Newry City gained swift revenge over their Mid-Ulster opponents Hanover at the Showgrounds on Friday evening. Having suffered a penalty shootout exit in the Marshall cup mid-January in Portadown the Newry boys were not in the mood to let another competition slip away and took severe retribution dominating this Wilson Cup match from start to finish running out very comfortable 5-0 winners.

As in Newrys last game Jimmy Walker was at the centre of everything that was good with their play and again gave a man of the match display in wet and holding conditions which were not necessarily designed for his style of silky passing football.

It only took 4 minutes for Walker to show that he was in the mood. Picking up a throw in some 40 yards from goal wide on the right Walker worked his way in field before curling a left foot shot from 30 yards which beat the despairing dive of Short in the Hanover goal who was unfortunate to see the ball cannon down from the crossbar and rebound of his prostrate body into the net to put Newry 1-0 up.

Walker had an opportunity to double the advantage on the quarter hour mark. Falling deep inside his own half to take a pass from Joel Annett, Walker moved into the Hanover half before finding Niall Crilly on the right wing. Crilly made some ground before returning the ball to Walker who skipped around a couple of defenders bringing him inside the box with only Short to beat, his low shot alas blocked by the legs of the keeper.

Goal number two came on 30 minutes. Mark Lowry, who with Paddy Mooney, had been showing up well on either wing, won and took a corner from the right. Mark Patton, who as usual won every ball which came his way, did well to get his head to the cross on the edge of the box finding Neil Barr on the penalty spot. With his back to goal Barr swivelled to blast the bouncing ball high to the roof of the Hanover net to put Newry 2-0 up.

Paddy Mooney made it two goals in two games since his transfer back to Newry from Warrenpoint Town five minutes later. From right back Crilly repeatedly gets involved in Newry attacks and he again weighed in with assists in this match, for this goal bringing the ball from his own half to an attacking position inside the Hanover half from where he found Lowry. Lowry beat his marker and made for the by line before crossing the ball along the ground where it was met on the edge of the six yard box by a perfectly timed run from Mooney who calmly slotted his shot past Short for goal number three.

Matters got worse for Hanover on 40 minutes when with the only bad challenge of the game Hanover’s right back Alex Scott scythed Mooney down with a sliding challenge from behind which gave referee Gerard Murray little option but to show him a straight red card.

There was still more to come from Newry before half time with perhaps the best passing based goal of the season. Walker again picked the ball up around midfield and bounced passes off Chris McMahon, Gary McVicker and Andy McLarty as he progressed up field and into the Hanover penalty area this time making no mistake placing his shot wide of Short to give Newry an unassailable 4-0 lead at half time.

Newry continued on the front foot in the second half with both Patton and McLarty giving the Hanover rear guard all sorts of trouble. Indeed the bustling McLarty could have added to the tally with a few efforts which he created himself with some strong runs down Newrys right wing.

The sustained pressure did eventually culminate in goal number five on the hour mark when Crilly won possession on the edge of the Hanover penalty area before dinking a delightful chip to Walker inside the box. Walker instantly controlled the ball and dummied the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into the open net.

With the match decided and the requisite amount of time played to allow the result to stand referee Gerard Murray blew the final whistle around the 75 minute mark to give all present some respite from the appalling conditions.

This was a solid performance from Newry which was gilded by the skill of Jimmy Walker. Solid at the back with Murphy, McElroy and Annett mopping up the little which came their way, the rest of the team spent the evening attacking the Hanover goal and on another day could have had more goals.

Speaking after the game Newry manager Darren Mullen said “I’m delighted with the performance, the result and also with the debut of young local lad Lee Courtney who started the season playing for the under 17 side. Lee’s debut shows that young players will get the chance at the Showgrounds if they are good enough and willing to work hard.”

Newrys next game is a Mid Ulster Intermediate B fixture on Saturday 15^th Feb, 14:15hrs away to Moneyslane.  The Newry City travel club will be running a bus to this game. The bus will leave the Stonebridge at 13:00hrs and all are welcome.

Man of the Match: Jimmy Walker

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Chris McMahon, Niall Crilly, Joel Annett, Paul McElroy, Gary McVicker, Paddy Mooney, Mark Lowry, Neil Barr, Mark Patton, Jimmy Walker. Subs: Graeme Edgar (Walker), Andy McLarty (Lowry), Lee Courtney (Crilly), David Anderson, Joe Campbell, Ian Curran and Peter Thompson.

Newry City AFC regained sole possession of the league’s top spot with a comfortable victory over visitors Lurgan Town at the Showgrounds on Saturday. Played almost throughout in bleak rain swept conditions this was a game Newry never looked likely to lose though it did take them until the second half to break the deadlock and eventually pull away. 

Playing into strong wind and rain in the first half Newry played the way they know best with neat passing and movement on the ground creating their first good chance after only two minutes when James Walker slipped a through ball to Mark Lowry who’s shot was tipped onto the crossbar by Davison in the Lurgan goal. Newry continued to press and were unlucky when a Gary McVicker cross found Neil Barr, who had judged the flight of the ball better than his marker to find some space inside the box, only for his shot to be blocked on the line.

Walker was also enjoying his role as playmaker, taking and giving passes. On twenty minutes Patton and debutant Paddy Mooney linked well down Newry’s left before finding Walker. Walker in turn slid a first time pass to Chris McMahon arriving at the edge of the box, his shot on the run saved by Davison. Although it was virtually one way traffic Newry were wary of a wind assisted break from the Lurgan side, Joel Annett having to be spritely in a race with Hamilton for a long through ball which the Lurgan player seemed to have won only for Annett to nip in to deflect the ball for a corner. This was as good as it got for Lurgan in attack and the play was soon back in their half with Walker again the instigator spraying the ball wide for  Niall Crilly. When Crillys high cross was caught by the wind Davison, who later went on to make some fine saves, misjudged its angle and dropped the ball to the feet of Barr only to be bailed out by Carson who deflected Barr’s shot for a corner keeping the half time score 0-0.

Newry resumed on the attack in the second half, again with neat passing creating opportunities the first of which fell to Walker his curling shot with the outside of his right foot being well saved by Davison. Newry opened the scoring on 53 minutes when a Gary McVicker clearance was latched onto by Mark Lowry. When Lowrys first attempt to pass was intercepted he was quickly onto the loose ball before passing to ace goal scorer Barr on the edge of the box, Barr took one look up before unleashing a shot into the far top corner of the Lurgan net to put Newry 1-0 up. Barr rather fortuitously soon doubled Newry’s advantage when he deflected a Mooney shot from the edge of the box past Davison for number two.  Mooney was not to be denied his goal for long however and again his chance was crafted by Walker who found him inside the box with a deft chip. Mooney still had a lot to do as he flicked the ball over the defenders head and allowed it to bounce before crashing a half volley off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net.

Newry continued to attack in numbers and at this stage it looked like more goals were sure to come.  Goal number four duly came from the unlikely boot of right back Crilly who had an excellent game both in defence and in bolstering the attack. Unlucky with his first effort from inside the box which was parried wide by the goal keeper Crilly stayed with the attack and was in the right place at the right time to nick the ball to the net after Davison had blocked another shot from Patton. Newry’s fifth and final goal of the day was scored by another debutant. McVicker, the other full back was also venturing forward at will and his persistence in the tackle paid dividends on 75 minutes when he forced a ball through to Andy McLarty who’s shot was excellently diverted round the post by the overworked Davison.  Debutant McLarty also was not to be denied however as he nipped in at the front post to divert Sean Hand’s corner to the net to make the final score 5-0.

This was an excellent squad performance from Newry. Manager Darren Mullan will be delighted with the options that he now has at his disposal. Composed at the back where Murphy was rarely troubled with Paul McElroy outstanding, the rest of the players worked hard throughout at first to break the dead lock and then to enhance the goal difference with most of Newrys attacks instigated by Man of the Match Jimmy Walker.

Newry now look forward to their next league game, next Saturday 1st February away to Seagoe. The NCAFC travel club will be running a bus to this game. The bus will leave the Stonebridge @ 13:00hrs.

Newry City AFC Team: Murphy, Crilly, McVicker, Annett, McElroy, McMahon, Walker, Lowry, Patton, Barr, Mooney. Subs Hand (Lowry) McLarty (Mooney) Edgar (Annett) Thompson, Campbell.

 Photography courtesy of Brendan Monaghan.

Newry City AFC are pleased to announce that tomorrow’s Intermediate League B game v Lurgan Town will be shown on Destination Newry TV. This can be viewed through either  a ROKU LT Media Streamer Box or via a link from the Newry City AFC Website.

http://www.vadio.ie/newrycityafc

The deferred coverage of whole game is scheduled for tomorrow at approximately 16:30hrs and will be screened in the Newry City AFC Social Club. Well known dedicated NCAFC fan Mo Ruddy will be joined by our very own David Anderson in the commentary box. So, make sure you don’t miss out and tune in!!

Remember, It’s Your City, It’s YOUR club!!