O'Keeffe the hero as Newmarket claim major scalp with win over Cill na Martra
Cork hurler Hugh O'Connor scored four points for his club. Pic: Dan Linehan
Ryan O’Keeffe’s stoppage-time two-point free claimed a major scalp for Newmarket, beating last year’s Cork SAFC runners-up Cill na Martra by the minimum at Clondrohid.
The full-forward’s monster kick from outside the 45 ensured that the Duhallow side have got off to their best start at this grade since clinching the Premier Intermediate title in 2021.
They are guaranteed nothing yet. They still need a result against the group’s other seeded side, Carbery Rangers, who were relegated from Premier Senior last year, to copper-fasten their progress.
A win would confirm a semi-final bye. A defeat would see them eliminated if Cill na Martra beat O’Donovan Rossa with a four-point score-difference swing.
The Gaeltacht club know that margin of victory would see them through regardless of the other result as Newmarket and Ross both have a plus-six score difference against their plus two.
On top of a few absentees from last year, Cill na Martra lined up minus 2025 top-scorer Jason Mac Cárthaigh, while Newmarket fielded without Gavin Forde and Barry O’Connor.
Paudie Allen came into their defence and he came up with the last two turnovers at the end of stoppage time to ensure the victory.
Ultimately, three of Newmarket’s last four scores were two-pointers – the only three orange flags of the afternoon – and that was enough to carry them through.
Cill na Martra had the first two points and the last two points of the first half, but in the 25 minutes in between, they were outscored 0-6 to 0-1.
Under a steady drizzle, Dan and Shane Ó Duinnín got them off the mark before four in a row from Newmarket. O’Keeffe nailed two placed balls, one for a three-up breach, while Cork hurler Hugh O’Connor landed the other pair.
In between, Cill na Martra had their first of three goal chances. Josh O’Keeffe did well to save from Shane Ó Duinnín and his defence converged to block the follow-up point attempt.
Shane Ó Duinnín did get a tap-over free, but Darren O’Keeffe and Rory Lynn sliced through the cover for a 0-6 to 0-3 lead. The latter might even have made for a goal chance. In the end, Newmarket didn’t need a shot on goal to prevail.
Daire Mac Lochlainn’s curler and Seán Ó Fóirréidh’s fisted effort cut the gap to one at half-time.
The game was level four times in the third quarter. As he did in the first half, Dan Ó Duinnín started on the sideline for the throw-in and ended the play with a score. From the restart, Ciarán Ó Duinnín’s booming kick nudged them ahead.
Darren O’Keeffe’s burst of pace soon equalised.
The increasingly influential Dan Ó Duinnín claimed a mark from the restart and got on the end of the move for the lead point. After a Ryan O’Keeffe 45, Shane Ó Duinnín’s high, hanging point had Cill na Martra back ahead.
Hugh O’Connor’s under-pressure two-pointer provided the first orange flag to lift Newmarket into the lead, although Mac Lochlainn soon had them level for one final time.
After a two-point free from Ryan O’Keeffe, there would be two more lead changes in the closing quarter.
Shane Ó Duinnín pulled one back before the 53rd-minute goal. Newmarket had moments earlier got away with a defensive interception as Lynn took Antaine Ó Loingsigh’s shot off the line. They weren’t so lucky a second time as Ó Fóirréidh raced onto Darren O’Keeffe’s pass and thumped it home for 1-11 to 0-12.
From there to the finish, it was all Newmarket, fuelled by their kick-out press. Hugh O’Connor’s mark led to a Ryan O’Keeffe score. They had shots off the post and wide until O’Connor drew the free for O’Keeffe’s winner.
R O’Keeffe (0-8, 2 tpf, 2 45s, 1 free); H O’Connor (0-4, 1tp); D O’Keeffe (0-2); R Lynn (0-1).
S Ó Fóirréidh (1-1); S Ó Duinnín (0-4, 2 frees); D Ó Duinnín (0-3); D Mac Lochlainn (0-2); C Ó Duinnín (0-1).
J O’Keeffe; B Daly, P Allen, E Goggin; R Lynn, M Browne, A Browne (capt); C Browne, M Cottrell; D O’Keeffe, H O’Connor, D Cottrell; B O’Keeffe, R O’Keeffe, T Ryan.
M Lane for B O’Keeffe (46), K Daly for D Cottrell (55).
M Ó Deasúna; D Ó Conaill, F Ó Faoláin, J Ó Loingsigh; C Ó Fóirréidh, D Mac Lochlainn, C Ó Cróinín; G Ó Goillidhe, S Ó Fóirréidh; A Ó Duinnín, D Ó Duinnín (capt), C Ó Duinnín; E Ó Conaill, S Ó Duinnín, D Mac Cárthaigh.
P Ó hÉalaithe for Ó Cróinín (43), A Ó Cuana for E Ó Conaill (43), A Ó Loingsigh for Mac Cárthaigh (43).
P O'Leary (Cloughduv).
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