At this stage of the season it’s all about winning vital league points and on Saturday in Tobermore Newry City secured three points which barring a freak turn of events will, at the very least, secure them a two leg play off for a place in next seasons NIFL Championship. And with six points still up for grabs Newry retain an outside chance of winning the league and with it automatic promotion. For that to happen however they must beat Limavady at home on Tuesday night, win away at Moyola on Saturday and hope that Donegal Celtic take something from their match at Limavady the same day. Before all of that Newry faced the challenge of a trip to Tobermore and they got themselves off to the best possible start. Little more than two minutes had elapsed on the clock when Jimmy Walker clipped a free kick into the box to match the early run of Mark McCabe. When McCabe was blatantly pushed to the ground by Nicky Hudson, referee Buchanan pointed straight to the spot and Jimmy Walker easily beat Limavady keeper Matthew McGaw to put Newry an early goal up.

Indeed, all the early chances came the way of the visitors. With ten minutes gone Kevin McArdle played a clever through ball into the channel for Decky Carville to run onto and shoot across goal, the ball recycled by Mark Hughes for Walker to try his luck from the edge of the box, his effort however not troubling McGraw. Minutes later and Walker sprayed the ball wide for Keith Johnston to get behind the Limavady defence and play a super ball across the six-yard box, McGraw diving forward to push the ball away with Mark McCabe waiting for a tap in.

On 20 minutes McCabe made a good chance for himself, collecting a long pass from John Boyle wide on the left before playing a give and go with Hughes to make his way to the edge of the box from where he really should have done better, failing to test the Tobermore keeper with his shot. On the half hour mark Newry got the cushion of a second goal in the simplest of fashion, Walker picking out the run of Boyle to the near post, Boyle losing his marker to place a header past McGraw to double the Newry advantage.

On the stroke of half time Newry almost put the game out of Tobermore’s reach. Once more starting with a Walker corner and with the Tobermore defence switched off Walker pulled the ball to Johnston in space on the corner of the box, Johnston taking a touch to tee up a volley which had McGraw sprawling across his line to tip the ball over his crossbar.

Rejuvenated by the half time break Tobermore were much better in the second half and got back into the game within minutes of the restart when from a corner Ryan Winton picked out the near post run of Nicky Hudson who gave Kieran Gordon little chance with a close range header. Newry almost came back with an instant reply, Carville rising highest to meet a Mark Hughes corner with a downward header which had McGraw scrambling across his goal to save.

In a half which contained little free flowing football a minute of magic from Newry on the hour mark almost restored their two-goal advantage. Starting with a driving run out of defence from Carville, the ball passed between Johnston and Walker to release Kevin McArdle wide behind the Tobermore defence, his ball across the face of goal met at the back post by Mark Hughes who looked sure to score only for a fine reaction save from McGraw.

On another day Mark McCabe might have grabbed a hat trick. On 70 minute’s he created another great chance for himself. Picking up the ball wide on the right, he played two one twos, first with McArdle, then with Carville leaving him with only McGaw to beat, the keeper quickly of his line to offer little sight of goal, McCabe unfortunate to see his shot sail the wrong side of the post.

Having created so many chances the final 20 minutes were an unnecessary nervous time for Newry. That said with Boyle his usual calming influence and Gordon assured in goal Tobermore were unable to create any clear chances with Newry going closest to claiming the fourth goal of the game, Hughes breaking down the left wing shaking of successive tackles to set up Walker on the edge of the box, his low shot saved by McGraw.

Content that his side had secured the points Newry manager Darren Mullen commented ‘This was a game of 2 halves in that we were dominant in the first half and poor in the second. We were well worth our 2 goal lead at half-time with a display of pace and movement. The message at the break was that we still had a lot of work to do but we gave them an opportunity to get back into the game with some poor marking. For the remainder of the second half we were wasteful in possession and had no real rhythm to our play. That said it’s all about 3 points at this stage of the season and I can’t be too critical of the players as they have been brilliant this season. We are now all but assured a play-off spot which is a magnificent achievement in our first year back in Irish league football but we have 2 games to go and want to finish with 2 wins.’

Newry now welcome Limavady to the Showgrounds on Tuesday night KO 8pm. Then on Saturday (29^th) Newry City travel to play Moyola Park, Supporters bus departing from the Stonebridge at 12.45pm, all are welcome.

Tobermore Utd: Matthew McGraw, Stephen Lamont, Conal Darragh, Nicky Hudson, Shannon Crooks, Dean Stewart, Glen Law, Eoin Gillan, Hugo Batista, Gary Keane, Ryan Winton. Subs: Paul Keane, Matthew Brown, Ciaran McFaul, Tiarnan Flanagan, Ryan Winton.

Newry City AFC: Kieran Gordon, Kevin McArdle, Conor McCaul, Patrick Mooney, John Boyle, Thomas McCann, James Walker, Keith Johnston, Mark McCabe, Declan Carville, Mark Hughes. Subs: Sean McMullan, Timothy Grant, Marty Havern, Mark Patton, Neil Mullen.

City produced a stirring comeback to take a point at home to Donegal Celtic on Tuesday night, having found themselves 2-0 down after less than half an hour.

Former Camlough Rovers striker Declan Monaghan found the net for the visitors twice in the space of seven first half minutes to put the Belfast side in control of the game. However, a fine Mark McCabe strike in stoppage time before the break gave City a lifeline and then Keith Johnston’s superb volley 20 minutes from time brought Darren Mullen’s men level.

Despite dominating after the break, Newry just couldn’t find the winner they craved, due to combination of wayward finishing and some excellent goalkeeping from DC’s Sean McIlhone.

With league leaders Limavady, who come to The Showgrounds next Tuesday night, easing past Tobermore United 5-1 in their match, and City dropping points, Newry now sit four off the top with three games remaining, while DC are a further four points behind in third place in the Premier Intermediate League.

Mullen was forced into one change from the starting line-up that beat Banbridge convincingly away from home on Saturday, with Jordan King coming in at left-back for the injured Stephen McCabe. McCabe’s early replacement against Banbridge, Conor McCaul, also picked up a knock in that game with King given the nod on Tuesday night.

A somewhat nervy start from City saw them create very little by way of goalscoring opportunities in the opening quarter of the game, while Stephen Hatfield’s visitors looked dangerous when they went forward.

The Hoops opened the scoring on 21 minutes when ace marksman Monaghan found himself unmarked six yards out to head home following a Stephen Doyle cross from the left hand side.

Things then went from bad to worse for Newry just seven minutes later as DC doubled their advantage after capitalising on a mistake just inside the City half.

King’s attempted pass was comfortably intercepted by Robert McVarnock and his through ball ran just out of the reach of Paddy Mooney, with Monaghan on hand to coolly tuck the ball past Kieran Gordon to make it 2-0 and give Newry a mountain to climb to get anything out of the game.

The hosts did manage to create openings after that however and after Mark McCabe has flashed a near post header from a Mark Hughes corner wide, Hughes himself brought a superb save out of McIlhone after he got his head on the end of a Johnston corner from the opposite side as the half drew to a close.

There was still time for City to haul themselves back into it and they did just that in fine style in the second minute of stoppage time.

Collecting the ball on the edge of the box on the left hand side, McCabe sized up his options and produced an inch-perfect curling finish that flew just out of the reach of the full-length McIlhone and into the top right hand corner of the net to make it 2-1 at the break.

With renewed impetus in the second half, Newry took charge of proceedings and began to pin Celtic back into their own half as they looked for the equaliser.

After Decky Carville and Mark Hughes had gone close, Newry did get back on level terms with a goal that was arguably even better than McCabe’s sumptuous first half strike.

With 20 minutes remaining, the ball was fed into Johnston just outside the box and when it looked like there was little on, the diminutive forward controlled before swivelling to hook a right foot volley over McIlhone and into the left hand corner to raise the spirits of the sizeable home support.

Newry did have chances to win it as they continued their dominance, the best falling to Hughes who could only head straight at McIlhone from point blank range, with the keeper grateful to grab the ball right on the goal-line.

Deep into injury time, City had one last chance to take all three points when Paddy Mooney floated a deep free-kick into the Celtic box. With McIlhone misjudging it, the keeper could only get his fingertips to the ball as it fell behind him and out for a corner. Had he been a yard to his right, the ball would have found the net.

However, it wasn’t to be as City were left to rue what might have been in their race for the title ahead of their trip to Tobermore United this Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

The Travel Club bus departs The Stonebridge at 12.45pm sharp. All welcome.

Match Day Mascot, 6 year old Tiarnan McArdle from Dundalk.

Newry City AFC: Gordon, McArdle, King, Mooney, Boyle, Patton, McCann, Johnston, McCabe, Carville, Hughes. Subs: Walker, Mullen, McMullan, Grant, Havern.

 Donegal Celtic: McIlhone, Rossborough, Burns, Southam, Doyle, Derry, Monaghan, O’Neill, Hughes, Feher, McVarnock. Subs: Munce, Conlon, Corry, Wilson, McClorey.

Newry City started off the post-split group of matches with a commanding performance away to Banbridge Town on Saturday. Having dropped five points during the regular season to their local rivals the Newry boys would have seen this fixture as a chance for some retribution and right from the kick off Newry were in complete control, twice within the opening ten minutes the visitors had chances for the opening goal. With just three minutes on the clock Mark Hughes crossed for Keith Johnston to set Decky Carville with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box, Carville’s shot taking the slightest of deflections to steer it the wrong side of the post. And minutes later Newry had another opportunity, Kevin McArdle pitching a free kick into the Banbridge box, the ball falling to Mark McCabe who drilled his shot over the crossbar.

Banbridge failed to heed the warning and paid the price after ten minutes with a goal created by Thomas McCann, the Newry midfielder picking the ball up in the centre of the park before curling a pass forward to Johnston. Continuing his run into the box McCann took the return pass losing his marker with a clever turn before picking out Mark McCabe at the back post, McCabe finding the room to side foot the ball cross back across goal into the opposite corner of the net for a neat finish.

If there was a weakness in the Newry performance it was that they failed to turn their superiority into goals, another 20 minutes slipping by on the clock before the home goal was again threatened, Hughes dwelling on the ball mid-way inside the Banbridge half before cutting the defence with an incisive pass which put Mark McCabe through on goal, the Newry striker looking sure to score only to be foiled by Andrew Cullen who was quickly off his line to deflect the ball for a corner. For their part Banbridge were unable to make anything meaningful happen in and around the Newry box with Mark Patton winning everything in midfield and the John Boyle and Paddy Mooney partnership providing ample protection for Kieran Gordon meaning that referee Monaghan called an end to the half with Newry leading 1-0.

The second half started with an early chance for Newry, Mark Patton winning another aerial battle powering a header to the half way line where Carville laid the ball into the stride of Hughes. With the whole half in front of him it was now a foot race between Hughes and Banbridge defender Stephen Green, Green showing great determination to match Hughes for pace before sliding to block his shot inside the box. All the chances were coming Newry’s way, the best when Hughes found Patton on the edge of the box, Patton spinning his marker to give him a clear sight of goal, Cullen once more quickly of his line to save with his legs.With 70 minutes on the clock Newry grabbed the important second goal. Again, starting with a defensive header, this time Mooney winning the ball in the air finding Johnston with his back to goal. Instinctively Johnston hooked the ball over his head perfect for the run of Mark McCabe who started inside his own half and in an instant found himself with only Cullen to beat, once more the Newry striker remaining composed guiding the ball with the side of his foot into the roof of the Banbridge net for a superb finish. Stirred into life the home side created their best chance of the game, Conor Downey winning possession wide on the left before cutting inside and curling a shot to the far post, Kieran Gordon diving to touch the ball around his post. The Newry reply was swift, Mark McCabe bringing the ball forward, Carville picking out the clever run of Hughes to the back post with a perfect ball which Hughes met on the volley, the ball dipping as it flew over the junction of post and crossbar. With time running out Newry introduced Sean McMullan and in a matter of minutes the big man done what he does best, score goals. Again, Carville was involved, taking the ball from Marty Havern before finding Johnston wide on the left. When Johnston’s shot was deflected up in the air it was McMullan alert to the possibility watching the flight of the ball before placing his shot inside the post for goal number three to wrap up the points for Newry. Relieved to get the first post-split game behind him with a win Newry manager Darren Mullen was only looking as far as the next game “This was a super performance from start to finish. We were dominant throughout the game and well worth the victory. Considering Banbridge had taken five points of us this season we knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game. Our work rate within the past three games has been exceptional and the players now realise that if they keep that up for 90 minutes we will get our rewards. We looked strong both defensively and in attack with Thomas McCann and Mark Patton winning a lot of ball in midfield. At 1-0 there’s always a chance they could have got back into it but we very rarely looked in danger of conceding and thankfully we added the extra goals our play deserved. Nothing has changed after today’s results in that we still must win all our remaining games to have a chance of success this season and we now look forward to Donegal Celtic on Tuesday evening”

Newrys next match is on Tuesday night at the Showgrounds v Donegal Celtic, KO 7.45pm. On Saturday 22nd Newry City travel to Tobermore, the supporters bus will be departing at 12.45 sharp, all are welcome.

Man of the Match: Mark Patton

Newry City AFC: Kieran Gordon, Stephen McCabe, Kevin McArdle, Paddy Mooney, John Boyle, Mark Patton, Thomas McCann, Mark Hughes, Keith Johnston, Mark McCabe, Declan Carville. Subs: Marty Havern, Conor McCaul, Sean McMullan, Timmy Grant, Jimmy Walker.