Newry City bowed out of this seasons League cup on Tuesday night at the Bangor Fuels Arena but not before putting in a very credible performance against Premiership opponents Ards in a cup tie which was in the balance until the final minutes when the home side grabbed a vital third goal. To all those in attendance that however was a little unfair on the Newry boys who had not only battled hard but had also stuck to their own brand of quality passing football building from the back which both pleased manager Darren Mullen and also augurs well for the rest of the season “Although we are bitterly disappointed not to have won the game there are plenty of positives we can take from it. To go to a Premiership side and perform as well as we did is another sign of the progress we have made at the club. For 82 minutes we more than matched them and the 3-1 score line was certainly harsh on us. Ards were missing a few but we had half a dozen players unavailable which shows why we need a big squad this season. I can’t fault the players for their effort and the quality they showed in carrying out our game plan. It’s a pity we couldn’t see it out and come away with a win but if we keep that level of performance up we will be difficult to beat this season”

As for the game itself the first shot on target came after ten minutes when Newry’s right back Kevin McArdle burst free from his defensive duties making his way to the edge of the Ards penalty area from where he tested Liam McAuley in the home goal. This stirred Ards into life, a long ball up the right wing finding Guillaume Keke, his low ball into the six-yard box requiring an excellent block from Neil Mullen to stop a goal bound effort. With Jimmy Walker back to his very best most of the Newry attacking play was passing through his magic footwork and with willing runners up front in McCabe, Johnston and Hughes Newry continually posed a threat to the Ards goal. However, it was the home side who had the better chances and the visitors were saved by their keeper Peter Murphy with several quality saves before the interval.

On the half hour mark Murphy punched a corner clear only for the recycled cross to fall for Jamie Douglas who rushed his shot blazing the ball high and wide. This was followed by the best piece of action of the game, Gareth Tommons losing the Newry defence with a skilful turn on the edge of the box and with only Murphy to beat and time to pick his spot looked sure to score. The Newry keeper thought otherwise diving to the base of his left post to turn Tommons strike around the post for a corner with a splendid save.

Minutes later and Murphy excelled once more. A move which started with a hint of offside, the ball broke forward and with Ards attackers out numbering Newry defenders the home side played the ball wide for Keke to run onto, the Ards man foiled by Murphy who was fast off his line, resisted the temptation to dive in shepherding Keke to an acute angle from where Murphy once more pushed the ball for a corner. And when Murphy was beaten his captain came to Newry’s rescue, the resultant corner to the back post headed back over Murphy only to be cleared from the Newry goal line by Chris McMahon to keep the score line level at the break.

Newry started the second half the quicker of the sides and threatened the Ards goal immediately, Walker slipping the ball through the defence for Johnston to force McAuley into conceding an early corner. This time Johnston became the provider delivering the perfect corner to the penalty spot from where Mullen rose highest to power a thumping header on goal, McAuley displaying tremendous reflexes to tip the ball onto the top of his cross bar for another corner.

On the break play swung to the other end and with the visitors once more outnumbered Jordan Hughes had time from the corner of the penalty area to curl his shot around Murphy striking the base of the far post, McMahon once more coming to Newry’s rescue reacting quickest to clear the rebound. With both sides playing open attacking football Newry were next up, Patton who battled hard throughout flicking on a Murphy kick out to Mark Hughes who fizzed the ball across the box alas evading both attackers and defenders.

The next ten minutes saw the spotlight fall on three penalty incidents, two of which were given, the other waved away by referee Steven Taylor. The first appeal on the hour mark was not given much to Newry’s dismay. From deep in their own half Newry played a long ball over the top of the Ards defence for which Johnston used his pace to get goal side of the Ards defence only to be bundled over by an innocuous challenge from behind for which he required treatment, referee Taylor still some distance from the action waving play on.

The referee got the next two decisions correct however, a low corner to the near post causing the Newry players to bundle over Carl McComb, the same player dusting himself down to give Murphy no chance with the spot kick. Newry refused to panic and maintained their passing brand which bore almost immediate fruit Mark McCabe and Johnston combining to release Hughes on the left wing, Hughes outpacing his marker as he turned along the bye line, referee Taylor judging that Hughes was pulled back duly awarding a second penalty which Walker placed past McAuley to level the score line.

Play continued to be end to end with Newry introducing the new attacking threat of Decky Carville and Tiarnan Rushe for his debut. With Rushe displaying both trickery and pace on the wing and Carville now a valuable aerial threat in the box Newry looked capable of winning the tie. They were however clinically punished on the 82^nd minute when an attack broke down on the halfway line, McComb intercepting a Newry pass and in a flash the top flight side swept the ball to the opposite flank where David McAllister took a touch before giving Murphy little chance with a placed shot to give Ards a lead.

With time now against them Newry threw men bodies forward in search of an equalizer and were made to pay with time almost up when the home side scored on the break. Once more McComb inflicted the damage playing a give and go with Tommons before firing home for a third goal which secured a scarcely deserved two goal winning margin.

So after a very good team performance Newry must turn their sights on more important league matters and in particular Saturdays game away to Lisburn Distillery at New Grosvenor. Newry City travel club bus will leave the Stone Bridge at 13:30, all welcome.

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Kevin McArdle, Conor McCaul, Neil Mullen, Ian Curran, Chris McMahon, James Walker, Mark Patton, Keith Johnston, Mark McCabe, Mark Hughes. Subs: Padraig Smith, Stephen McCabe, Declan Carville, Joshua Durnin, Tiarnan Rushe.

Newry City have been drawn at home to fellow NIFL Premier Intermediate club Newington FC in the second round of the Irish Cup. The game will be staged at The Showgrounds on Saturday, 1st October 2016. Kick off 1.30pm.

Newry City booked their place in the 2^nd round of the Irish Cup with a routine victory over Mid Ulster opponents Oxford Sunnyside at The Showgrounds on Saturday. Despite fielding a team which contained nine changes from last week’s opening league match Newry manager Darren Mullen never had a moments worry although the home fans had to wait on a second half goal spree to see the tie technically made safe. With a squad full of quality players the Newry manager will have been well aware that going forward he will have the selection problem that every manager longs for. This was emphasised with four of those personnel changes grabbing seven goals between them while Peter Murphy, back between the sticks, also looking very assured throughout.

Playing against a gusting breeze the home side opened with a flurry of goal attempts, Decky Carville, Sean McMullan and Keith Johnston all testing Neil Corey in the Oxford goal while a free kick from Oxford midfielder Paul Smyth which flashed wide being the only the only threat to the Newry goal. Indeed that was more or less as good as it got for the visitors with Murphy’s subsequent involvement limited to fielding long balls into his box.

 

The stalemate was broken after 15 minutes, McMullan displaying fleet of foot on the edge of the box to make room to lay the ball back to Jimmy Walker who spotting that Corey was a yard or two off his line made use of the wind to curl the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net to put Newry a goal ahead. Without creating any clear chances Newry dominated the play for virtually the rest of the half with Jordan King and Mark McCabe showing up well on the left wing, alas the final ball into the box often letting the home side down.

That all changed in the second half starting with a picture goal from McCabe immediately after the restart and once more McMullan was the instigator hooking the ball over his head into the box perfect for McCabe to run onto before clinically placing his shot past Corey to double the Newry advantage.

Just after the hour mark two goals in two minutes from McMullan brought a more realistic look to the score line. On 64 minutes Carville won possession in midfield before spraying the ball wide to Paddy Mooney. Spotting that McMullan had found room at the back post Mooney picked the big man out with a pin point cross giving McMullan the simple task of powering a header wide of Corey to put Newry 3-0 ahead.

 

A minute later and it was four, this time Josh Durnin pulling the strings weaving between players before laying the ball into the feet of Johnston who beat his marker with his first touch only to be taken down as he turned onto the loose ball, referee Mark Domican immediately pointing to the spot for a penalty kick which McMullan duly planted into the back of the net for his 2^nd and Newry’s 4^th goal of the game.

With the game over as a contest it was now only a matter of how many Newry would score. On 70 minute’s goal number five arrived. Having provided a goal scoring opportunity for McMullan which was blocked on the goal line moments earlier the ball came back to Carville hovering on the edge of the box. This time Carville opted to try for goal himself drilling his shot high into the net before the Oxford keeper had time to react.

This was quickly followed by goal number six in a passage of play that was started and finished by McMullan. Picking the ball up outside the box McMullan rolled the ball to the feet of Walker who with his back to goal flicked the ball wide to Johnston. In turn Johnston curled his cross to the back post to where McMullan had continued his run and now having found space had the task of burying his header past Corey to claim his first hat trick of the season.

Newry’s final goal of the day came on 85 minutes and again Carville was involved, the midfielder taking the ball down the right wing before crossing to McCabe who once more displayed his finishing technique taking a touch before emphatically planting the ball into the back of the net to end the scoring with the home side winning 7-0.

In a one-sided game Ian Curran, Decky Carville and Mark McCabe all showed up well for Newry but with two assists and a hat trick it was Sean McMullan who won the Hughes bet Man of the Match Award.

After the game Newry manager Mullen was clearly content with his team’s performance ‎’Considering we made nine changes from last weeks starting line-up this was a pleasing result. We must have had about 80% possession in the first half but didn’t threaten enough with it. They set up with everyone behind the ball and it was up to us to break them down but we didn’t move the ball quick enough for that to happen.

The second half was a different story and once they tired it was just a matter of how many goals we could score. Mully has missed most of preseason so is still getting his match fitness but showed if he gets the right supply he can continue where he left off last year.

I thought Mark McCabe took his goals well and the introduction of Josh Durnin gave us the spark that had been missing in the first half. Both lads are only young and are still learning but I’ve no doubt will be important players for us this season. It’s unfortunate that we have no competitive fixture next weekend but gives us extra time to prepare for a very tough game away to Ards in the league cup. They have started the season very well but we go there with no fear and are looking forward to testing ourselves against quality opposition.’

Photographs Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Jordan King, Ian Curran, Conor McCaul, Paddy Mooney, Jimmy Walker, Mark Patton, Declan Carville, Mark McCabe, Keith Johnston, Sean McMullan. Subs: Josh Durnin, Mark Hughes, Graeme Edgar, Marty Havern, Paudie Smith.