Newry City maintained their rich vein of form at The Showgrounds on Saturday with a comprehensive win over high flying Cliftonville Olympic in the first round of the Intermediate Cup. On a pitch which was in remarkably good condition given the recent weather the home side played some excellent football and scored three spectacular goals which sent the Newry crowd home happy and certainly pleased Newry manager Darren Mullen “This was a complete team performance from start to finish. We knew Cliftonville would be a fit and talented bunch of young players so we needed to be organised. Not only was our shape good but our fitness levels allow us to match teams when they have the ball. Once we win the ball back the pace and movement within the team allows us to create a lot of chances. The 3-0 score line certainly doesn’t flatter us and we should have scored a few more. What we have this season is a group of players who are willing to work for 90 minutes and if we can keep that effort going we won’t be far away.”

Newry started the brighter of the two teams, their first chance coming only minutes in when Stephen McCabe curled a tantalising cross behind the defence, the ball skimming off the wet turf alas just out the reach of the sliding Keith Johnston into the grateful clutches of Cliftonville keeper Gerard Walker. McCabe went for goal himself minutes later, latching onto a Thomas McCann pass and from the corner of the box attempting to steer his shot into the far top corner the ball refusing to curl enough to tuck inside the post. With Newry pressing high up the pitch Cliftonville were struggling to get out of their own half. This hard work by Newry created the next chance, McCann straight into the tackle as Cliftonville tried to pass the ball out of defence, the breaking ball falling to Timmy Grant who quickly fed Keith Johnston wide on the right, his low cross smothered by Walker on the edge of the six yard box.

When Clintonville’s first sight of the Newry goal arrived after 20 minutes it was a real goal scoring opportunity. Attacking down the left wing the visitors fed the ball along the edge of the Newry penalty area to Matthew Henry who was initially in space but quickly found himself closed down by Newry defenders forcing him to shoot early, Peter Murphy coming to Newrys rescue with a smart save at his near post. The visitors soon had another chance Ross Lavery rising highest to meet Tiarnan McNicholl’s corner, his header back across goal missing the far post.

All half chances at this stage it was Newrys turn next. Neil Mullen played a long high pass out of defence which Johnston controlled instantly with his first touch before rolling the ball into the path of Timmy Grant who whipped the ball across the box alas straight out the other side for a Cliftonville throw.

Newry almost threw all their good work away on the half hour mark, switching off when in safe possession of the ball inside their own half, Cliftonvilles McNicholl quickly picking up the loose ball before crossing to Mark Hillen at the back post, his header back across goal missing the far post by inches.

The home side bounced back quickly. Having won a throw in deep in the Cliftonville half Graeme Edgar’s long throw found Grant with his back to goal inside the box, his touch back giving a shooting opportunity to McCabe on the edge of the box. The opening was however short lived as McCabe’s blasted effort was instantly charged down by the Cliftonville defence.

The opening goal when it came was worth waiting on. The move started on Newrys left wing McCabe skipping past his marker and swinging in a low cross which McCann met on the penalty spot just before a Cliftonville defender who charged down the shot with a challenge which saw both players floored. Johnston was first to react to the loose ball and as is so often the case he looked for his partner Sean McMullan. With a goal scorers instinct McMullan made his run from behind the centre half, twisted in mid air and using all the pace on Johnston’s cross guided his header from the penalty spot into the top corner of the Cliftonville net to put Newry a goal up at the break.

Ten minutes after the break Newry and McMullan’s second goal was just as good. With Newry piling on the pressure Cliftonville simply couldn’t get the ball clear of their goal mouth. That said the home side couldn’t get a clear strike on goal, that was until the ball fell to McMullan just inside the penalty box. Still with loads to do the big man twice feigned to shoot as he edged his way across the box before unleashing a fierce left foot drive straight into the top corner of the Cliftonville net to double the Newry advantage.

At this stage McMullan was on fire, turning provider as he raced from the half way line to collect a Niall Crilly pass before crossing for Johnston who was most unfortunate to see his first time shot blocked by the feet of the keeper when a third goal looked odds on.

There was little respite for the visiting defence. On 65 minutes McMahon picked out Johnston’s clever run behind the Cliftonville defence with a perfect pass allowing Johnson to collect the ball in his stride, check back inside the defender and thump his low shot off the base of the Cliftonville post with Walker beaten. It continued to be attack after attack for Newry but the third goal to seal the game wouldn’t come. The pace of the Newry attackers was giving Cliftonville all sorts of trouble and on 70 minutes Johnston raced clear of his marker to collect an Edgar long pass. Faced with only Walker to beat and the keeper stranded off his line Johnson chose to shoot early rather than go around the keeper which turned out to be the wrong option, his shot from distance wide off the empty goal. Johnston was doing everything but grabbing that goal. On 75 minutes McMullan won another long pass in the air nodding the pall down to his partner on the edge of the small box. Peeling off the shoulder of his marker Johnson swivelled to shoot once more unfortunate as his effort went the wrong side of the post.

While that third goal wouldn’t come there was always the chance of Cliftonville getting back into the game and with ten minutes remaining they had successive chances to do just that. First McNicholl took the ball inside the Newry box attempting to trick his path to a shooting chance. Neill Mullen who had been rock solid in defence throughout was having none of that timing his challenge to perfection to nick the ball away. Cliftonville continued to press and Murphy was called into action to preserve the two goal advantage, Ross Lavery’s shot from outside the Newry box requiring a full length dive from the Newry keeper to push the ball around the post for a corner.

As substitutions go the introduction of Declan Carville for Newry was a good as it gets. With a throw in deep in the Cliftonville half Newry made a double substitution introducing Carville and Ian Curran and it was Carville who had an immediate impact turning his marker with his first touch and with his second curling a left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area inside the far post for an exquisite goal to round off a great victory for Newry.

Next up for Newry is an Intermediate A League match next Saturday away to Banbridge Rangers, kick off 2pm. Newry City Travel Club bus will leave the Stonebridge at 1:15pm.

Newry City AFC Team: Murphy, Crilly, Edgar, Mooney, Mullen, McMahon, McCann, Grant, McMullan, Johnston, McCabe. Subs: Curran, McCaul, Walker, Carville, Lowry, Wilson.

Cliftonville Olympic Team: Walker, Lawlon, Begley, McAllister, Doran, Donnelly, Henry, Tolan, Hillen, McNicoll, Lavery. Subs: McClory, Thompson, Gowdy.

Newry City tightened their grip at the top of Mid Ulster Intermediate football with a comprehensive victory over Ballymacash Rangers at The Showgrounds on Saturday. Determined to put last week’s first dropped points of the season behind them Newry got off to the best possible start going a goal up after only five minutes from the penalty spot and from there the point’s never looked in danger, the final four goal margin perhaps the best Ballymacash could have hoped for given the number of chances Newry created.

That early penalty which set Newry on their way came after Niall Crilly had made the most of some space on the wing, his cross partially cleared to the edge of the box where Timmy Grant was first to the ball, his touch taking him around a Rangers defender who had little choice but to take Grant down as he was about to shoot. While the referee did not see fit to deliver anymore punishment than to award the spot kick Sean McMullan did the rest planting the ball inside the post to open the scoring.

Minutes later Newry were unfortunate not to double their advantage. Keith Johnston latched onto a slip by Rangers centre half Ross Elliot, skipped past a tackle taking the ball to the end line before picking out his partner McMullan lurking inside the box. With defenders between him and the net McMullan worked his way across goal before crashing his shot off the underside of the cross bar and was the first to react to the rebound, this time denied by a fine save from Jason Campbell in the Ballymacash goal.

Johnston tormented the Rangers defence throughout the game and with 12 minutes on the clock the winger made it 2-0 for Newry. With a free kick on the halfway line Ballymacash committed men forward.  Newry keeper Peter Murphy came off his line to collect the high ball and immediately spotting that the visitors were light at the back Murphy played an early long pass towards Johnston. Johnston cleverly gauged the flight of the ball better than his marker leaving him a one on one with the Rangers keeper which the Newry man won with ease, rounding the keeper and planting the ball into the empty net to double Newrys advantage.

Johnston had a chance to make it three after 15 minutes. Having switched to the left wing Johnston timed his run to beat the offside trap collecting a pass from Chris McMahon and from the corner of the box opened his body to shot for the far corner, Campbell diving full length to save.

With some quality forwards Rangers were always going to be a threat and on 20 minutes it took a sliding clearance at the near post from Neil Mullen to protect the Newry goal after Jordan Campbell had curled a dangerous ball from the right wing into the Newry goal mouth. Spirits raised by this Ballymacash pulled a goal back on 25 minutes when a fine passing movement found Kenny Campbell inside the Newry box and he gave Murphy little chance drilling a low shot past the advancing Newry keeper to put his side back in the game.

That was however as good as it got for the visitors as Newry were straight back on the attack. McMullan won a crunching tackle in the middle of the park, the ball breaking back to Graeme Edgar. Edgar played a first time pass over the defence for Stephen McCabe to run onto, McCabe making ground before whipping in a low cross which the Rangers defence did well to clear over their own cross bar.

Newry chances kept coming, Johnston once more switching wings and leaving the covering defender in his wake as he took the ball to the end line before firing in a low cross which McMullan met first time from close range, Campbell making a reaction save with his feet to once more deny Newry’s top scorer.

With ten minutes remaining in the first half Newry restored the two goal advantage. With a free kick wide on the left Newry had all their big men at the back post but it was to be Timmy Grant making a run to the front post who rose highest to steer McCabe’s free kick to the far top corner with a glancing header for a fine goal.

Two goals in arrears at half time Ballymacash had the first goal scoring chance of the second half, James Guiney cutting in from the right wing into the Newry box only to be foiled by Murphy who was quickly off his line to make a splendid save with his legs.

On the hour mark Newry made the game safe. Thomas McCann who has added real quality to the Newry midfield this season won the ball in a tackle midway inside the Rangers half. Quickly regaining his feet McCann found McMullan wide on the right wing, the big man wasting little time to pick out McCabe at the back post with a perfect pass which McCabe slammed past Campbell with a first time shot for Newry’s fourth goal.

Goal number five for Newry was perhaps the best of the day. From defence Crilly pitched a pass forward which Grant won on the half way line with a glancing header to Mark Lowry. Lowry toyed with his marker waiting on Johnston to make his run across goal before laying in yet another low cross which Johnston met on the run with a low first time shot which flew into the bottom corner before Campbell had a chance to react.

That was to be the final goal of the day although Newry had one more chance with time running out, Paddy Mooney who had another strong game in the home defence, venturing up field for a McCabe corner unlucky to see his volley blocked on the Rangers goal line by a covering defender.

Raymie Byrne, Newry assistant manager who was in charge for the game was content with his team’s performance “We went 4-4-2 today with Keith Johnston and Sean McMullan up top and from the kick off we looked dangerous.  It was a credit to the players how many goal scoring opportunities we created against a very good and well organised Ballymacash team.  The intensity and shape of the team was excellent with the players understanding the importance of getting back to winning ways. In all a great team performance full of character and fight!”

Newry City’s next match is on Saturday, 21^st November at home to Cliftonville Olympic in the Intermediate Cup, kick off 1:30 pm.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Crilly, Edgar, Mooney, Mullen, McMahon, McCann, Grant, Johnston, McMullan, McCabe, Subs: Lowry, Curran, Martin, Wilson, Kerr

Newry City dropped their first league points of the season in a scoreless draw at Crewe on Saturday.  After a game which Newry had chances to win but which they might have lost in the closing minutes Newry manager Darren Mullen was not overly despondent “It was a frustrating game for us especially with the way we played and the possession we had. The players were disappointed after the game and that shows the expectations they have set for themselves this season. However, when the dust settles we will realise we are still unbeaten and have kept another clean sheet. Crewe are a decent side and will take points off other teams this season.

A game which started off with midfield sparring Newry created their first chance on goal after 20 minutes, Thomas McCann chipping a pass into the path of Stephen McCabe as he arrived into the penalty area unfortunately finding the shooting angle too acute as his effort hit the side netting.

On the half hour mark Chris McMahon burst up field breaking through a brace of Crewe challenges before he arrived at the by line from where he pulled the ball back across goal alas finding a Crewe defender who cleared.

Crewe looked to be in on the Newry goal minutes later when a clearance from the Newry defence was charged down at the halfway line, the ball breaking straight towards the Newry goal where Paddy Mooney appeared to be the third favourite in a race for the ball with two Crewe forwards. Mooney however quickly made up the ground and slid to hook the ball from the Crewe mans foot before completing the clearance.

Newry started the second period on top creating several half chances without getting that extra yard of room to get a clear shot on goal. And on the rare occasion that Crewe showed any ambition to venture into the Newry area they found a defence marshalled by Mooney in top form.

Faced with this blanket defence it was always going to take a moment of magic to create an opening and as so often in these circumstances Newry looked to Jimmy Walker for a piece of brilliance.

On 65 minutes the mercurial midfielder picked the ball up inside his own half and set off pinging one twos until he arrived inside the Crewe penalty where he drew the Crewe keeper Cory Wilson, waited for him to commit to the dive before shooting only to be foiled by an outstretched hand from Wilson.

With time running out Newry were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Crewe box. Once more the responsibility was handed to Walker who all but delivered, his shot curling around the wall hitting the inside of the post and rebounding into the penalty area with a Crewe defender just reaching the loose ball before Timmy Grant could get a final touch.

If this was not cruel enough on Newry they almost suffered a final blow with time almost up when a Crewe free kick from the half way line was met at the back post by substitute Seamus Moore who’s header looped over Newry custodian Peter Murphy but landed on top of the net leaving the game scoreless at the final whistle.

Newry City: Murphy, Crilly, McMahon, Mullen, Mooney, Carville, McCann, Walker, McCabe, McMullen, Grant. Subs: Johnston, Edgar, Curran.

Newry City’s next match is a home fixture next Saturday against Ballymacash Rangers on Saturday 14^th November. KO 2.15pm.

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.