Category: News

Darren Mullen does the Ice Bucket Challenge!

Newry City Manager Darren Mullen undertook the Ice Bucket challenge on Tuesday evening at the Showgrounds after getting nominated by his brother Neil and City player Paul Donegan!

Before completing the challenge, Darren nominated all of the Newry City AFC coaching staff, Warrenpoint Town FC player Timmy Grant and and Newry fan Johnny Ferns.

The Ice Bucket challenge has been used throughout Ireland the UK recently to help raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Watch Darren’s video below:

Newry beat Strabane in Irish Cup!

“I thought it was going to be one of those days” was how Newry manager Darren Mullen summed up his teams Irish Cup 1st 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 87th 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 2nd 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 3rd 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.

Last Man Standing Round 1 results

Newry City AFC would like to thank all 157 entrants for taking part in our Last Man Standing competition and helping to support the club. We would also like to thank all of our Last Man Standing sellers. It is greatly appreciated by the club.

We had a total of 61 fallers in the opening round. Manchester United’s (31 backers) shock defeat to Swansea and Everton’s (16 backers) draw at Leicester City accounted for the majority of these. However, Arsenal backers can count themselves extremely fortunate to still be in the competition. A massive 48 of you had Aaron Ramsey to thank for his late winner against Crystal Palace.

A special mention must go to Jennifer Martin and Michelle McCormack who both took a punt on Hull to win away at QPR. Well done ladies.

The full list of Round 1 results can be seen below. Anyone who is numbered from 97 – 157 has been eliminated. Good luck to the 96 entrants who made it through to round two of the competition and remain in the hunt for the £500 cash prize.

No Name Round 1
1 S Davison Arsenal
2 C Davison Arsenal
3 Chris Fay Arsenal
4 Chris Fay Arsenal
5 Chris Fay Arsenal
6 Chris McMahon Arsenal
7 Caolan Gallgher Arsenal
8 Jim O’Connor Arsenal
9 Jason Rafferty Arsenal
10 Anthony Grimes Arsenal
11 Barry Johnston Arsenal
12 Gary Redpath Arsenal
13 John McDowel Arsenal
14 Julie McArdle Arsenal
15 Kevin Darcy Arsenal
16 Ian McDonald Arsenal
17 Chris Coffey Arsenal
18 Noel Quinn Arsenal
19 Martin Walker Arsenal
20 Damien O’Hare Arsenal
21 Paul Farrell Arsenal
22 Gerard McKevitt Arsenal
23 Michael McCormack Arsenal
24 Joe Campbell Arsenal
25 Roddy Campbell Arsenal
26 Conor McKeown Arsenal
27 Chris Johnston Arsenal
28 Shane King Arsenal
29 Mark Patton Arsenal
30 Robert Toman Arsenal
31 Marty McParland Arsenal
32 Raime Woods Arsenal
33 Camillus Fitzpatrick Arsenal
34 Jim Campbell Arsenal
35 Dorothy Taylor Arsenal
36 Jim Hillen Arsenal
37 Paddy McGrath Arsenal
38 Paddy Heaney Arsenal
39 Gareth Young Arsenal
40 Shaun Cinnamond Arsenal
41 Sean McMullan Arsenal
42 Shane Lundy Arsenal
43 Gary Wilson Arsenal
44 Philip Wilson Arsenal
45 Eric Wilson Arsenal
46 Dara Taylor Arsenal
47 Mickey Rocks Arsenal
48 Kevin Taylor Arsenal
49 Ruairi McKevitt Aston Villa
50 Margo Wilson Aston Villa
51 Emilie Wilson Aston Villa
52 Gerard Murphy Aston Villa
53 Chris Fay Chelsea
54 Chris McMahon Chelsea
55 Marie Robertson Chelsea
56 Brian Collins Chelsea
57 Daniel Murphy Chelsea
58 Paul McKenna Chelsea
59 Paul Murtagh Chelsea
60 Andrew Boyd Chelsea
61 Teresa Lennnon Chelsea
62 David McGrath Chelsea
63 Jennifer Martin Hull
64 Michelle McCormack Hull
65 G Davison Liverpool
66 Chris Fay Liverpool
67 David O’Connor Liverpool
68 John Fearon Liverpool
69 Conor Murdock Liverpool
70 Valerie Edgar Liverpool
71 Seamus Byrne Liverpool
72 Artie Kavanagh Liverpool
73 Tom O’Hanlon Liverpool
74 Mickey Keenan Liverpool
75 Brendan McCann Liverpool
76 Laura Hillen Liverpool
77 Gerard Hillen Liverpool
78 John Prentice Liverpool
79 Peter Murphy Liverpool
80 Gerry McKevitt Liverpool
81 Christine O’Rourke Liverpool
82 Robbie Casey Liverpool
83 Patricia Heather Liverpool
84 Kevin Lyons Liverpool
85 Conor Smyth Man City
86 Micky Mallon Man City
87 Rachel McClymont Man City
88 Conor Crilly Man City
89 Eric Johnston Spurs
90 Gabriel Farrell Spurs
91 Liam McLoughlin Spurs
92 Jonny Finnegan Spurs
93 Jason Finnegan Spurs
94 Darren Lonergan Spurs
95 Conor McEvoy Spurs
96 Aaron Kehoe Spurs
ELIMINATED
97 Chris Fay Stoke
98 Bobby Johnston Stoke
99 Des Edgar Stoke
100 Tony McElroy Stoke
101 Graeme Homer Stoke
102 Stefan Martin Stoke
103 Chris Fay Sunderland
104 Johnny Ferns Sunderland
105 Chris McAllister Sunderland
106 Jennifer Martin West Brom
107 Michael McAlinden Everton
108 Niall Crilly Everton
109 Chris Crilly Everton
110 N McCann Everton
111 L Davison Everton
112 Keith Waters Everton
113 Willie Brown Everton
114 Colm McCabe Everton
115 Aaron McParland Everton
116 Mo Ruddy Everton
117 Jonny Irwin Everton
118 Ciaran Galbraith Everton
119 Ciaran Kelly Everton
120 Denise Leonard Everton
121 Gary McGinn Everton
122 Alan Martin Everton
123 Jonny Lennon Leicester
124 Chris Fay Man Utd
125 Chris Fay Man Utd
126 Decky McParland Man Utd
127 Jackie Redpath Man Utd
128 Tony McCreanor Man Utd
129 Jake Redpath Man Utd
130 Davy Magaffin Man Utd
131 Stevie McArdle Man Utd
132 Ryan Gourley Man Utd
133 Graeme Edgar Man Utd
134 Mark Kenning Man Utd
135 Gerry McCoy Man Utd
136 Brian Og McSorley Man Utd
137 Jimmy Walker Man Utd
138 Darragh Teague Man Utd
139 Liam Kerr Man Utd
140 Paul McCrink Man Utd
141 damien Lavery Man Utd
142 Keith Johnston Man Utd
143 Seamus McParland Man Utd
144 Frosty O’Hare Man Utd
145 Gary Cregan Man Utd
146 Liam O’Hagan Man Utd
147 Ciaran Horsfall Man Utd
148 Ronan McGrath Man Utd
149 Sean Cunningham Man Utd
150 Allister Heaney Man Utd
151 David Short Man Utd
152 Darren Mullen Man Utd
153 Chris Taylor Man Utd
154 Simon Taylor Man Utd
155 Martin McLoughlin QPR
156 Tommy Canning QPR
157 Barry Traynor QPR

Newry pass by Seapatrick in Marshall Cup!

Newry breezed into the third round of the Marshall Cup with a comfortable four goal win over Seapatrick at the Showgrounds on Tuesday evening. Determined to build from the back Newry at times passed the ball around as if they were the only team on the pitch and created many more chances than were converted. Never the less manager Darren Mullen will see this as another improved display as his team settle down after a shaky start to the season.

The home sides first chance came as early as the second minute, David O’Connor lofted the ball to the edge of the area where it was helped on by Mark Patton to Aaron Brilly arriving at the back post, Brilly’s prod at the ball through the defenders legs saved by Darren Brooker in the Seapatrick goal.

Lowry’s lightening pace later proved to be the one of the highlights of the match and Seapatrick got an early warning on the fifth minute when he was released by Niall Crilly for a run on goal. Having burst into the opposing penalty area Lowry chose to pull the ball back for Sean McMullan who had done well to get anywhere near Lowry and was unfortunate when Lowrys pullback was a stride behind him as he arrived inside the box.

The home support didn’t have to wait long on the opening goal however as Newry went 1-0 up on 10 minutes with the same two players involved. This time McMullan was to be the provider slipping the ball to the feet of Lowry who rolled away from his marker and passed the ball neatly past Brooker for goal number one.

Newry were almost playing with a four man attack with Brilly on the right and Chris Fay on the left linking with Lowry and McMullan. The two wingers were central to Newrys next two chances, the first of which was spurned, the second converted. On 17 minutes Brilly picked the ball up inside his own half and raced forward, giving the ball to Lowry before getting it back and whipping in a high cross to the back post where it was met by Fay alas unable to keep his headed effort down, the ball sailing over the crossbar.

The second chance was created by one of those passing movements which Newry excel at. Having received the ball from his defence Patton held the play up in midfield before laying it back to centre half Paul Donegan. Donegan spotted Lowry move into space and pumped a low ball into his feet. Lowry instantly knocked the ball wide to Brilly who whipped another cross along the face of the Seapatrick goal where again it was met by Fay arriving at the back post and this time he made no mistake to double the Newry lead.

Newry were attacking at will at this stage with Graeme Edgar, who had another excellent game in the centre of the park, venturing forward to get his head to a Fay cross but was unable to get enough loft on his attempt to lift the ball over Brooker.

The 35th minute brought the first threat to the Newry goal of the night, an effort which was snuffed out by an excellent sliding block from Donegan who with his partner Ian Curran rarely looked troubled and were more often the building blocks for Newry attacks.

The third goal owed much to the skill of McMullan. Receiving a throw in from O’Connor deep in the Seapatrick half McMullan flicked the ball up and crossed it over his head for Brilly to nip in front of his marker and flick a deft volley from the edge of the small box up and over Brooker and into the net for a picture goal to leave the half time score 3-0.

With the tie virtually won in the first half there was little urgency to the game in the early part of the second half as the home side passed the ball around. This changed on 65 minutes when O’Connor battled for the ball deep in his own half and having secured possession found Patton. Like Edgar, Patton had shown his versatility with a splendid nights work in the centre of midfield. Now with the ball at his feet and having spotted Lowry isolated with his marker on the half way line the big man pitched a perfect ball which bounced midway inside the Seapatrick half giving Lowry a race with his marker. Having started a yard or two behind in a flash Lowry had raced past the defender and despite attempts to haul him back latched onto the ball and in a few paces fired in a low shot which Brooker could only tip onto the base of his post and into the net for goal number four.

With the game won Newry made three changes but the chances kept coming with McMullan involved in most. On 75 minutes he broke down the right wing and crossed to the back post where Stefan Martin rose highest to head the ball back across the goal and was unfortunate to see it cleared off the line for a corner. Ever alert McMullan received a short pass from the corner and picked out Curran who’s diving header was also blocked on the Seapatrick goal line.

Seapatrick for their part kept battling and with 10 minutes left had their best opportunity of the night. Having hustled the Newry defence into a mistake a Seapatrick attacker fizzed a low shot from the corner of the Newry box across goal forcing Peter Murphy to dive full length to tip the shot around his post.

The final chance of the night came Newry’s way and once more McMullan was at the centre of it. Finding himself surrounded by three Seapatrick players wide on the right McMullan flicked a pass up and over the trio releasing the overlapping Edgar down the wing. Edgar swung in a cross which Lowry headed wide.

In all a comfortable win for Newry but as always games have to be won. This game was won with a solid defence who moped up anything which came their way along with often starting many attacking movements. In midfield Patton and Edgar put in sterling shifts whilst the four attacking players jelled excellently with Lowry sealing the Man of the Match award with two excellent goals.

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

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Newry suffer defeat at home!

With Ballymacash Rangers the first visitors to The Showgrounds for the new season Newry were able to witness the step up in grade which awaits them in their first season in Mid Ulster Intermediate A from opponents who spent most of last season in the top quarter of the table. As for the match itself Newry’s cause was not helped on the quarter hour mark when they lost their captain Chris McMahon through injury. Indeed McMahon was fortunate not to have been badly injured in the incident which left his shin and ankle badly bruised but was not judged to have been worthy of a free kick by the match referee. The man in the middle did, however, get his next major decision correct when he awarded a penalty against Newry for a mistimed tackle which sent a Ballymacash forward sprawling over the end line from a position in which he was posing little danger to the Newry goal.

The Newry response to going a goal behind from the spot kick will have pleased manager Darren Mullen as his side pressed forward for the rest of the half. Kenny Kearns fired over from the edge of the box after being set up by Mark Patton and then Kearns floated a delightful diagonal ball over the defence into the path of Mark Lowry who got to the ball first but was unable to get enough power into his shot to trouble the keeper. Newry were now well on top but when a dubious offside call by the referee robbed McMullan of a chance for the equalizer it looked as if the half time whistle was going to come at the wrong time for the home side. However, the big man was not to be denied. Chris Fay laid the ball wide into the path of Paddy Magill who whipped over a high cross for which Patton challenged the keeper, the ball falling to McMullan who finished to the net to leave the half time score level.

Newry continued to probe after the break with Kearns and Lowry causing problems for the Ballymacash defence, Lowry paying the price for his trickery being subjeced to a series of late tackles by a stretched defence. However for all their pressure Newry never really looked like scoring and when they did get into dangerous positions the threat was ended with Newry players repeatedly adjudged to have roamed needlessly into offside positions. With 15 minutes left it looked as if Newry might be about to get on top when a Ballymacash defender was given a red card for yet another late tackle on Lowry. Alas, the breakthrough never came and Newry paid the highest price when they gave away a soft free kick just inside their own half and then allowed the Ballymacash centrehalf to move forward and get onto the end of the free kick to nod home and secure the three points for his team.

In a game where they often promised but never really got going best for Newry were Kenny Kearns, Mark Lowry and Sean McMullan.

Speaking after the game Newry manager Darren McMullan was in philosophical mood “Apart from the first 20 minutes of this game I thought we were the better team and had most of the possession but lacked a cutting edge. They were a good physical side and it was a good indication of what is ahead this season as they are one of the favourites for the league. Defensive errors cost us dearly in the end against 10 men and we are going to have to learn to make the most of our chances. It was an improvement on the Lower Maze performance and we will have to pick ourselves up for the next league game.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, O’Connor, Magill, McCaul, Donegan, Fay, Walker, McMahon, Patton, McMullan, Kearns. Subs: Lowry, Brilly, Edgar, Curran, Crilly.