Category: News

Newry City XI v Irish League XI

A Newry City select team will play an Irish League select team this Friday, 22nd May, in a charity football match to raise funds for Davina’s Ark.

Kick off is at 7.30pm at the Showgrounds and will be followed by a social function at the Brass Monkey in Sandys Street.

Admission is £5 with all proceeds going to Davina’s Ark.

Not sure what Davina’s Ark do? Davina’s Ark is an organisation dedicated to providing non-residential ‘after care’ services to individuals and families affected by addiction. To find out more about them and the work they do, you can visit their website at www.davinasark.co.uk

City Reserves beat the Town!

A three goal winning margin would suggest a comfortable victory for Newry City Reserves against Banbridge Town Reserves at The Showground’s on Wednesday night. However the score line does not reflect that this was a thoroughly competitive match which Banbridge were in right up until the last 10 minutes when Sean McMullan picked the ball up in the middle of the park and leaving his marker in his wake made ground before sliding a pass into the path of Neil Barr who smashed his first time shot into the roof of the net to make the game safe for the home side at 3-0.

The foundations for the victory however had been laid in the first 20 minutes of the first half Newry taking the lead after 12 minutes when Graeme Edgar returned a Banbridge kick out perfectly through a gap in the visiting defence which Keith Johnston ran onto before drilling his shot into the far bottom corner of the net to put the home side a goal up. The advantage was doubled on 20 minutes when Barr chased a seemingly lost cause to the end line, shouldered the covering defender off the ball and from a very acute angle curled the ball around the keeper at his near post, the ball nestling inside the far post to put Newry 2-0.

It was at this stage that Banbridge Town, marshalled at the back by Stephen Greene, became a little more combative getting a foothold in the game. However, against a Newry defence in which Stefan Martin and Micheál Hastewell were both rock steady Banbridge were limited to strikes from outside the area which brought a string of fine saves from the Newry keeper Colm McEvoy.

Newry City AFC: McEvoy, Mooney, Martin, Hastewell, Cargin, Smaryginas, Durnin, McMullan, Edgar, Barr, Johnston, Subs: Crilly, Walker, McCaul.

Five Stars from the Reserves!

With the first team not in action on Saturday and with several players stripping out for the Under 19’s Newry City Reserve team manager Gary Redpath fielded a team mixed with youth and senior players for the away tie against Crewe. And in an entertaining game both groups stepped up to the mark with young Paul Hadden giving an assured performance in nets while outfield Ben Hughes and Jervis Og McCaul played their part in an emphatic victory and for the senior player players while both Neil Barr and Keith Johnston each grabbed a pair of goals the foundation for the win lay with the work rate of Newry’s Man of the Match Graeme Edgar and the ball skills and vision of Sean McMullan who tortured the home defence throughout.

It only took Newry three minutes to register their first goal, Josh Durnin slipping a through ball to Barr who smashed his first time shot across the Crewe keeper and into the opposite top corner for a stunning opener. On 12 minutes Newry doubled their advantage when McMullan and Paulis Smaryginas combined to find Hughes in space on the right wing, the youngster quick to spot Johnston’s run behind the defence on the opposite wing, his pass giving Johnston the time and space to pick out a spot in the far top corner of O’Neill’s net into which he curled the perfect shot to put the visitors 2-0 up. It was all Newry at this stage with McMullan pulling all the strings and on 25 minutes the big man laid the perfect pass through the Crewe defence for the speedster Johnston to run onto, the winger feigning to go forward, losing his marker by cutting back across goal and drilling a low shot into the near bottom corner to put Newry firmly in command.

On 35 minutes the home side almost pulled a goal back when Walsh raced down the Newry right wing, cut inside his marker and curled a dipping shot which skimmed off the top of the Newry crossbar.

This resurgence was only temporary with the goal of the game coming from the evergreen McMullan on 40 minutes. Surrounded by four Crewe players on the edge of the home penalty area it looked as if the big man was trapped. That was not allowing for his fleet of foot as he twisted and turned bamboozling the Crewe defence before playing a one two with Smaryginas and planting the ball into the same top corner as Barr had earlier hit with a first time shot for a goal which would have graced any game.

To their credit the home side kept playing football and pulled a goal back before half time when Hutchinson made ground down the right wing before pulling the ball back into the box from where McCullough drilled in a low shot which gave Hadden little chance leaving the half time score 4-1 in Newry’s favour.

After that first half there was no way that the second was going to be as entertaining and although Newry did register goal number five after an excellent run forward from Niall Crilly who skipped past two tackles before taking the ball to the by line and pulling a cross back to the six yard box from where Barr curled a low shot into the bottom corner for his second and Newrys fifth it was the Newry defence and in particular Hadden who came to the fore, the young keeper on several occasions displaying safe hands and capping it off on 70 minutes with a brave diving save at the feet of the inrushing Hutchinson to once more snuff out any Crewe threat and seal a 5-1 win for Newry.

Larry Lynch Memorial Cup match

Photo: Millburn United Captain Philip McKay (left) and Newry player Sean McMullan are pictured here with the Larry Lynch Memorial Cup

 

Newry City will play Millburn United in the second annual Larry Lynch Memorial Cup on Saturday, 2nd May at the Showgrounds, with a 2pm kick off. All proceeds from the match will be in aid of Headway Newry.

Warrenpoint Town won the inaugural trophy last year but due to their commitments in the promotion/relegation play-off with Bangor this week, they were unable to take part in this year’s Memorial Cup.

“We are more than happy to take part in this charity match against Millburn”, Newry Manager Darren Mullen told newrycityafc.co.uk.

He continued: “Laurence was a cousin of our striker Sean McMullan. Hopefully we can get a good crowd at this game to raise plenty of money for charity. Raymond Byrne and I both played for Millburn early on in our career when my father was the manager there so it was an easy decision when we were asked to help them out.”

 

 

Newry win local derby!

Newry played their final home game of the season on Saturday when they hosted Camlough Rovers at a sunny and well attended Showgrounds. In what was a well contested affair, it was Sean McMullan who sent the Newry support home happy by heading the only goal of the game five minutes from time.

The game took a while to warm up as the opening half settled in to a pattern where Newry enjoyed plenty of possession but struggled to create any clear cut chances. The City midfield were probing for openings and looking to release Mark Lowry and Keith Johnston to link up with McMullan, but they were kept at arm’s length by a well organised Camlough defence. Newry struggled to find the crucial final ball, over-elaborating at times, and for all the huffing and puffing, blocked shots and corners won, Barry McKeown in the visiting goal was generally untroubled. That would change in the second half.

Newry's Sean Hand. Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Newry’s Sean Hand. Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Indeed for all Newry’s possession, it was Camlough who created the best opening of the half, just before the break. Joe McDermott whipped in a dangerous cross from the right hand side of the box which sub John Grant headed just over the Newry bar when well placed.

For all that the first half was mildly diverting, the second moiety was where we’d find the real action. On 50 minutes, a long ball from Chris McMahon caused hesitation in the Camlough rearguard and Sean McMullan nipped in between defenders and goalkeeper but lifted his shot just over the crossbar.

Camlough responded with their best effort of the game, just before the hour mark, when they broke quickly and worked the ball to Declan Monaghan inside the area. The big striker got his shot away but Peter Murphy did well to divert the effort around the post.

Newry were soon back on the attack and on 65 minutes McMahon released Walker who shot low but was denied by a good save from McKeown. From the resulting corner McKeown failed to clear under pressure and the ball fell to Ian Curran who couldn’t keep his shot down, the ball going over the bar.

Newry had upped the ante and were now enjoying a real purple patch. They went close again within minutes when McMahon found Lowry who cut inside and released Keith Johnston who looked set to score only to be denied by a stupendous save from McKeown.

Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Next up, Paulius Smaryginas sent a raking ball to the feet of Jimmy Walker on the left and his cross was met by McMullan whose bullet header cannoned off the bar with McKeown, for once, well beaten.

Newry could have been forgiven for thinking it was going to be one of those days, and it almost got worse for the home side on 81 minutes when Camlough, who had looked to be on the ropes, showed they still had a part to play with Monaghan drawing another fine save from Murphy after a good break.

The game was getting stretched as it entered the closing minutes and it was Newry who finally fashioned the goal that their play deserved in the 85th minute. It was Mark Lowry who set Walker in on the edge of the box and the midfielder showed good skill to get his shot away only to be denied by another great save from McKeown. Lowry, however, did well to recycle the ball and sent in a cross to the back post where McMullan bravely headed home from close range. The big target man was scoring for the fourth consecutive game and it was due reward for another hard working display in leading the line.

McMullan celebrates his goal. Photo courtesy of Brendan Monaghan photography.
McMullan celebrates his goal. Photo courtesy of Brendan Monaghan photography.

Newry had a chance to secure some breathing space on 88 minutes with Johnston’s deft effort which drew another fine save from McKeown, but one goal was enough as City played out the remaining minutes in relative comfort.

With only a trip to Tandragee to come, on May 5th, Newry brought down the curtain on another season at the Showgrounds where manager Darren Mullen will have been pleased to secure 27 points from a possible 33. He knows that the key for next season is for Newry to transfer this excellent form to their travels where they have struggled at times this season. The recent morale boosting wins over Tandragee and this game have hinted at better and Mullen will know exactly what is required if Newry are to take the next step.

Speaking after the game, manager Darren Mullen stated that, “we knew going into this game that we would have to match Camlough for effort and determination. You have to earn the right to play football and whilst we certainly didn’t do that in the first game out in Camlough we did on Saturday. The whole team were superb and we really should have scored a few more but for some great saves by their keeper. We were defensively solid restricting Camlough to very little and our pace in attack was always a threat. I questioned the players character after that first game and they have responded in the right manner. Hopefully we can finish the season positively in our last game away to Tandragee.”

Newry City AFC would like to thank match day sponsor Newmay Electrical Services and Paul Mulholland for his continued support and attendance at the match.

Man of the Match: Rian Hand

Newry City AFC: Murphy, S Hand, Curran, R Hand, McCaul, Smaryginas (Durnin), Walker, McMahon, McMullan, Lowry, Johnston. Subs not used: Fay, Courtney, O’Connor, Edgar.

Camlough Rovers: McKeown, S King, J King, Lennon, K Moan (Kane), G Moan, Murphy (Grant), McDermott, Massey, Morgan, Monaghan. Subs not used: Hughes, McKeown, Quinn.