Two Stephen Hughes penalties saw Newry City claim their first win of the season with victory over Dungannon Swifts at The Showgrounds.
The Swifts squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to open the scoring midway through the first half when Daniel Hughes was upended by Darren King. Hughes took the subsequent spot-kick himself but City keeper Andy Coleman correctly dived low to his right to make the save.
Ally Teggart then came close soon after for Dungannon but could only pull his effort wide while, just after the half-hour mark, Kris Lowe was denied by another Coleman stop.
At the other end Mark McCabe crafted Newry’s first effort of note with a ball just over the bar.
Douglas Wilson might have opened the scoring for the Swifts early in the second half with two efforts at goal during a goalmouth scramble before the Newry defence took control.
The deadlock was almost broken just after the hour when Swifts keeper Alex Moore pulled off a great save to deny Stephen Hughes.
However, Hughes soon hit back with two successfully converted spot-kicks in five minutes.
His first, on 67 minutes, was awarded following a Jarlath O’Rourke push on Declan Carville. He then doubled Newry’s lead after Carville was again impeded, this time by Jake Dykes.
Despite pushing hard to salvage something from the game Dungannon could only point to a late O’Rourke strike from the edge of the area by way of consolation.

BBC Sport NI coverage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45149631

Newry City: Coleman, Mooney, King, Noonan, Boyle, McCann, Carville, McCabe, S. Hughes, M. Hughes, Teggart subs Maguire (not used), Lavery (replaced Teggart 81), Johnston (replaced S. Hughes 85), Delaney (not used), Montgomery (replaced Carville 84), McArdle (not used), Healy (not used)
Dungannon Swifts: Moore, Dykes, Wilson, Armstrong, Hughes, McMullan, Harpur, Teggart, O’Rourke, Lowe, Coyle subs Addis (not used), McElroy (replaced McMullan 70), Patton (replaced Teggart 70), Soares (not used), Burke (not used), McAllister (not used), Campbell (replaced Armstrong 59)

Marty Havern departs from The Showgrounds with our best wishes.

Newry Manager, Darren Mullen commented “I had spoken to Marty at the start of preseason and he knew he needed to give it a real go to have any chance of playing this year. Unfortunately due to work and family commitments he has been unable to do so but leaves with our best wishes. He was a very popular member of our squad and certainly played his part in our resurgence. We wish him the best of luck at Rathfriland FC and he knows he will always be welcome at The Showgrounds.”

For our first season in the Danske Bank Premiership, Newry City AFC are delighted to announce Mark Hughes as Club Captain and Declan Carville as Vice Captain.

Newry Manager Darren Mullen commented, “Taking over the captains armband from Chris is not an easy role to fill but I’ve no doubt Hughesy is the right man for the job. He is a natural leader and along with his undoubted ability he has the full respect of the squad. His experience in the Premiership will be vital for us this season and he is a worthy representative for the club both on and off the pitch. Giving Decky the vice-captain’s role is a sign of how much he has matured as a player and a person over the past 3 years. He has developed into a very important player for us and has become one of the main characters in the dressing room. We are lucky in that we have numerous natural leaders within the group but it’s an honour for both Mark and Declan that they have been given these roles and I know they will fulfil them to the best of their ability.”

Mark Hughes: “It’s an honour to captain my hometown team going into its first season in the Premiership. I hope that we can give our brilliant fans something to celebrate come the end of the season again. I can’t wait to get started.”

Declan Carville: “I am honoured to have been chosen as vice-captain for my hometown club. This is my fourth season at The Showgrounds but there is no doubt this will be the most exciting one.”

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.