When you need your team to put in two performances across 180 minutes that are good enough to gain promotion, Darren Mullen can’t have been any more proud of his Newry City AFC squad last week.  

Having utterly dominated Armagh at home on Tuesday, they eased their way to a second leg victory and a 7-1 aggregate win in some style at Holm Park on Friday night.

While it would have been easy and fully understandable for Newry to have taken their foot off the gas in the second half of Friday night’s clash having played out a goalless first period, they did the opposite.

And while Armagh did managed to find the back of the net to make it 5-1 on aggregate, City simply went right back up the pitch to score twice more as if to reinforce the point that they were streets ahead of their opponents.

With Mullen understandably sticking with the same starting 11 that had so decisively eased into a 4-0 first leg lead earlier in the week, City were on the front foot again at Holm Park.

However, while they had taken a 2-0 lead into half-time at The Showgrounds on Tuesday, Newry were unable to find the back of the net in the opening period on the road as Armagh looked somewhat more solid than they had done three nights previously.

In saying that, Newry looked in complete control with Armagh creating very little by the way of clear-cut chances and failing to get an early goal that may have made things interesting for the neutral had they pulled one back.

With John Boyle and Paddy Mooney dominant at the heart of the Newry defence, the visitors were always a threat on the counter-attack and had two decent chances to find the back of the net in the first 45 minutes.

The opening opportunity arrived just after the quarter hour when Keith Johnston, the man who had done the bulk of the damage on Tuesday night with a second half brace to essentially put the outcome of the tie beyond any reasonable doubt, let fly with a low 20-yard drive that flew just wide of the left hand post.

While that was a more speculative effort that would have maybe been fortunate enough to beat former Newry keeper John Connolly in the Armagh goal, Newry’s best chance of the half was spurned on 22 minutes with Mark Hughes the guilty party.

Patient build-up play saw the ball eventually arrive to striker Mark McCabe on the right flank. He measured his cross where captain Hughes was steaming in from the left side and with only Connolly to beat, the midfielder headed over the bar when he should have scored.

However, he would make up for that miss in the second half of the match – a second half where City would take control and ram home their superiority over the two legs.

It took less than 15 minutes after the restart for Newry to go in front and to leave Armagh needing to score six goals in half an hour to win the tie.

Once more it was Keith Johnston involved when he beat the Armagh offside trap with his pace down the right hand side and when he centred low, that allowed Decky Carville to meet the ball and force it over the line from close range to send the Newry support – whose numbers made up over 75 per cent of those in attendance at Holm Park on Friday night – into delight, knowing that their side was almost there.

It could have been 2-0 on the night and 6-0 on aggregate on the hour mark when once more Johnston got the better of former Newry defender Stephen Hutchinson on the right to cross where this time Mark McCabe was on the end of it, but his header from straight at Connolly.

The home side did get themselves level on the night with their only goal over the course of the 180 minutes arriving 66 minutes into this match. It was a pretty simple goal that owed to one piece of slack marking as opposed to Armagh cutting Newry open in any way, shape or form.

Substitute Sean Mallon collected the ball on the left to curl a looping cross into the box where veteran striker Shea Campbell was left unchallenged to head past a helpless Kieran Gordon in the Newry goal from close range and make it 1-1 on the night.

While it would have been easy for Newry to simply take their foot off the gas and coast over the line to victory and their deserved place in the Championship, they had other ideas on their mind and saw the game out in style with two goals in the following five minutes.

With Armagh continuing to persist with a high defensive line that just begged to be taken advantage off with the pace of Newry’s front line, the visitors cut them open again less than a minute after Campbell’s goal.

Another perfectly-executed through ball from Jimmy Walker set Carville racing free to bear down one-on-one with Connolly and he kept his cool and composure to slot past the keeper from just inside the box for his second goal of the night and his third over the course of the two play-off matches.

Things got even better for City with 20 minutes still left to play as Hughes got his name on the scoresheet with a goal that his performance over the two legs warranted.

With the once-again sizeable City support already in party mode with a full range of celebratory songs from their repertoire getting an airing, Hughes only served to increase the smiles on Newry faces with a clinical finish.

For the umpteenth time, Johnston broke free down the right hand side and, much like his effort in the first half, Hughes had come steaming in from the opposite flank to get into a goalscoring position. However this time when Johnston picked him out with an inch-perfect ball, Hughes made no mistake with a bullet diving header that was the icing on the cake for Newry.

At 3-1 up in the match and 7-1 to the good in the tie, Newry were never going to lose on the night as Armagh heads dropped and frustrations, from Sean Mallon in particular, began to show with a number of niggly incidents.

However, Newry kept their cool and the only thing that would have put the cherry on top of the icing of the cake would have been a farewell goal for Sean McMullan in his final appearance for the club ahead of a move to Mid-Ulster Intermediate A side Windmill Stars under their new manager for next season, Marcus Woods.

The veteran forward, who hit 35 goals last time but has found it difficult to get a run in the side this season, almost did it with a low strike that flashed wide of the left hand post late on.

However, it mattered little in the grand scheme of things as emotional celebrations erupted at the final whistle between all involved with Newry City AFC.

Three promotions in four seasons is a wonderful achievement in anyone’s book, but to do it after beginning a club from scratch and an entirely new squad of players is a different kettle of fish altogether.

Armagh City: Connolly, Kerr, Hutchinson, Toal, Lennon, Montgomery, Kelly, McSorely, Hynds, Camara, Campbell

Subs: Mallon, Grimley, Rice, Boyle, Graham

Newry City AFC: Gordon, McArdle, McCaul, Mooney, Boyle, McCann, Walker, Johnston, McCabe, Carville, Hughes

Subs: Patton, Grant, Havern, McMullan, Mullen

Players come and players go but some players are different, some just have that wee thing about them that makes them special. Sean McMullan epitomises this. A breath of fresh air into the club 3 seasons ago, a presence on and off the field that helped bring the club to where it is today. An inspired signing by Manager Darren Mullen who is only too pleased to recognise Seans impact at Newry as he moves into the next phase of his career.

‘In my 4 years of managing the team there hasn’t been another player who has made such a positive impact both on and off the pitch. His goals have been well documented and without them we would not be playing Irish league football again. Not only has he been brilliant for us on the pitch but has been a real positive influence off it helping some of the younger players in the squad. He has been a larger than life character who has left some brilliant memories some of which couldn’t be published! I will miss him not only as a player but also as a good friend and I wish him every success at my old club Windmill Stars. He will be forever welcome at The Showgrounds.’

Sean McMullan added ‘First off all I’d like to thank Darren Mullen and Newry City for giving me the opportunity to play for a great club. The support I’ve received in the last three seasons has been unreal! I’m very proud and perhaps lucky to have not only played for but won leagues titles, gained promotions,  won cups and won top scorer awards with the two biggest and best clubs in the area. The relationship I had with the Newry fans is something I’ll always be proud of and that’s coming from an ex Warrenpoint player and fan which shows how good the people at Newry have been to me! I’m leaving the club purely for footballing reasons as at my age I need to be playing regularly. I would like to sign off by saying thanks for everything to everyone who has helped me along the way at NCAFC! Newry Abu.’

Already building for next season tonight Newry unveiled Stephen Hughes as Manager Darren Mullens first signing of the summer.

Speaking to Newry City AFC.co.uk Stephen commented, “I can’t wait to get started, it’s great that it’s a team made up largely of local players some of whom I’ve played with before. The facilities at the club are brilliant with one of the best pitches in the Irish League. Since being with Newry City FC I’ve gained more experience playing at a higher level with Warrenpoint Town and Portadown and now the club is going in the right direction and I want to be part of that and get that one more promotion to get into the Premier League. Whether that happens next season or after that, we will work hard to get there. All being well I’ll finish my career at Newry in the Premiership.”

Newry Manager Darren Mullen “To sign someone of Rambo’s ability shows the progress we are making at the club. Once we knew he was available we moved quickly and are delighted to have him back at his hometown club. Moving up to The Championship will be a lot tougher for us but having players of Rambo’s ability will only strengthen us. I’m sure the fans will be delighted as are the current players who he knows well. Seeing him back in a Newry jersey is a great boost for the club and I’m looking forward to working with him next season.”

 

Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

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.