This was a game that had everything, ten goals, red cards, penalties, the woodwork hit, dubious refereeing decisions and to cap it off a Newry win which puts them into the second round of the Bob Radcliffe Cup and in the process gain some revenge on Hanover for a couple of cup defeats last season. With the sides having met five times last year, Newry shading those games 3 to 2 and with Hanover having made a good start to this season Newry would have been well aware that this had the makings of a tricky cup tie. And while it turned out that way much of Newry’s discomfort was of their own making.

Having got off to the best possible start after only three minutes when Ian Curran got his head to Chrissy Fay’s free kick to help the ball into the far corner of the Hanover goal Newry immediately allowed Hanover back into the game when indecision and slack marking at the back saw Hanover win two headers inside the home penalty area, the second of which belonged to Stephen Douglas who nodded the ball into the Newry net at the back post. The home side were creating chances with Paul Donegan unfortunate to see his half volley from the edge of the area fly the wrong side of the post after Joel Armstrong in the Hanover goal had flapped at a Fay cross. Armstrong was even more fortunate minutes later when David O’Connor played in Fay on the left wing. Fay who was giving his marker the run around with a Man of the Match display took the ball to the by line and whipped in a low cross which was met on the volley by Aaron Brilly who was unlucky to see his effort slam of the inside of the post and back into the arms of the grateful Armstrong.

Despite this pressure, Newry went a goal down on 27 minutes. Awarded a free kick inside their own half Hanover hit a long ball to Justin Bradley and with the home defence waiting for the referee to call play to a halt as Bradley appeared to have started his run from an off side position Bradley lobbed the ball over the advancing Peter Murphy to put Hanover 2-1 in the lead. The home side had a golden chance to equalize just before half time and again Fay was involved. This time he turned his marker inside out on the edge of the box before sliding a pass to Mark Lowry. Lowry took one touch before turning inside too quickly as it transpired for the Hanover centre half who tripped him, the referee pointing immediately to the penalty spot. Having missed a spot kick last week Newry changed the penalty taker trusting Ian Curran with the task. However, the result was similar, the Newry defender pulling his shot wide of the post leaving his team a goal down at half time.

The home side did however equalize straight after the break, Fay swinging in a corner for which Mark Patton rose highest to bullet a header into the top corner of the Hanover net. Although Newry were now on top they did not look like scoring and in an effort to change the game manager Darren Mullen introduced last season’s top scorer Neil Barr, Keith Johnston and Kenny Kearns from the bench. Niall Crilly was having success attacking down Newry’s right flank and on the hour mark he linked up with Chris McMahon and Lowry in a sweeping movement which ended with a Barr shot from inside the box being deflected wide. A Newry goal was coming with Crilly continuing to get forward. Released by Fay Crilly ran directly at the Hanover defence playing a one two with Barr before testing Armstrong with a shot from inside the box which the Hanover keeper did well to save. The goal however did come minutes later and this time it was from a penalty which was converted. With a loose ball waiting to be won in the middle of the park McMahon as usual committed 100% to the tackle, winning the ball which spun wide to Crilly. Crilly found Fay on the edge of the box and when his shot was blocked by the arm of a Hanover defender the referee again pointed to the penalty spot and perhaps harshly sent off the Hanover defender. Once more Newry changed their penalty taker this time Fay making no mistake shooting low into the corner to put Newry 3-2 up.

Yet again Newry contrived to make things difficult for themselves allowing Bradley to score two soft goals within five minutes of each other to turn the game on its head. And to make matters worse for the second of these goals Newry protested too vociferously against what appeared to be another dubious offside decision by the referee leading to a straight red card for Paul Donegan. With both sides now reduced to 10 men Newry pressed for the equalizer and got their reward with time running out when Barr went on a run down the left wing, cut inside the Hanover box and fired in a low and hard shot which Armstrong could not hold, the alert Lowry forcing the loose ball over the line to leave the final score level at 4-4.

The home side’s fitness played a major part in extra time as they looked much the livelier team with Murphy in the Newry goal untroubled in both periods. With the first period remaining scoreless it was only a matter if Newry could score to prevent the lottery of penalty kicks. And score the home team did, twice in fact, to win the tie. First Crilly took the ball out of defence and from the edge of the penalty area slipped a clever ball to the unmarked Kenny Kearns who took one touch and then drilled the ball into the roof of the Hanover net. Newry sealed victory with goal number six, Kearns intercepting the ball in midfield and passing to Barr who calmly took the ball around the advancing keeper and slotted the ball into the empty night to seal victory. While happy with the win Newry manager knows that his team can improve on this display “We couldn’t have wished for a better start with the early goal but defensive mistakes throughout the team made this a more difficult game than it should have been. Games against Hanover are never dull and this one proved no different. We actually played some good football but basic errors made it a hectic game in terms of chances and goals. If we can cut out the errors, which we will work on in training, then hopefully we can continue on this winning run. Having six different goal scorers shows the threat we have throughout the team including those coming off the bench”

Man of the Match, Sponsored by B.Wilson & Sons: Chris Fay

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Crilly, O’Connor, Donegan, Curran, McMahon, Brilly, Fay, Patton, McMullan, Lowry, Subs: Kearns, Barr, Johnston, Martin, Campbell, Quinn, Davison.

 Newry City AFC would like to congratulate one of our loyal supporters Johnny Ferns for completing the Ice Bucket Challenge after being nominated by Newry Manager Darren Mullen. Johnny completed the challenge outside Newry Social Club on Saturday after the match. Well Done Johnny!!

Photographs Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

“I thought it was going to be one of those days” was how Newry manager Darren Mullen summed up his teams Irish Cup 1^st round match in Strabane on Saturday. Having twice hit the woodwork before going a goal down just after the half hour mark and then spurning a series of good chances most present would have agreed with his assessment but that was not allowing for Newry’s battling qualities and Mark Patton’s equalizing goal in the 87^th minute after which there was only going to be one team progressing into the next round from this tie.

For the first half hour the game was fairly even with chances coming and going and both ends. After only five minutes Newry keeper Peter Murphy was forced to dive low to his right to make a fine save from a Jason McGrinder effort from inside the penalty area. Newry’s response was immediate, Chrissy Fay making space wide on the left wing and swinging in a cross which the Strabane keeper flapped at, the loose ball falling to Sean McMullan who with a wall of players in front of him lobbed the ball over the keeper only for a covering defender to head the ball up and off the underside of the crossbar and bounce to safety.  McMullan was soon to have another chance. Fay fed the over lapping Lowry who cut inside the box and pulled his pass back to McMullan on the penalty spot, the big man twisting and turning but unable to get a clear shot on goal.

On 20 minutes Murphy came to Newrys rescue once more when a sloppy pass out of defence was seized upon by Strabane who worked the ball into the Newry box, Murphy diving full length to save a goal bound shot. With play now end to end the next chance was Newry’s. Embarking on a mazy run Lowry was tripped in a central position some 25 yards from goal. Up stepped McMullan to whip the free kick up and over the wall only to see his shot smack off the crossbar.  Newry continued to press with Aaron Brilly breaking down the right wing before playing a cross field pass which found Lowry on the edge of the box, Lowry’s shot well saved by the home keeper.

Newrys hopes of a cup run were dealt a blow on 35 minutes when Strabanes McGrinder made his way inside the box and fired in a low and hard shot which beat Murphy’s dive, smacked the post and rebounded into the prostrate Newry keeper ricocheting into the opposite corner of the net to put the home team into the lead.

A goal down at half time Newry had a great chance to equalize straight after the restart. Niall Crilly aimed a long throw in to McMullan inside the box. Spotting the run of Patton cleverly McMullan stepped over the ball which fell into his partner’s path, Patton unfortunately unable to get enough force into his shot to beat the keeper. Newry kept making chances. Ryan Quinn who was having a major influence on the game having been introduced into the centre of midfield played a through ball to McMullan. Again McMullan twisted one way and then another to find room to shoot before attempting to curl the ball into the far corner, his shot once more finding the home keeper. And when a Fay cross from the left wing found an unmarked Lowry in space on the edge of the six yard box and the man who has been in such good form hit his shot off the top of the crossbar the omens were really bleak for a Newry cup run. However that was all to change with minutes left Patton battling for a long ball in the Strabane box, the big man using his physical presence to turn his marker and then plant the ball into the roof of the Strabane net to bring the tie to extra time.

Full of energy and buoyed by the late equalizer Newry completely dominated the extra period. As early as the 2^nd minute Lowry went on a mazy run and from the corner of the box curled a left foot shot towards the far top corner and with the home keeper stranded the ball hit the Strabane woodwork for the 3^rd time. This was only delaying the inevitable as minutes later Crilly and Lowry wove a pattern of passes down the flank before finding Keith Johnston who sped away from his marker and slipped a clinical finish past the Strabane custodian to put Newry in front. Newry had a chance to give themselves some breathing space soon after with Lowry once more weaving his way around defenders only to be chopped down inside the box, the referee with no option but to award a penalty kick. With the large travelling support holding its breath up stepped McMullan. Unfortunately the Strabane keeper got the better of the battle diving to his left to smother the spot kick. Again the let off was temporary. For this game Newry had an embarrassment of strength on the bench one of whom was captain Chris McMahon who was returning from injury. Normally a midfield dynamo McMahon was introduced in the first half at left back due to an injury to Conor McCaul. Whilst he did not look out of place defending McMahons two most important contributions were to be direct long balls which lead to goals.

With the first period of extra time running out McMahon hit a long pass over the top of the Strabane defence for speed merchant Johnston who had also been introduced from the bench. Although not winning the first ball Johnston battled back to secure possession. With Fay providing a decoy on the overlap Johnston ran direct at the Strabane rearguard taking the ball almost to the end line before firing in a low cross which was met by Lowry darting across the face of the goal to deflect the cross into the net with the deftest of touches. The second period of extra time was a keep ball exercise for Newry illuminated by another spot by McMahon seeing Lowry isolated on the half way line and playing perfect long pass which the Newry speedster ran on to before lobbing the ball over the advancing keeper to add some gloss on the score line.

Newry manager Darren Mullen was obviously delighted with his team’s perseverance “We knew that Strabane were a good side and I would say that they deservedly took the lead as we started slowly. However after they scored we were the better team for the remainder of the game and had many chances to score. I thought it was going to be one of those days but after Mark scored I had no doubt that we were going to win. The pace of Keith Johnston and Mark Lowry caused them problems and it ended up a very good win for us. It has taken us a while to get going and while we are not going to get carried away we are starting to look like a proper team”

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Crilly, McCaul, Curran, Donegan, Patton, Fay, Brilly, McMullan, Edgar, Lowry. Subs: McMahon, Quinn, Johnston, Barr, Campbell, Martin, Davison.