Newmarket too strong

Newmarket 1-23   Smith O’Brien’s 0-11

THE greater experience and sharpness of Newmarket proved too much for Smith O’Brien’s in this senior hurling championship third round tie at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge on Saturday.
The win means that the Blues are the first side safely through to the quarter-finals of this year’s title race. They have three wins from their three outings and will play Tulla in their final group game.
There was never really a doubt about the outcome of Saturday’s game as Newmarket, despite being without the services of a few first-choice players, were always in control.A point ahead as the end of the first quarter approached, they stepped up a gear and scored 1-4 without reply in a six-minute spell to open an eight-point game and from here on their Killaloe-based opponents were struggling to stay with them.
Midfielder Colin Ryan picked off some excellent points while Jim McInerney was their goalscorer after a great break by Eoin Hayes had caused problems for the Smith O’Brien’s defence.
A further five points without reply in the last six minutes of the half gave the winners a half-time lead of 11 points, with the score standing at 1-13 to 0-5.
For the second half the winners brought in Bernard Gaffney to their attack but it was the challengers who scored first, when Liam Hayes pointed. To their credit, they tried to get the upper hand but Newmarket were determined not to lose their grip on the game and they responded with points from Colin Ryan and Mike McInerney to stretch their advantage to 13 points.
In the next 10 minutes the Killaloe side outscored their opponents 0-4 to 0-1 but Newmarket quickly regained the upper hand and five unanswered points killed off any slim hopes that Smith O’Brien’s might have had of getting back into contention. Smith O’Brien’s were dealt a blow 10 minutes from time when full-back Seamus Gleeson picked up a second yellow card and this led to his dismissal.
While Newmarket will be pleased with the win, there will be some concern that they lost impressive centre-back Shane O’Brien with a suspected broken hand shortly before half-time. Later in the game they lost full-forward Enda Kelly with a hamstring injury.  On the credit side, however, they welcomed back Alan and Enda Barrett, with both being introduced during the game.
Pádraig Kilmartin and Stephen Kelly were prominent throughout in the winners’ defence while, elsewhere, Colin Ryan, David Barrett, Michael McInerney and Eoin Hayes caused a lot of problems for their opponents.
On a disappointing day for Smith O’Brien’s, Mark McInerney, Seamus Gleeson, Mike Flynn and Paul McKeogh battled hard in a busy defence. Liam Walsh was the best of their forward line.

Newmarket:  Kieran Devitt; Eoin McInerney, Stephen Kelly (capt) Pádraig Kilmartin; Shane O’Brien Junior, Shane O’Brien, Paudie Collins; Colin Ryan, Sean O’Connor; Mike McInerney, David Barrett, Jim McInerney; Eoin O’Brien, Enda Kelly, Eoin Hayes.
Subs: Alan Barrett for Shane O’Brien (inj, 27 minutes); Bernard Gaffney for Eoin O’Brien (half-time); Enda Barrett for E Kelly (inj, 36 minutes); James Liddy for Eoin Hayes.
Scorers: Colin Ryan (0-9, 0-2f, 1 65); Mike McInerney (0-4); David Barrett (0-3); Jim McInerney (1-0); Bernard Gaffney (0-3, 1f); Sean O’Connor, Eoin Hayes (0-2) each.
Frees: 11; Wides: 9; 65s: 1
“The thing we have been striving for is consistency and the proof of this will be as the competition goes on.” Bob Enright, Newmarket manager.

Smith O’Brien’s: Mark McInerney; Mike Flynn, Seamus Gleeson, Paul McKeogh; Shane Tuohy, Pat Vaughan, Ian O’Halloran; John Cusack, Brian McInerney; Kevin Walsh, Willie Neary, Brian McKeogh; Liam Walsh, Seanie Conway, Pat Ahern.
Subs: Micheál Ryan for Neary (34 minutes); Aidan McKeogh for O’Halloran (40 minutes); Keith Stritch for B McKeogh (50 minutes); Anthony O’Sullivan for B McInerney (58 minutes).
Scorers: Liam Walsh (0-6, 3f); John Cusack (0-2); Kevin Walsh, Brian McKeogh, Micheal Ryan (0-1) each.
Frees: 8; Wides: 5; 65s: 1
Bookings: Brian McInerney (23 minutes); Seamus Gleeson (32 minutes and 51 minutes).
Sent off: Seamus Gleeson (52 minutes).
“Newmarket were physically stronger, moved the ball better and were much slicker than us.” Brendan Foley

Referee: Ger Lyons, Ruan