Author: Sean McKevitt

Sean is an avid supporter of Newry City AFC and will be bringing you all the latest news from the club.

NCAFC World Cup Predictor results

by Mo Ruddy

So the World Cup has come to a close with Germany pipping Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final. It also means our World Cup prediction league has come to a dramatic end with a lot of positions changing hands over the final few matches. Following the group stages, Martin McParland and Lisa Morrison were tied for first place on 210 points, with Margo Wilson following closely on 205. However as the Germans closed in on their fourth World title, the three at the top began to slip. Some final predictions meant that Johnny Ferns and Gary Cregan finished joint second, with both picking up a prize of £40. However following a storming second half to the prediction league the over all winner was Gary Wilson, who finished on 275 points, 35 points ahead of his nearest rivals. Well done to Gary who picks up the £120 winners prize.

Final standings:

Pos Name Final Score
1 Gary Wilson 275
2 Gary Cregan 240
3 Johnny Ferns 240
4 Seamus Hughes 230
5 Lisa Morrison 230
6 Padraig Hayes 230
7 Tommy O’Hanlon 225
8 Artie Kavanagh 225
9 Jonny Irwin 220
10 Camillus Fitzpatrick 220
11 P Watters 220
12 Raime Woods 215
13 Stefan Martin 215
14 Martin McParland 210
15 Nathan McCann 210
16 Aaron McParland 205
17 Gavin McCrink 205
18 Danny Cinnamond 205
19 Ricky Cooke 205
20 Margo Wilson 205
21 David McEvoy 205
22 Rachael McClymont 200
23 Eric Johnson 200
24 Gerard Hillen 195
25 Keith Wilson 195
26 Andrew Boyd 195
27 Graeme Homer 190
28 Gerry Mckevitt 190
29 Laura Hillen 185
30 Joe Lennon 185
31 Gerard Woods 185
32 Michelle McCormack 185
33 Michael Heaney 185
34 Conor Smyth 180
35 Paddy Heaney 180
36 Eamonn Pollock 180
37 Mary McParland 175
38 Eddie Clarke 175
39 Dorothy Taylor 170
40 John Prentice 170
41 Frosty O’Hare 170
42 Leo McAllister 170
43 Philip Wilson 170
44 Robert Keenan 170
45 Jim Hillen 165
46 Tommy Canning 165
47 Jonny Finnegan 165
48 Damian Ruddy 165
49 Paul Lyons 165
50 Sean McKevitt 165
51 Chris Casey 165
52 Ray Byrne 165
53 Bernie McLoughlin 165
54 Allister Heaney 160
55 Brendan McCann 160
56 David Short 160
57 Emilie Wilson 160
58 Dee McGivern 160
59 Mo Ruddy 155
60 Denise Leonard 155
61 Micheal Savage 155
62 Decky McParland 155
63 Petey Elmore 155
64 Peter McAllister 155
65 David Larkin 155
66 Ronan Byrne 155
67 Kevin Lyons 150
68 Linzi Cummins 150
69 Connor Murphy 150
70 Scott Lindsay 150
71 Liam O’Hagan 150
72 Paul Murtagh 150
73 Jonny Lennon 145
74 Ciaran Galbraith 145
75 Jason Hamilton 145
76 Sean Hughes 145
77 Glyn Elias 145
78 David Niblock 145
79 Aodhan McArdle 140
80 Paul Goodman 140
81 Alex Irwin 140
82 Sean Smyth 140
83 David Nelson 140
84 Brendan Comac 140
85 Martin McLoughlin 140
86 Pat Quinn 140
87 Baz Feehan 140
88 Emma Quinn 135
89 Mickey McCormack 135
90 James Walker 135
91 Darren Mullen 135
92 Gary McGinn 130
93 John Smyth 130
94 Feargal Murphy 125
95 Eric Wilson 125
96 Des Oliver 120
97 M F McLoughlin 100
98 W Wilson 90
99 Joe Wilson 90

Newry City Academy presentation night

By Conlon Morrison, NCAFC Youth Academy Manager

Newry City Academy held our first presentation night on Thursday 26th June. Before the presentations our U12 team played a challenge match against our U13 team. All the parents attended and watched. The match was followed by photos of the players with their parents and coaches. Following this the presentation of the awards took place in the lounge which again was attended by all of the parents.

Under 12 awards
Player of the year: Rio McConnell
Players’ player of the year: Jason Rush
Annalong player of the tournament: Jack Jennings

insert caption
U12 award winners, left to right: Jason Rush, Tiernan Reilly, Jack Jennings and Rio McConnell. Photo: Sean McKevitt

Under 13 awards
Player of the year went to 2 players: Tiernan Murphy and Sean McConville
Players’ player of the year: Aiden Ovesen
NI Elite Panel representative trophy: Tiernan Murphy was awarded a special trophy for being selected for the NI Elite Panel
ESF player of the Ayr tournament in Scotland went to Mathew McGinn who was unbeatable at right back throughout the three day tournament.

??
U13 award winners, left to right: Aiden Ovesen, Tiernan Murphy and Mathew McGinn with their coach Lee Kirrane. Photo: Sean McKevitt

Academy player of the year went to Tiernan Reilly who was brilliant all year and does it all with a smile on his face. The model academy player.

Thanks to John Moffett and Lee Kirrane our managing coaches who presented the trophies and made it all possible.

As Academy Manager i would like to thank Sean Gaffney our kitman, Willie Young for keeping our pitches perfect, Gary Wilson for finding willing sponsors, Michael Keenan our child protection officer and our committee who have fully supported our academy project.

I would also like to thank all of our coaches, volunteers and parents who are all part of this project that provides over 300 children with the opportunity to play soccer on a regular and ongoing basis.

Next season we have teams competing at all age groups and coaching for these teams starts after the July fortnight holidays.

NCAFC World Cup Predictor half way results

We are now half way through the World Cup Predictor competition and things are tight at the top! Martin McParland and Lisa Morrison currently share the lead on 210 points with Margo Wilson hot on their heals on 205. In fact, just 40 points separate the top 28 players, so with 190 points still to play for, it’s still anybody’s game to win!

Pos. Name Score
1 Martin McParland 210
2 Lisa Morrison 210
3 Margo Wilson 205
4 Keith Wilson 195
6 Gary Cregan 190
7 Johnny Ferns 190
8 Gerry McKevitt 190
9 Padraig Hayes 190
10 Raime Woods 185
11 Michelle McCormack 185
12 Michael Heaney 185
13 Tommy O’Hanlon 185
14 Artie Kavanagh 185
15 Gary Wilson 185
16 Conor Smyth 180
17 Paddy Heaney 180
18 Camillus Fitzpatrick 180
19 John Smyth 180
20 P Watters 180
21 Aaron McParland 175
22 Eddie Clarke 175
23 David McEvoy 175
24 Dorothy Taylor 170
25 Frosty O’Hare 170
26 Philip Wilson 170
27 Robert Keenan 170
28 Nathan McCann 170
29 Jim Hillen 165
30 Tommy Canning 165
31 Jonny Finnegan 165
32 Gavin McCrink 165
33 Damian Ruddy 165
34 Danny Cinnamond 165
35 Paul Lyons 165
36 Sean McKevitt 165
37 Ricky Cooke 165
38 Chris Casey 165
39 Stefan Martin 165
40 Ray Byrne 165
41 Allister Heaney 160
42 Brendan McCann 160
43 David Short 160
44 Emilie Wilson 160
45 Dee McGivern 160
46 Eric Johnson 160
47 Gerard Hillen 155
48 Mo Ruddy 155
49 Denise Leonard 155
50 Joe Lennon 155
51 Micheal Savage 155
52 Decky McParland 155
53 Petey Elmore 155
54 David Larkin 155
55 Ronan Byrne 155
56 Andrew Boyd 155
57 Rachael McClymont 150
58 Jonny Irwin 150
59 Kevin Lyons 150
60 Connor Murphy 150
61 Scott Lindsay 150
62 Liam O’Hagan 150
63 Paul Murtagh 150
64 Laura Hillen 145
65 Jonny Lennon 145
66 Gerard Woods 145
67 Ciaran Galbraith 145
68 Jason Hamilton 145
69 Sean Hughes 145
70 Glyn Elias 145
71 David Niblock 145
72 Graeme Homer 140
73 Aodhan McArdle 140
74 Eamonn Pollock 140
75 Paul Goodman 140
76 John Prentice 140
77 Seamus Hughes 140
78 Alex Irwin 140
79 Sean Smyth 140
80 David Nelson 140
81 Leo McAllister 140
82 Pat Quinn 140
83 Baz Feehan 140
84 Emma Quinn 135
85 Peter McAllister 135
86 Mickey McCormack 135
87 James Walker 135
88 Darren Mullen 135
89 Gary McGinn 130
90 Eric Wilson 125
91 Des Oliver 120
92 Bernie McLoughlin 115
93 Feargal Murphy 105
94 Martin McLoughlin 100
95 M F McLoughlin 100
96 Brendan Comac 90
97 W Wilson 90
98 Joe Wilson 90
99 Linzi Cummins 70

NCAFC Special Olympics Club successful at National Games

Ulster Special Olympics team were well represented by the Newry City AFC Special Olympics Club across Bowling, Football and Aquatics at the recent National Games held in Limerick from the 12th – 15th June, writes Esther King, Manager of the Newry City AFC Special Olympics Club.

Newry City AFC athletes that represented
Newry City AFC athletes proudly display the medals they won for Team Ulster at the National Games last weekend. Photo: Sean McKevitt

This event is one that should be witnessed by everyone – to see the dedication, hard work and participation by both athletes, coaches and volunteers. To get to an Ireland Games is a great achievement, never mind achieving a place on the podium. Some of our athletes had never been away from home before and that in itself is a great adventure and to be commended. Attendance at the games is the result of three years hard work by all, ensuring our athletes can give their best performance on the day. As the Special Olympics Ireland motto states – ‘Let me win, and if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt’.

In aquatics our swimmers were Margaret Hazley, Fraser Wells, Rebecca Devlin, Rachel Crossey, Rebecca O’Reilly and Jack Donnan. Between them they took home 2 golds, 5 silvers, a bronze and a 4th place. Our swimmers range in age from 10 to 64, and they all did an excellent job representing their club and region. They had stiff competition, but they all gave 100% and really enjoyed competing.

Insert caption here
Along with Lord Mayor Daire Hughes’ chain of office, Rachel Crossey wears her gold medal which she won for aquatics, at the recently held Special Olympic National Games in Limerick, while Jack Donnan proudly wears his silver medal for aquatics, won after a very close finish. Photo: Sean McKevitt

Footballers are awakening to the realisation, like so many other athletes, that they have achieved what is their personal goal. It has been three years in preparation and has now finally arrived. They are officially SPECIAL OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNERS! We had seven female athletes – Veronica Donnelly, Siofra Doyle, Betty McGeoghegan, Orlaith McParland, Katrina Magee, Shauna Murphy and Shauna O’Reilly, competing in ladies football as part of Team Ulster. Their exhibition both on and off the field was unbelievable. Their passion to compete and the desire to succeed was truly a humbling and an entertaining experience for the numerous supporters who had turned out to watch. Sunday 15th June 2014 is a date for many that shall not be forgotten. All those hours of hard training had finally paid off, our Ladies WON GOLD in the Division 2 final.

Noel Rice and Patrick Kelly were both gold medal winners in the Men’s level 4 five-a-side football and had an unbelievable 3 days of competition in Limerick. They were up against tough opposition from Munster, Leinster and Connaught but the two lads, along with their other teammates on the Ulster squad, held out in a nail biting final on Sunday to clinch the gold. All Noel and Patrick’s families were there to witness this great victory, bursting with pride and tears of joy.

Nicola McClorey and James Moffett both competed in Ten Pin Bowling in Limerick, along with 26 other athletes from across Ulster. They both bowled to a very high standard and both achieved their own personal goal by winning Gold medals in their respective singles games, and a team Silver in a very hard fought doubles game against seven other teams from all over Ireland.

Newry City AFC Special Olympic Coaches pictured with Lord Mayor Daire Hughes
Lord Mayor Daire Hughes is pictured here with the very proud coaches from the Newry City AFC Special Olympic Club who were part of Team Ulster at the Special Olympic National Games. Photo: Sean McKevitt

We had three Head Coaches who traveled with the Newry City AFC Special Olympic Club – Anne Magill (Ladies Football), Jim Fox (Men’s Football) and Esther King (Aquatics). Whilst none of the Newry AFC athletes were on Jim’s football team, he coached his team to a gold medal and the standard of his team in the final could have rivalled some of the current World Cup squads! Other club coaches that were part of Team Ulster were Helen McKee (Bowling), Darren Mcllherron (Aquatics), Marie Magee (Aquatics) and Teresa Devlin (Ladies Football). I have to say that everyone of the team was complimented on their behaviour and how they conducted themselves. Many people also commented on how organised we were as a group. We are so proud not only of representing Team Ulster at National Games but also that we, as Newry City AFC went to National Games representing our club, a club that has celebrated victorious wins in both it’s male and female teams. We can now stand proudly beside our entire club, without whose support, this dream for both our athletes and coaches may not have been realised.

A special thanks must go to BIG O – without him at our helm, then this achievement would not have been realised. If there were more Big O’s in this world, what a wonderful world it would be.

Yours in Sport,

Esther King
A very proud club manager of Newry City AFC Special Olympics Club