Newmarket looking to push on this year under new boss David O'Donovan

After reaching the last four of the SAFC in 2023, many tipped Newmarket to challenge again last year.

For one reason or another, the Duhallow club weren’t able to kick on and failed to get out of their respective group. Again, it shows the competitive nature of the second-grade football championship that a team that ran the eventual winners Newcestown so close in the semi-final two years ago weren’t able to make an impression in the following campaign. 

The PIFC winners back in 2021 are hoping to come again in 2025 under the guidance of new boss David O’Donovan. The Ballineen native was previously in charge of Bantry Blues, bringing them to two PIFC deciders. He guided Bandon to the IFC title in 2016.

“It has been challenging so far in a lot of aspects,” he says.

“The Newmarket players approached me towards the end of last year. In fairness to them, they were very persistent and that was one of the main factors in me joining up with Newmarket. They are a very honest group and they had a fair idea of what they wanted to do.

“They were challenging me and wanted me to challenge them back. I love coaching teams and this was a different project for me in the sense that I didn’t know anyone in Newmarket prior to taking the job. I hardly knew where Newmarket was to be honest. It’s very player-driven and the club are behind the lads.” 

The McCarthy Insurance Group Division 3 Football League didn’t start too well for Newmarket this year with defeats to Clyda Rovers and Bishopstown, but then outlasted Aghada last time out. The performances have been decent with Mallow next up away from home this evening at 6pm.

“When I met the lads first, I got the sense of the disappointment of last season,” O’Donovan said.

“There’s a clean slate now with a new management team. Of course we want to kick on this year and try to make the business end of the championship. Every club has big aspirations early on. It’s all about having a short, medium to long-term plan and trying to coordinate that.

“We want to do well in the league and be competitive and so far the performances have been there which is the biggest thing. We want to broaden the strength of the panel. We have four new lads that have come off the Duhallow U21 winning team earlier this year.

“We want to mould all that together before we have everyone around at the start of June. The league will be finishing up around then, evaluate where we are at and then it will be all systems go for the championship.” 

In the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC, Newmarket have been dealt a difficult group this year if they want to finish in the top two, but then again, every group is tough nowadays. 

The Duhallow outfit have last year’s PIFC winners Kilshannig first day out in the group stage before meeting Éire Óg and then Kanturk in a local derby.

“It’s a hugely competitive group, there’s no point in saying otherwise. The task ahead of us later in the year is big, but as players, that’s what you want. You want them to enjoy the challenges.

“We have Kilshannig first. You don’t know what’s going to happen between now and the end of July. The opening match could go either good or bad for you and when you’re a dual club, you have to assess everyone when they come back from hurling. It’s a very tight schedule and you have to mind the load as well.

“Winning the first game gives you a lot of momentum and it gives yourself and the players a sense that the work you're doing is putting you on the right track. People do put a big emphasis on the first game in the group.” O’Donovan concluded.