Late Hugh O'Connor points secure deserved draw for Newmarket against Ballingeary

Ballingeary 1-11 Newmarket 0-14

HONOURS even at Kiskeam in this Bon Secours SAFC clash.

A draw was probably a fair result and it means both sides go into the final group game knowing wins will see them through. Newmarket will face Clyda Rovers and Ballingeary take on Kiskeam.

Despite playing against the strong wind Ballingeary took the lead when Ben Seartan raised a white flag before Ryan O’Keffee got Newmarket off the mark.

Diarmuid Mac Tomáis but Ballingeary back in front, with Seartan getting his second to make it 0-3 to 0-1 after 10 minutes.

This woke Newmarket up and with Cathal Browne starting to dominate they were soon on level terms, with Conor O’Keeffe and Hugh O’Connor raising white flags.

Two more from Ryan O’Keeffe, along with points from O’Connor and Donal Hannon put them 0-7 to 0-3 up after 20 minutes.

Seartan pulled a point back for Ballingeary, with Hannon getting a well-deserved score to put four between the sides.

Aindras Ó Coinceannáin pointed for Ballingeary with O’Connor getting the last score of the half as Newmarket led by 0-9 to 0-5.

Conor O’Keeffe increased their lead before points from Conchur Ó Loingsigh and Seartan made it a three-point game.

With 36 minutes gone, the sides were level when Ballingeary pounced on a mistake from a Newmarket kick out to see Seartan raise the only green flag of the tie, to make it 1-7 to 0-10.

Mac Tomáis put them in front before Newmarket missed a goal chance of their own, with Conor O’Keeffe’s effort going just wide.

O’Connor had the sides level again from a free before points from Mac Tomáis, Seartan and Donagh Seartan put Ballingeary three up with 10 minutes to go.

Credit to Newmarket they never panicked, despite seeing another goal chance from Mikey Cottrell go just wide.

O’Connor pulled a point back from a free and he hit two more to see the sides level going into injury time. Both sides failed to score again to see it end all square, which few would argue against saying was a fair result on the day.

Scorers for Ballingeary: B Seartan 1-5, D Mac Tomáis 0-3 (0-2 f), C Ó Loingsigh, A Ó Coinceannáin, D Seartan 0-1 each.

Newmarket: H O’Connor 0-7 (0-6 f), R O’Keeffe 0-3 (0-1 45), C O’Keeffe 0-2 (0-1 f), D Hannon, C Browne 0-1 each.

BALLINGEARY: D Ó Coill; E Ó Duinnin, C Ó Nunáin, N Ó Laoire; L Ó Criodáin, A Ó Loingisgh, J Ó Donnchu; A Ó Coinceannáin, C Ó Loingsigh; C Ó Tuama, D Seartan, C Ó Duinnin; D Mac Tomáis, B Seartan, D Ó Ceallacháin.

Subs: S Ó Tuama for C Ó Tuama (41), L Ó Conchuir for C Ó Nuanain (45), S Ó Luasa for C Ó Ceallacháin (48).

NEWMARKET: J O’Keeffe; M Browne, G Forde, P Allen; A Browne, TJ Brosnan, B Daly; M Cottrell, C Browne; D O’Keeffe, D Hannon, B O’Connor; C O’Keeffe, R O’Keeffe, H O’Connor.

Subs: A Ryan for G Forde (41), P Browne for D O’Keeffe (46), K O’Sullivan for C O’Keeffe (51), J Ryan for B Daly (57).

Referee: Peter O’Leary, Cloughduv.