We will now be taking votes on our website for the Senior team player of the month throughout the season!
The poll below is now open for the September player of the month. The poll will close on Friday at 6pm and the winning player will be presented with his trophy next Tuesday night.
All we have left to say is…….Get voting!!
This poll is now closed.
The club are delighted to announce that there will be a reunion held for the Newry Town 1987 County Antrim shield winning team on Saturday 19th October from 8.30pm in the function room at the Showgrounds.
The reunion is open for all supporters to attend and entry is free. The night will include a question & answer session between supporters & the players and will be followed by music from Des Murphy.
Click on thumbnails to view larger image:
September has been a mixed month for us in terms of results but there have been definite signs of progression. We had a terrific result away to Dunmurry Rec in the Irish Cup in what was a battling performance by the whole team. The players were told that discipline would be vital if we were to be successful this season and it was tested to the full in this game. To their credit they held their control in a very physical game. Unfortunately we were unable to build on this result and put in a poor performance against Hanover at home in the Bob Radcliffe Cup. We gifted them a goal early in the game which gave them something to hold onto and we never really tested their keeper for the remainder of the game. It was a disappointing night in front of another large home crowd but we have to learn from any defeat and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes. Our next game was another defeat against Rathfriland in the Mid-Ulster Cup. We had several good chances in the first half to take the lead but paid the price for these missed chances and conceded from a great strike after a lack of concentration. Another defensive mistake made it 2-0 and we were always chasing the game after that. Although we pulled one back it wasn’t enough, although the return of Mark Patton from injury was a big bonus. We are never happy after any defeat but we always said we would use some of the cups to try different formations and players. The league will always be the priority and any cup run will be an added bonus.
Thankfully our next game was in the league and gave us a chance to get back to winning ways. Away to league leaders Dungannon Tigers was never going to be easy but from the first minute the team showed their intent and we could have been 3 up in the first 10 minutes. We played some terrific football with the return of captain Chris McMahon from suspension having a big impact. A goal just before half-time gave us the lead our play deserved and although we conceded early in the second half the lads didn’t panic. Dungannon put us under a bit of pressure at the start of the second half and Peter Murphy pulled off a terrific penalty save when we were leading 2-1. This save seemed to lift the lads and we ran out deserved winners 5-2 which included terrific strikes from John Smyth and Mark Lowry. There is a great team spirit amongst the squad and this was shown in the celebrations for the 5th goal which included subs and all. Whilst it was an important win we won’t get carried away and know there is a long way to go in this league.
The reserves have also started their campaign and although it has been a mixed start great credit must go to Gary Redpath, Kevin Darcy, Marty McParland and Stephen McArdle. Managing any reserve team is never easy but the coaching staff have worked very well together and are aware that reserve football is about preparing lads for the first team. We have one senior squad at the club and everyone gets a chance to impress either in training or in reserve matches. Hopefully we will see a natural progression from the u17s, through to the reserve team and into the first team squad.
I would also like to remind everybody that we are doing ‘Octobeard’ for the month of October. This will involve players and coaching staff going unshaven for the month in aid of Barry Trainor’s Friends Of Africa fund. Barry is a former youth coach at the club and deserves all the help we can give him. So can you please give generously to any of our scruffy club members that you see throughout the month. Hopefully you will continue to support us this season and we hope to see you at the top of the table clash this Friday night at home to Valley Rangers ko 7.45pm.
Finally, on behalf of all the management and players I would like to wish Christopher Hughes a speedy recovery from a broken leg sustained while playing for the reserves.
Yours in Sport,
Darren.
Newry City AFC held a very successful fundraising event in the Mardyke Suite in the Canal Court Hotel on Saturday last.
Many of the first team squad were present along with team management and management committee members. Highlights of the evening included a raffle and the auction of autographed soccer, rugby and GAA jerseys along with a pair of Tyson Fury’s boxing gloves. The raffle prize, an overnight stay in the Carrickdale Hotel, was won by Mary McNally.
The club’s new playing kits were given their first airing and these were well received by the large audience. To mark the launch, one of the club’s most loyal fans, Daniel Murphy,was presented with one of the new jerseys.
Further fundraising events are planned to help raise the club profile in Newry and it is hoped that these will be supported as enthusiastically as Saturday’s event. The success of Saturday’s event was largely down to the hard work of Declan McParland who was assisted by the club’s Commercial Manager Gary Wilson. Newry City AFC take this opportunity to thank Declan and Gary as well as all those who turned up for what was a great night. A special word of thanks to the fantastic Showtime who provided the music, to the Canal Court for providing their facilities and to those who provided the auction items.
Photos from the event courtesy of Brendan Monaghan:
Newry City AFC U13 4-3 Valley Rangers U13
Nathan Crudden 10, 21, 26
Ethan Patterson 31
If Under 13 matches lasted 40 minutes then Newry would have cruised to a comprehensive victory over Valley Rangers in The Showgrounds today. Instead Newry took their foot off the pedal and were nearly made to pay against a Valley team that never gave up.
Newry started extremely well playing the ball around under control and they were rewarded for their good style on 10 minutes when a shot from the Newry midfield was fumbled by the Valley keeper and Nathan Crudden was first to react to put the ball in the net.
The goal of the game came in the 21st minute when Newry doubled their lead with a great team goal. Sean McConville picked the ball up in the midfield and ran at the Valley defence. He played a pass into Tiarnan Murphy who expertly back heeled the ball into the path of the oncoming Matthew Treanor. “Mattie” let fly with a shot that was deflected into the path of the oncoming Nathan Crudden who bagged his brace with a nice finish.
The third goal, and Nathan’s hat-trick came on the 26th minute when a Tairnan Murphy free kick was too hot to handle for the Valley keeper and Nathan Crudden was there AGAIN to slot home. A lesson for anyone reading this report, follow up on every shot!
Half time came with Newry leading 3 – 0 and looking like cruising to victory. The game restarted and Newry immediately went on the attack. Miceal Murray played an intricate ball through to the newly introduced Ethan Patterson who one minute into his appearance expertly finished when facing a one-on-one against the Valley keeper.
Despite the fact that there was still nearly all the second half remaining the Newry players must have thought the game was over because their game deserted them. Valley started to play neat through balls to their centre forward that Newry couldn’t work out how to defend. These through balls resulted in goals for Valley’s number 5 on the 38th, 40th and 50th minutes.
With Newry now clinging to a one-goal advantage Tiarnan Murphy was moved into a holding midfield role and Newry managed to hold off Valley for the remaining 10 minutes.
Newry will be glad to come away with another three points, which leaves them still unbeaten and top of the table.
Man of the Match has to go to Nathan Crudden for his hat-trick but also a special mention for Miceal Murray who impressed in midfield on his debut.
