Newmarket-on-Fergus and Whitegate will have to do battle all over again as there was no separating the sides in the quarter-final of the Junior B Hurling Championship.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-16
Whitegate 1-16
Venue: Broadford
A game that could have went either way went neither way as a draw ensued between Newmarket and Whitegate in a tightly fought contest in Broadford on Sunday evening.
Whitegate started much sharper than their opponents notching 1-02 before the Blues realised where they were. The East Clare side remained in control for the duration of the first half and boasted a three point lead at the half-time break.
While Whitegate did hit the first two points of the half, Newmarket replied admirably with four points on the trot. It ebbed and flowed from here but substitute Fergal McInerney put the Blues in the lead for the first time on fifty six minutes.
GOAL – Fergal McInerney with his first ever goal, what a time to get it. NOF 1-15 WG 1-13 (56)
— Newmarket GAA (@NOFGAA) August 27, 2017
It looked like Newmarket were going to snatch victory but a free was awarded to Whitegate after a Blues short puckout was aimed to a player on the 20m line, while the majority of spectators felt this would be a throw-in and Whitegate’s free taker made no mistake.
Although there were question marks over the awarded free, a draw was a fair result and the sides will anticipate another tight contest in the replay. Davy McCormack, Ronan McCarthy and John McInerney did best for the Blues.
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Brian Tierney; Ronan McCarthy, John McInerney, Alan O’Flanagan; Ger Hannon, Pakie McCormack, PJ Enright; Davy McCormack, Eoin Frawley; James Power, Eoin McInerney, Gearoid McMahon, Dara McCormack, Brian Clancy, Owen McCarthy. Subs: Connor Clancy for Dara McCormack (22), Rory Murphy for Power (37), Peter Roche (0-01) for Murphy (41) (Inj), Fergal McInerney (1-00) for O McCarthy (48).
Referee: Joe O’Donnell (Cratloe)