If goal difference is needed to separate the teams at the top of Mid Ulster Intermediate A at the end of the season then Newry City did themselves a power of good on Saturday when they blasted Seapatrick 13 – 0 at Havelock Park. Adding to the goal difference tally however was only an added bonus for Newry as the primary objective was to secure the point’s that go with a win.

Strangely in a game in which they scored so many goals it took Newry almost 20 minutes to break the dead lock.  And before that they could easily have had the game won, a mixture of bad finishing, bad luck and a fine save from the Seapatrick keeper Gary Anderson keeping the scores level. That changed after 18 minutes when Newrys best player on the day Jimmy Walker swung a high ball into the penalty area for which Anderson and Sean McMullan competed. With neither winning clean possession the ball fell perfectly for Decky Carville arriving into the box at the right time to be presented with the simplest of tasks to walk the ball into the empty net. In reply Seapatrick had their first shot of the game, a speculative effort from 25 yards which bounced in front of Peter Murphy requiring sure handling to complete the save. Newrys second goal on the half hour mark was perhaps the best goal of the day. With time on the ball inside his own half Ian Curran spotted the wide run of Stephen McCabe and flighted a perfect pass just over the head of the Seapatrick defender who committed to the interception rather than tracking McCabe. Now with space to exploit McCabe raced to the end line before whipping the ball across the face of the Seapatrick goal perfect for McMullan to slide in at the back post to grab his first goal of the game. The avalanche had started, Newry going 3-0 up on 36 minutes when a Graeme Edgar throw in beat the entire Seapatrick defence allowing Walker to run onto the ball and square it for any one of three Newry players to finish, Thomas McCann doing the honours with a side foot shot past Anderson. It was Edgar once more who ventured forward to create number four, the defender ruthlessly chopped down in the box as he was about to shoot. The resultant penalty gave the league’s top scorer McMullan the opportunity to add to his goals figure which he took with ease. At this stage the Seapatrick keeper was getting little protection from his team mates, Newry scoring number five on 42 minutes when a Walker free kick was allowed to travel all the way to the back post where Carville turned it home for his second of the day. And there was still time for another before the break, this time McMullan was himself tripped inside the box, the big man dusting himself down to claim his hat trick with his second penalty of the day.

There was to be little respite for Seapatrick on the resumption Newry taking the score line to double figures within eight minutes. Number seven came courtesy of possession won by a crunching McCann tackle. Carville swept the ball wide to the over lapping Edgar who in turn found McCabe, the winger taking his chance well to start a second half goal rush. Minutes later it was eight, Walker again involved picking the ball up inside the Seapatrick half before tricking a path to the edge of the area and firing in a shot which Anderson could only block, as expected ace goal scorer McMullan was the first to the loose ball which he poked over the line. Even massive wins such as Saturdays require hard graft in midfield and Newrys ninth goal scored by Kevin McArdle was celebrated by the players as if it was their first of the day. Again Walker was the architect waiting on McArdle, the man who does all the hard work in the Newry midfield, to make his run into the box before playing a slide rule pass which McArdle clinically finished past Anderson. Goal number 10 owed much to a surging run from Chris McMahon from right back straight up field to inside the box where he unselfishly slipped the ball into the path of Walker who guided the ball with the outside of his right boot curling it in an arc to land inside the side netting.

Inevitably Newry took their foot off the pedal after this scoring burst eventually running out 13 goal winners with further strikes from McMullan for his 5^th of the day, Carville for his hat trick and a final goal which had the current squads hall mark all over it, neat passing between Carville, Walker and McCann ended with a cross to the back post which Keith Johnston headed back across goal for Walker to tuck home to round off the scoring.

Despite the heavy defeat credit must go to Seapatrick who kept their discipline and competed right to the final whistle in a game in which others may have thrown in the towel and also to local referee Paul Kelsey who got all the major decisions correct and kept play flowing throughout. Obviously after the game Newry manager Darren Mullen was content with his team’s performance “It’s not too often you score 13 goals in a game and although we will certainly face tougher opponents the players deserve great credit for sticking to our game plan. Sometimes in a game like this players can lose focus and it can become a scenario where everyone wants to score. When that happens you lose shape and discipline which can carry into the next game. We didn’t allow that to happen and Seapatrick were unfortunate to be on the end of a ruthless performance. The fact that we didn’t score until nearly 20 minutes yet kept the patience in our play was very pleasing. To also play the last 20 minutes with 10 men having used up all our substitutions showed the fitness level in the squad. There will be sterner tests coming up but we have shown we can lift our performance when tested and we now look forward to Saturday’s cup quarter final at Tandragee”

Newry City now travel to play Tandragee in the Marshall Cup on Saturday, kick off @ 2:15pm. Travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge @ 1pm

Newry City AFC: Murphy, McMahon, Edgar, Mooney, Curran, McArdle, Walker, Carville, McMullan, McCann, McCabe, Subs: Patton, Johnston, McCaul, Hand, Hadden

Newry City moved into the quarter final of the Mid Ulster Marshall cup with what was in the end a comfortable victory over St Mary’s in Portadown on Saturday. However a slow start and a host of wasted chances in the second half will give Newry manager Darren Mullen something to work on with his squad.

That slow start may have had much to do with a strong wind which Newry had to face in the first half and which almost presented St Mary’s with the opening goal after only a few minutes when a free kick from inside the St Mary’s half floated towards the Newry goal, Peter Murphy doing well to back paddle to tip the ball over his cross bar. And minutes later Murphy was once more in action coming to his sides rescue after a mix up presented Ryan Lawless with an open goal. Fortunately for Newry a moment’s hesitation by Lawless allowed Murphy to get back into place, the Newry keeper still had to be at his best to fling himself across goal to prevent what looked like a certain goal. Newry’s reply gave a little taste of what was to come, Paddy Mooney drifting into the box in front of his marker to get a glancing head to Stephen McCabe’s cross, his effort going the wrong side of the post. St Mary’s went a goal up on 20 minutes when a goal kick was helped on in midfield which took the Newry defence out of the game, Rory Feeney running behind them onto the loose ball and with Murphy advancing he calmly lobbed the ball over the Newry keeper to open the scoring.

Newry replied in the best possible manner with a beautifully crafted goal made by a passing movement starting from Chris McMahon at right back. On the perfect artificial surface at Annagh, which suited Newry’s brand of slick passing, McMahon fed the ball forward to Decky Carville. From there fizzed passes between Carville, McMahon  and Kevin McArdle saw the Dundalk man get on the ball wide on the right. With much to do McArdle left his marker for dead, took the ball into the box, feigned to shoot and instead flicked the ball to his right, perfect for Mooney to drill a low shot across the face of the St Mary’s goal hitting the base of the far post on its way into the net. Newry soon went ahead with a goal started and finished by Stephen McCabe. Picking the ball up with his back to goal on the half way line McCabe spun his marker and powered up the wing before whipping a dangerous ball across the goal which a St Mary’s defender did will to clear over his own cross bar. From the resulting corner Jimmy Walker picked out Carville on the edge of the box, his header back into the box spectacularly met with a flying overhead volley from McCabe which gave St Mary’s keeper Danny Devine little chance to save. And the turnaround was complete on 42 minutes when St Mary’s attempted to play the ball out from the back, Marc Davidson taking an  extra touch on the ball which was seized upon by Mooney who took the ball off the defenders foot and into the unguarded net in one movement to end the half with the score line 3-1 to Newry.

Now playing with the wind at their back Newry started the second half with the majority of the possession and created the first chance with the half only minutes old, Jimmy Walker who had been on the end of some robust challenges, back heeling the ball to set up McArdle for a shot from outside the box, Devine shovelling the ball wide for a corner. Newry continued to look for the killer fourth goal. With a free kick on the left wing level with the edge of the box and all the big men at the back post McCabe picked out the run of Mooney to the near post, Mooney unable to get his hat trick effort on target.

The home side had their chances as well the best coming on the hour mark when they broke out of defence, from the right wing Feeney whipping a diagonal ball across the Newry box which McMahon cleared at the back post.

Walker was pulling all the strings in the centre of the park and created the next chance for Sean McMullan. On the ball on the half way line Walker skipped by successive challenges before dinking the ball over the defence for McMullan to run onto, the striker stretching to shoot straight at Devine. There was more to come from Newry. From the back Ian Curran switched play across the pitch to McMahon. He nodded the ball down the line to Keith Johnston who crossed to his fellow substitute Mark Patton who with his first touch smacked a shot of the post, a defender turning the rebound for a corner. From the corner the ball was cleared to the edge of the box as far as Johnston who hit a sweet half volley towards the top corner of the St Marys net which was cleared from the goal line by Ryan Creaney. And Newry went close again with time running out Patton once more unfortunate as he controlled a corner on his chest to swivel and shoot denied by a fine save from Devine.

However, it mattered little Newry having done enough in the first half to win the tie which just about satisfied manager Darren Mullen  “The first 20 minutes of this game is probably the worst we have played this season and only for Peter Murphy we could have been two down. After we equalised we lifted our game throughout the team and ran out easy winners. Kevin McArdle was superb in midfield and along with Stephen McCabe and Paddy Mooney posed a real threat every time we went forward. We had loads of possession in the second half and should have made better use of it especially in the final third. One of the main positives this season is that we don’t panic when we go behind and know that no matter what happens we will always pose a threat. We are on a good run of form at present but know we need to keep the momentum going.’

Newry City now travel to play Seapatrick next Saturday 2^nd April with a 2pm kick off. Travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge at 1pm.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, McMahon, Edgar, Mullen, Curran, Walker, Carville, McArdle, McMullan, Mooney, McCabe. Subs: Johnston, Patton, Smaryginas, McCann, McShane.

Tuesday night’s local derby failed to live up to expectations as Newry City, flying high at the top of Mid Ulster Intermediate football, were rarely extended to run home very comfortable 4-0 winners in their league match with Camlough Rovers at The Showgrounds. The scene for the night was set after only three minutes, Sean McMullan tussled for a high ball inside the box, chesting the ball  down perfectly in front of Jimmy Walker who blasted low into the Camlough net for his third goal in as many games to open the scoring.

The next chance also came Newrys way, Chris McMahon taking the opportunity to move up field before crossing to the back post where Stephen McCabe rose highest but couldn’t keep his headed effort below the crossbar. For their part Camlough were seeing plenty off the ball but were unable to penetrate Newry’s defence, their only foray into the Newry penalty area in the first quarter being a Declan Monaghan run which was snuffed out by Neil Mullen. The home side almost doubled their advantage after 20 minutes, a long throw in from Graeme Edgar helped into the box by Decky Carville and amidst shouts for handball by a Camlough defender Paddy Mooney’s out stretched boot lobbed the ball over Joe Goodwill, hit the inside of the post and bounced back along the goal line before being cleared by a relieved Camlough defence.

In possession Newry were getting through the Camlough rear guard, on 35 minutes Mooney held the ball up on the right wing before slipping a pass to Kevin McArdle who continued his run inside the box, Goodwill fast off his line to block McArdle’s shot with his legs. At the other end the only threat to the Newry goal came near the end of the half when Peter Murphy did well to grasp a high bouncing ball with Monaghan lurking, the half ending with Newry a goal to the good.

Having scored early in the first half Newry repeated the trick early in the second, Carville laying the ball to the feet of McMullan, the big man pitching the return ball into Carville’s path as he entered the box allowing him to round Goodwill without breaking stride, the Camlough keeper left with little option but to take the legs from under Carville for a penalty. The perfect chance for the league’s top goal scorer McMullan to notch goal number 36 for the season which he took with ease.

There was to be little respite for the Camlough rear guard in the second half as Newry upped their game. On 50 minutes sustained pressure ended with a Walker corner which Ian Curran powered back across goal, the ball missing the post by inches. And then on the hour mark the game was over as a contest with a goal which owed most to the quick thinking of McMullan and Mooney. Awarded a free kick outside the box, while others switched off, McMullan grabbed the ball and played a quick free kick to Mooney who had found space wide on the right. Now with time to pick his pass  Mooney found McCabe at the back post, the winger giving Goodwill little chance with a powerful finish to put Newry 3-0 up .

Ten minutes later and it was 4-0. Started by McMahon winning a crunching tackle outside the box the Newry captain regained his feet to float a ball over the Camlough defence to McCabe on the far wing. In a rich vein of form McCabe knocked the ball past his marker taking the ball to the by line before drilling a low ball across the face of goal perfect for McMullan to turn in from close range for the final goal of the night.

There was still time for a further chance for each team. For Camlough  Monaghan raced down the left wing before pulling the ball back for Paddy Magill who had kept pace but was unable to get his shot on target. And the final chance went the way of Newry, Thomas McCann picking a hole in the Camlough defence giving Keith Johnston a one on one with Goodwill, the Camlough keeper winning the contest with a fine block.

After the game Newry manager Darren Mullen was satisfied with his team’s performance ‘We couldn’t have wished for a better start with Jimmy’s goal but failed to build on it for most of the first half. Our play was too stretched and although they never really tested us we were giving them too much time and space. The second half was a different story and the early goals put paid to any chance they had. We were more composed and kept the ball a lot better. Once we moved the ball quicker they struggled and we were well worth our victory. We were very solid with some good performances, Chris McMahon and Graeme Edgar in particular showing up well. Graeme epitomises what we are about this season. He has bided his time on the bench without a cross word said and has grasped his chance with both hands. We are on a good run of form at the minute but we know that if we are to achieve our goals this season then the standards we have set must continue to be met. There is a break from league action this weekend with our cup match away to St Mary’s but as far as we are concerned it’s every bit as important as a league fixture and will be treating it as such.’

Camlough Rovers Team: Joe Goodwill, Paddy Mackey, Paddy Magill, Gavin Moan, Lee Lennon, Seamus Hughes, Shane King, Greg McCabe, Declan Monaghan, David McCabe, Jordan King. Subs: Paddy McCormack, Barry McKeown, Gerard Mooney, Adrian Mee, Declan Magee.

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Chris McMahon, Graeme Edgar, Neil Mullen, Ian Curran, Kevin McArdle, Jimmy Walker, Decky Carville, Sean McMullan, Paddy Mooney, Stephen McCabe. Subs: Mark Patton, Thomas McCann, Keith Johnston, Timmy Grant, Sean Hand, Ben Wilson.