A late equalizer for Harland & Wolff Welders denied Newry City all 3 points at The Showgrounds on Friday night. And while the Welders game plan to stop Newry’s big players from playing ultimately worked Newry will look back with frustration not only at the chances which they wasted but also at how they conceded that equalizer in the final seconds of injury time.

The result however brings Newry’s unbeaten run to six games and that was the message which manager Darren Mullen preferred to major on as his depleted squad prepares for next Fridays game at Loughall “’It feels like a defeat to be honest due to the nature of how we conceded but when the dust settles we have to try to take the positives and that’s six games now we are unbeaten. We were poor in the first half and didn’t play anywhere near as well as we can.

The second half was a lot better and we should have had the game killed off with the chances we had. Credit to Harland and Wolff who came with a game plan to contain us and never gave up, so we have to take it on the chin and learn from it. I gave the players a bit of a rollicking at the end but we are missing six defenders at the minute some lads playing out of position, so I can’t be too harsh on them. They have been brilliant for me and I know they will carry their own disappointment into next week’s game where they will want to get back to winning ways.”

 

With Newry never really getting into their stride the visitors were the first to threaten either goal after 15 minutes, Newry requiring important interventions from Stephen Hughes and Marcus McKeown to cut out successive Welders attacks. In reply Newry had a momentary glimpse of goal after 20 minutes, Thomas McCann releasing Keith Johnston with a long pass, Johnston’s first touch taking him clear of the Welders defence, the striker electing to pull the ball back from a wide angle rather than shoot, his pass intercepted by William Armstrong. Newry’s best chance of the half came on 35 minutes, a weak clearance from the Welders finding Stephen Hughes on the edge of the box, Hughes controlling the ball with his first touch before volleying across goal with his second, the ball clipping the outside of the far post with Welders keeper Robert Robinson stranded.

While Newry were better in the second half clear chances were still thin on the ground although they did conjure up a glorious goal scoring opportunity on the hour mark. Starting from Decky Carville in his own half the ball was swept wide to Johnston. In turn he pulled the ball back into the path of Jimmy Walker who curled the ball to the back post finding Mark Hughes who slammed his header onto the underside of the crossbar, the clearance completed by the Welders defence. With 72 minutes on the clock Newry eventually got the break through.

Once more it was Johnston who got clear of his marker, his cross to the back post turned back into the danger area by Carville finding Walker who picked out the corner of the Welders goal to put Newry a goal up.

aving made the break through Newry spurned a series of half chances to make the points safe and in the final attack of the game paid the ultimate price, the Welders pushing men forward in search of an equaliser, lady luck coming their way when defender William Armstrong’s hopeful ball into a heavily congested Newry box cannoned into the chest of a Newry player and rebounded into the Newry net to level the scores.    

Newry now turn their attention to Friday nights league match away to Loughall, Kick off 7:45pm. Newry City travel club bus will leave The Stone Bridge at 6:30pm.

Newry City AFC: Maguire, King, M Hughes, Mooney, McKeown, McCann, Walker, Carville, McCabe, S Hughes, Johnston. Subs: Havern, Cunningham, Richmond, Irwin, Crooks. 

NCAFC are delighted to hear the news that Declan Carville has been named Championship Player of the Month by NIFWA for October.

Newry Manager Darren Mullen commented “It’s a great honour for both Declan and the club and one which is richly deserved. He has been in fine form whether it has been in midfield or upfront and has scored some important goals of late. The team is on a good run at the minute and it’s because the players have been working hard as a group that individuals have had the opportunity to shine. Declan knows that this award is a reward for not only his own work but also that of his teammates. The challenge for him now is to continue that form and I’ve no doubt he will.”

A delighted Carville said, “It’s an honour for me to win this award but it would not have been possible without my team mates. There’s a fantastic atmosphere at Newry at the moment and we believe we are capable of beating any team in our division. Though we need our fans to come down to The Showgrounds tomorrow night (Friday 7.45pm) and show their support as we welcome H&W Welders in what will be another tough league match.

Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography

 

“A super performance” was how Newry City manager Darren Mullen described his sides 4-1 demolition of preseason title favourites Portadown at Shamrock Park on Friday night.And as Mullen also pointed out the score line in no way flattered the Newry boys coming from an early goal down to dominate play, at the end perhaps a little disappointed not to win by more. That sentiment however will only come from within as this was a complete team performance from Newry, a measure of how well Newry played would be the difficulty in singling out their best player on the night, an honour which would probably go to Kevin McArdle who the Ports simply could not handle either defending or attacking.

 

Indeed McArdle was involved in the first chance of the night after ten minutes, linking with Jimmy Walker to put the ball into the danger area, Stephen Hughes heading over the bar. While Portadown enjoyed a short period of possession it was Newry who had the next chance, Mark Hughes finding Decky Carville in the middle of the park, Carville sweeping the ball wide into the path of Walker who made some ground before shooting from 30 yards out, John Connolly diving to push the ball over his cross bar.

 

The home side thought they had grabbed the lead on 22 minutes when from a corner Adam McCallum powered a header on goal, Newry saved by Stephen Hughes who cleared the ball from the goal line. And while Newry will claim that they were denied the opportunity to open the scoring after 25 minutes when Mark McCabe was on the end of some rough handling inside the box it was Portadown who scored first on 27 minutes, a free kick into the box sliding off a Newry head into the path of Chris Lavery who gave Stephen Maguire no chance from close range.

 

The Ports had half a chance to double the advantage minutes later when confusion inside the Newry penalty area allowed the ball to momentarily run free, fortunately for Newry Marcus McKeown was alert to the danger to clear. That was as good as it got for Portadown as from then Newry moved up a gear to dominate, their pace, movement off the ball and quick passing simply too much for the home side. On 36 minutes Newry’s play was rewarded, be it a little furtuiously when Walkers shot was blocked on its way to goal and with several players challenging for the loose ball it was Portadown defender Kyle Neill who got to it first only to prod the ball past Connolly into his own net to level the scores.

 

A minute before half time Newry went ahead with a goal that captured everything that is good about their play. A sequence which started from a Portadown kick out, Carville winning the midfield aerial battle with a powerful header into space, Keith Johnston outpacing the defence to latch onto the loose ball before finding McCabe on the penalty spot. Aware of Walkers arrival behind him McCabe cleverly kept the ball moving, rolling the ball into the path of Walker who picked his spot in the corner of the Portadown net for a picture goal.   

 

It got even better for Newry minutes into the second half, Carville rising highest at the back post to win a Walker corner, Carville’s header brilliantly scooped out of the bottom corner by the diving Connolly. There was nothing the keeper could do with the rebound however, Carville lashing the ball into the roof of the net to put his side 3-1 ahead.

 

Portadown had a fleeting opportunity to get back into the game on 65 minutes, Stephen Maguire electing to punch Peter Duffins shot from the edge of the box to safety. Minutes later Newry should have been out of sight, a long pass from Carville taking the Ports defence out of play giving Johnston a free run on goal, the winger electing to chip the advancing Connolly unfortunate to watch the ball bounce the wrong side of the empty goal. McArdle was giving Portadown all sorts of trouble pushing forward from right back and on 75 minutes he was almost rewarded with goal number 4, leaving opponents for dead as he turned inside and outside before finding McCabe with his back to goal, the Newry number 9 swivelling to shoot for the far corner missing the post by inches.

 

On 85 minutes McArdle was on defensive duty, the speedy Lavery cutting in from the wing along Newry by line, McArdle sliding in with a perfectly timed tackle to deflect the ball for a corner. With time almost up the pace of the Newry attack was again too much for Portadown, Walker releasing Marty Havern on the left wing, Havern drawing defenders before unselfishly setting up the better placed McCabe who made no mistake from close range to seal the points for Newry.

 

And so the winning run off games for Newry continues but as usual manager Darren Mullen takes it one game at a time “This was a superb performance from start to finish and a result that certainly didn’t flatter us. The work rate of the players as well as the quality was a joy to watch and each and every one of them deserve massive credit. I thought we should have had a penalty before they scored against the run of play but we then reacted in the right manner. They couldn’t handle our pace and movement with our second goal summing up everything good about how we play. The message at half time was to get at them again but knew they would have moments of possession. We just needed to keep our shape and be ready to hit them on the break when in possession which we did on numerous occasions. Our style of play is physically demanding and involves a serious of work both in and out of possession but I couldn’t have been prouder of how the lads carried out our tactics. What we have is a bunch of lads who are putting in a serious shift and playing for each other. The squad is still thin on the ground due to injuries but that’s an opportunity for some of the young lads to take their chance and it was pleasing to be able to give Leigh Crooks his Irish League debut. We are on a good run but there’s it’s a long season and we will just focus on the next game now. A final word for our fans who turned out in numbers and their support was greatly appreciated.”

 

Newry City AFC: Maguire, McArdle, Hughes, Boyle, McCann, Walker, Carville, McCabe, Hughes, Johnston. Subs: Havern, Cunningham, McKeown, Crooks, Irwin.

 

Newry now turn their attention to Friday next, the 3^rd November when they play Harland & Wolff Welders at The Showgrounds, kick off 7:45pm.

A single goal secured Newry City’s third league win in a row on Saturday at home to Knockbreda. And while a solitary strike from Decky Carville was enough to secure the points it really should have been a much more comfortable victory for the home side who dominated all bar the opening 10 minutes at a soggy Newry Showground’s. Indeed, it was only during those opening minutes that Knockbreda posed any real threat, the visitors coming closest to opening the scoring with a Mark Cooling free from outside the box which Stephen Maguire elected to meet with both fists to punch clear while minutes later Mark Hughes put his body on the line to block a fierce drive from Lewis Irwin to keep the Newry goal intact.

From there Newry took over with Stephen Hughes, Jimmy Walker and Carville pulling the strings. While it took the home side until the half-hour mark to score they really could have been out of sight by then with several chances missed with others blocked on the way to goal. Newry’s first chance came after 13 minutes, Carville releasing Mark McCabe with a quick throw, McCabe in turn flicking the ball into the path of Stephen Hughes who skipped past a defender before curling a shot for the far corner, Knockbreda keeper David Ferguson diving full length to push the ball wide. The first of those goal line clearances came from the resulting corner, Carville rising highest to meet Walkers cross unfortunate to see his effort cannon off a defender. Chances came and went for Newry, on 25 minutes Keith Johnston found Thomas McCann on the edge of the penalty area, quick feet from McCann making room for a shot on goal, Newry denied this time by Mark Cooling on the goal line.

The winning goal after 30 minutes came courtesy of the hard work of Keith Johnston, tracking back to the middle of the park to win the ball before releasing McCabe on the right side of the penalty area. Double marked McCabe immediately lobbed the ball to the penalty spot for the arriving Carville who made the finish look simple, passing the ball past the advancing Ferguson and into the bottom corner of the Knockbreda net to put Newry a goal up. Knockbreda almost had a half chance to equalize straight away, aided by a strong breeze a long ball into the Newry box looked likely to reach Knockbreda centre forward Michael Halliday were it not for a sliding challenge from Darren King knocking the ball for a corner.

If there was anything lacking in the Newry display it was that they didn’t finish off some super passing moves, Johnston unfortunate before the break to have his shot cleared off the goal line while after the break it was Stephen Hughes again denied, Mark McCabe leaving his marker for dead with a clever turn on the edge of the box, McCabe taking the ball to the end line before pulling the ball back for Hughes who’s first shot was saved by Ferguson, his effort from the rebound cleared from the line by a covering defender. On the hour mark it was John Boyles turn to be denied, the central defender ghosting unchallenged into the box to meet a Walker corner, Kris Pike doing his job on the post diverting Boyles header wide.

For their part Knockbreda never really looked like getting past a Newry defence superbly marshalled by Boyle and protected by holding midfielder Thomas McCann who hardly put a foot wrong throughout. However, a single goal is a precarious lead and in most games the chasing team will get at least one chance, Knockbreda’s coming on 85 minutes when substitute Ricky Rutherford found space to shoot, Maguire able to push his effort back out with Neil Mullen on hand to clear up any danger, Newry running out comfortable one goal winners. After the game Newry manager Darren Mullen was clearly content with his sides current form “’This was a game that we should have had finished by half time. We were dominant from early in the game and had numerous good chances to score before we eventually did. At 1-0, especially in this league, there’s always a chance you could pay for not taking those chances but thankfully we got another 3 points. That’s 3 wins in a row and we are now adding results to the performances that our play had deserved. As I said when we weren’t winning games there was no need to panic as we had been playing well without getting our rewards. It was only a matter of time before the results started to change and we need to keep building on this run of good form. Hard work is the minimum requirement for any successful team and the players deserve great credit for the effort they have been putting in. It’s easier to do that with the ball but the shift they put in to win the ball back was especially pleasing. We now have 2 really tough games this week which will test us even further but they are the games that the players, coaching staff and fans look forward to. Hopefully the fans will come out in their numbers both home and away for what I’m sure will be 2 entertaining games.”

Newry City now turn their attention to those 2 games scheduled for this week. On Tuesday night Newry welcome Premiership side Dungannon Swifts to The Showgrounds for a Mid Ulster Cup tie, kick off 19:45.

Then on Friday Newry make the short journey to Shamrock Park for a league match against Portadown, kick off 19:45. Newry City travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge at 18:30.

BBC Barry Flynn interviewed Newry Manager Darren Mullen on Radio Ulster Sportsound after the game.(3:14:00) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0999swy

We were delighted to have Match Day Mascot Eoin Hartigan at The Showgrounds yesterday, check out the photos below:

Newry City: Maguire, McMahon, M Hughes, King, Boyle, McCann, Walker, Carville, McCabe, S Hughes, Johnston. Subs: Mullen, McKeown, Cunningham, Crooks, TJ Hughes.

Following a disappointing start to the campaign, which saw the club pick up just five points in their opening seven league fixtures, Newry City are beginning to turn a corner,  securing back to back wins in their latest two NIFL Championship games.

In form striker Keith Johnston, who has netted four goals in as many games, says the club’s recent revival in form has really helped boost the confidence levels within the squad and insists there is more to come from Newry this season.

He said:  “The game against Larne two weeks ago was so important to get a result, with them sitting behind us in the league. That set us up nicely then for the Limavady game  last week, everybody played well and worked hard and we got the win, so it’s important now to just keep it going.

“From the games previous to that which we have been beaten in, we honestly believe we could have got something out of them all. There’s been no team so far where we’ve felt they were far superior to us.

“I think we’ve just been unfortunate with injuries as well, particularly in defence. There has always been three of four boys out at one time, but hopefully now with lads starting to come back again we can just push on.

“We know with the squad we have we are more than capable of competing with the teams in this league.  A lot of our lads have played at this level before, the likes of Darren King was playing in this league last year and myself and a good few of the other lads have played in it previously as well, so we know we have players here that can compete at this level.”

Next up for Johnston and co.  is a home fixture against Championship high flyers Knockbreda next Saturday. Despite a shock defeat today at home to bottom club Larne, the Belfast based club are currently riding high in the NIFL Championship, sitting in second place, just one point off leaders Ballyclare Comrades.

Johnston is well aware of what Knockbreda will have to offer; having come up against them on numerous occasions while playing with Warrenpoint Town and is expecting a tough match.

“You know what to expect against  the likes of Knockbreda, they’re a really good, physical side,” said Johnston.

“It was maybe a shock to some people Larne going to Knockbreda today and getting a result, but it just goes to show that in this league everybody is capable of beating each other. There doesn’t really seem to be any one team that are consistent. No game in this league is going to be easy, so we just have to keep putting in the hard work and hopefully the good results will continue to come.”