitt, Stephen Kelly, Eoin Hayes, Dáithí O’Connell, Seamus Lawlor, Eoin O’Brien.
Subs: Ronan McCormack for Lawlor (9 minutes), Páidí Hayes for Devitt (58 minutes), Neil Ryan for O’Connell (58 minutes), Alan Kelly for E Kelly (92 minutes) and Seamus Considine for Hayes (inj, 100 minutes).
Avenue United B: Killian Culligan; Shane Browne, David Considine, Eamonn O’Reilly, Keith Dormer, Patrick Sherlock, Neil Slattery (capt), Craig McNamara, Ian Lyons, Eoin O’Loughlin, Darragh Kerins.
Subs: Gary Seery for Slattery (62 minutes), Conor O’Brien for McNamara (68 minutes), Darren O’Meara for O’Loughlin (73 minutes) and Jack Walsh for Lyons (74 minutes).
Referee: Martin O’Brien; Linesmen: Dave McCarthy and Terry Kennedy; Fourth official: Martin Monahan.

 

 

‘It doesn’t matter who scores’

IT may have been his first season with Newmarket Celtic but playing in the cup final was nothing new to the 2012 final hero Stephen Kelly. In 2009 he helped Rineanna Rovers to the title when they were 3-2 winners over Lifford B at the same venue.
Rineanna Rovers folded at the end of last season and Kelly, together with his brother Enda and Jason Casey, joined Newmarket Celtic. All three have played leading roles in the club’s successes this season.
Friday’s final was Celtic’s sixth game on the road to the cup title and Kelly’s goal brought his tally for the campaign to six, which is impressive given that they have scored 19 goals on their way to the crown.
“It doesn’t matter who scores as long as we get the win,” said the popular Newmarket all-round sportsman shortly after Friday’s final. “I am delighted for everyone involved with the club and, of course, from a personal point of view also.”
Kelly is unlikely to be involved next year as he is due to emigrate to Canada in a few weeks’ time. “My personal plans have changed and I don’t know if I will be around,” he explained.
Was he worried that Friday’s game might not go in their favour?
“Not really. Liam [Murphy] has been drilling into us all year not to panic, that we are good enough footballers. Usually, if you play the football, you will win and that’s what we like to do. Credit must go to the manager. It was one game at a time and that was the position all season.”
He conceded that a replay looked likely during extra time. “There were a lot of tired legs out there in what was the warmest day of the year. I couldn’t believe it when the cross came in.”
Like his captain, Mark Donlon, and manager, Liam Murphy, Kelly believes the club must look at doing well in Munster and the FAI cups next season. “I don’t know if I will be around but the club must try and push further on,” he said.
What about the possibility of adding a Clare Senior Hurling Championship medal to the soccer league and cup double?
“That would be nice,” said the Newmarket hurling full-back with a smile. No doubt Newmarket GAA officials will be keeping an eye on Kelly’s plans to emigrate as they continue their preparations for the 2012 championship.

 

It’s a team game – Donlon

NEWMARKET Celtic captain Mark Donlon was busy when it came to the presentation time after Friday evening’s match.
In addition to accepting the Clare Junior Cup, the club’s first success in this competition since 2000, he also received the man-of-the-match award, an accolade richly deserved following a superb performance.
While he agreed, “It’s nice to win this award”, he stressed, “this is a team game and, at the end of the day, the team performed well and we got the result. That’s the important thing. It’s a team effort and that’s the way it has been all year.”
The Celtic centre-half stressed, “All season, we have taken each game as it came and we never got carried away. Cup football is a different game and you just put the league to the side. We knew coming up today that it would be tough. Everyone had us favourites but we knew that any team Avenue put out will make things difficult. We got a great battle today.”
The Newmarket skipper believes the target for the club now is to “kick on from here and maybe dominate Clare for the next few years, as well as progressing in Munster and FAI competitions”.
In Donlon’s view, Newmarket have “a good mixture of experience with a lot of youth and it looks good for the future if we can hold on to everybody”.