When your season enters March you are hoping to be at or near the top of the table to give yourself a chance of success. With seven games to go we have done that but it will mean nothing if we don’t continue to work as hard as we have done since the end of June last year. That work has already brought the success we have had in the Premier Cup final and has given us the desire to push on and hopefully add to it. What we have shown so far this season is an unquestionable desire to never give in. There have been games where we have not played as well as we can, including the cup final, but have shown that we are capable of grinding out results and playing right until the final whistle. A sign of a good team is when they are tested and we have stood up to the challenges we have faced this season so far. However we have seven tests remaining in the league along with another cup competition.

We have never allowed the players to get ahead of themselves and the old football saying of ‘taking one game at a time’ has never been more appropriate for us. The players themselves, whilst confident, have never displayed a hint of arrogance. Arrogance brings a lack of respect and respect has been one of our core principles this season. No matter who we play we prepare in exactly the same manner. The coaching staff will ensure that the players have the right mindset from the minute we meet as a group. That mentality within the group drives each other on and is added motivation for them to play as well as they can. People had questioned how we would cope with a large senior squad but recent games have shown how vital it is to have that squad. We lost Decky Carville through suspension but Kevin McArdle came in and has been brilliant for us. Timmy Grant has missed most of 2016 but Sean Hand has returned from America and slotted straight in with goals and assists. We are now getting most of our players back from injury and they will all have some part to play. One player who won’t play again this season is Niall Crilly who unfortunately had to have a knee operation. It’s a testament to Niall’s character that he played most of the Premier Cup Final with this injury and although he will be missed on the pitch he continues to be an important member of the squad off it.

Whatever happens this season we have made huge strides both on and off the pitch. As the manager it is my role to ensure that this progress continues and I can assure our fans that we could not possibly be doing anymore to ensure that happens. We have had magnificent support so far this season and I urge you to continue that support at this vital stage to help the team in our quest for success.

Yours in Sport,

Darren

Tuesday night’s local derby failed to live up to expectations as Newry City, flying high at the top of Mid Ulster Intermediate football, were rarely extended to run home very comfortable 4-0 winners in their league match with Camlough Rovers at The Showgrounds. The scene for the night was set after only three minutes, Sean McMullan tussled for a high ball inside the box, chesting the ball  down perfectly in front of Jimmy Walker who blasted low into the Camlough net for his third goal in as many games to open the scoring.

The next chance also came Newrys way, Chris McMahon taking the opportunity to move up field before crossing to the back post where Stephen McCabe rose highest but couldn’t keep his headed effort below the crossbar. For their part Camlough were seeing plenty off the ball but were unable to penetrate Newry’s defence, their only foray into the Newry penalty area in the first quarter being a Declan Monaghan run which was snuffed out by Neil Mullen. The home side almost doubled their advantage after 20 minutes, a long throw in from Graeme Edgar helped into the box by Decky Carville and amidst shouts for handball by a Camlough defender Paddy Mooney’s out stretched boot lobbed the ball over Joe Goodwill, hit the inside of the post and bounced back along the goal line before being cleared by a relieved Camlough defence.

In possession Newry were getting through the Camlough rear guard, on 35 minutes Mooney held the ball up on the right wing before slipping a pass to Kevin McArdle who continued his run inside the box, Goodwill fast off his line to block McArdle’s shot with his legs. At the other end the only threat to the Newry goal came near the end of the half when Peter Murphy did well to grasp a high bouncing ball with Monaghan lurking, the half ending with Newry a goal to the good.

Having scored early in the first half Newry repeated the trick early in the second, Carville laying the ball to the feet of McMullan, the big man pitching the return ball into Carville’s path as he entered the box allowing him to round Goodwill without breaking stride, the Camlough keeper left with little option but to take the legs from under Carville for a penalty. The perfect chance for the league’s top goal scorer McMullan to notch goal number 36 for the season which he took with ease.

There was to be little respite for the Camlough rear guard in the second half as Newry upped their game. On 50 minutes sustained pressure ended with a Walker corner which Ian Curran powered back across goal, the ball missing the post by inches. And then on the hour mark the game was over as a contest with a goal which owed most to the quick thinking of McMullan and Mooney. Awarded a free kick outside the box, while others switched off, McMullan grabbed the ball and played a quick free kick to Mooney who had found space wide on the right. Now with time to pick his pass  Mooney found McCabe at the back post, the winger giving Goodwill little chance with a powerful finish to put Newry 3-0 up .

 

Ten minutes later and it was 4-0. Started by McMahon winning a crunching tackle outside the box the Newry captain regained his feet to float a ball over the Camlough defence to McCabe on the far wing. In a rich vein of form McCabe knocked the ball past his marker taking the ball to the by line before drilling a low ball across the face of goal perfect for McMullan to turn in from close range for the final goal of the night.

 

There was still time for a further chance for each team. For Camlough  Monaghan raced down the left wing before pulling the ball back for Paddy Magill who had kept pace but was unable to get his shot on target. And the final chance went the way of Newry, Thomas McCann picking a hole in the Camlough defence giving Keith Johnston a one on one with Goodwill, the Camlough keeper winning the contest with a fine block.

After the game Newry manager Darren Mullen was satisfied with his team’s performance ‘We couldn’t have wished for a better start with Jimmy’s goal but failed to build on it for most of the first half. Our play was too stretched and although they never really tested us we were giving them too much time and space. The second half was a different story and the early goals put paid to any chance they had. We were more composed and kept the ball a lot better. Once we moved the ball quicker they struggled and we were well worth our victory. We were very solid with some good performances, Chris McMahon and Graeme Edgar in particular showing up well. Graeme epitomises what we are about this season. He has bided his time on the bench without a cross word said and has grasped his chance with both hands. We are on a good run of form at the minute but we know that if we are to achieve our goals this season then the standards we have set must continue to be met. There is a break from league action this weekend with our cup match away to St Mary’s but as far as we are concerned it’s every bit as important as a league fixture and will be treating it as such.’

Camlough Rovers Team: Joe Goodwill, Paddy Mackey, Paddy Magill, Gavin Moan, Lee Lennon, Seamus Hughes, Shane King, Greg McCabe, Declan Monaghan, David McCabe, Jordan King. Subs: Paddy McCormack, Barry McKeown, Gerard Mooney, Adrian Mee, Declan Magee.

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Chris McMahon, Graeme Edgar, Neil Mullen, Ian Curran, Kevin McArdle, Jimmy Walker, Decky Carville, Sean McMullan, Paddy Mooney, Stephen McCabe. Subs: Mark Patton, Thomas McCann, Keith Johnston, Timmy Grant, Sean Hand, Ben Wilson.

Five goals from five different scorers was more than enough to secure Newry City another three points to add to their league total away to Lower Maze on Saturday.  That margin in no way flatters the Newry boys who created a host of chances which sets them up nicely for a local derby against Camlough Rovers at The Showground’s on Tuesday night which was immediately in Newry manager Darren Mullen’s thoughts ‘This was a very solid performance from start to finish and I can’t remember them troubling Peter Murphy in any great way. We made a few changes with Stephen McCabe and Paddy Mooney coming in and it certainly didn’t weaken us. There’s very little coaching involved with the lads at this stage of the season as they all know their roles within the team. That said complacency will never be allowed to set it and we are in the position we are in due to a lot of hard work. As a result of that hard work we have been wearing teams down and have goal threats throughout the squad. Each of our remaining games throws up a different type of challenge with our home game against Camlough this Tuesday night certain to be a difficult one. However we are relishing the games coming thick and fast and look forward to that test.’

Newry’s first goal chance came after only two minutes when a long ball was misjudged by the Lower Maze centre back Derek Wiggam, Paddy Mooney first to the loose ball which he nodded to Sean McMullan, McMullan spotting that Thomas Neill had strayed from his goal line and instinctively lobbing the ball over the keeper unfortunate to see it bounce the wrong side of the post.

The travelling support didn’t have long to wait for the opening goal which came after only eight minutes. Starting from a Graeme Edgar throw in deep in the Maze half the ball was helped on by Decky Carville as far as the edge of the small box to McMullan who juggled on his knee before setting up Stephen McCabe for a close range volley which he smashed into the roof of the Lower Maze net to give Newry an early lead.

Play was all one way as Newry set about looking for a second, neat passing between Chris McMahon and Jimmy Walker released Mooney on the right wing, Mooney continuing his run along the end line before putting a dangerous ball in front of the Lower Maze goal, the ball hacked away by a home defender. Minutes later Ian Curran won the aerial battle from a corner, his header falling for McMullan who spun to shoot unfortunate to find Neill in the centre of his goal. Newry grabbed a second on 25 minutes with a goal created by Jimmy Walker. Picking the ball up on the half way line Walker skipped past challenges until got to the by line from where he drilled a low ball across the goal, the ball deflected out but only as far as McMullan who blasted home through a wall of Lower Maze defenders. Newry had further opportunities to stretch the lead before half time. First Curran rose highest to head a Walker corner over the bar and Walker made the final chance of the half curling a free kick into the Lower Maze box which bounced over McMullan into the path of Neil Mullen who got the necessary power but not the direction into his header leaving the half time score 2-0 in Newry’s favour.

Newry started the second half with their usual brand of patient passing football bursting into life on 55 minutes when Stephen McCabe nicked the ball of the Lower Maze right back Peter Smyth and ran straight for goal rounding the advancing Neill with ease, the ball running a yard ahead of him which allowed his team mate Mooney to nip in ahead of him to drill the ball into the net to open Newry’s account for the second half. Three goals quickly became four with Newry attacking at will, Chris McMahon with a perfect pass into the path of McCabe, his shot blocked by Neill rebounding outside the box from where Walkers effort was charged down by the hands of a defender. And it was Newry’s free kick expert Walker who extracted maximum retribution curling the dead ball around the wall into the top corner of the net with Neill rooted to the spot.

Things then got worse for Lower Maze when centre back Wiggam, who had been booked in the first half for successive crude challenges on McMullan, was shown a red card for a high tackle on Walker. McCabe, who was Newrys stand out player on the day, was torturing his marker and the winger created Newrys next chance, turning Smyth inside out before whipping a cross to the near post which Mark Patton met with a side foot volley which went inches wide. On 80 minutes Patton went close again, Thomas McCann setting Edgar up to cross to the back post, Patton unable to get over his header which beat the cross bar. The visitors left the best goal to the end, a fine passing movement started by Carville mid way inside the Lower Maze half releasing McCabe on the left. Feigning to go outside his marker McCabe cut back inside and dwelt on the ball before picking out the run of Walker into the box. In turn Walker held the ball allowing McCann to run past him, McCann taking a touch before picking his spot across Neill and into the far bottom corner to seal a 5-0 win for Newry.

Newry City: Murphy, McMahon, Edgar, Curran, Mullen, McArdle, Carville, Walker, McMullan, Mooney, McCabe. Subs: Patton, McCann, Johnston, Grant, Lowry.

Newry City’s next game is on Tuesday 22^nd March at 7:45pm at home to Camlough. The following Saturday 26th March Newry travel to play St Mary’s for a Marshall Cup tie, kick off 2:00pm. Newry City travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge at 1pm.    

“Another step along the way” was how Newry manager Darren Mullen described his teams win over Tandragee Rovers at The Showgrounds on Tuesday night.  That however doesn’t tell the story of a game Newry dominated from start to finish, fell to a sucker punch late in the first half to go a goal down but fought back to claim the points with two late goals to stretch their lead at the top of Mid Ulster Intermediate football.

The home side showed their intent from the first minute, Decky Carville winning an aerial battle for a kick out, the ball falling to Sean McMullan who quickly moved the ball out of his feet to make space to chip Richard McGivern in the Tandragee goal, the ball falling the wrong side of the cross bar.

The home side created an even better chance minutes later, a move starting with Graeme Edgar at left back feeding Decky Carville inside the Tandragee half. Driving at the defence Carville played a one two with McMullan and now with a clear sight of McGivern chose to go for power, the ball clipping the top of the crossbar on its way over.

Newry continued to search for the opening goal, Neil Mullen moving forward to win a Chris McMahon free kick, his header back across goal almost turned in by Keith Johnston from an acute angle.

Kevin McArdle was next to try his luck for Newry, neat interplay between Jimmy Walker and McMullan creating a shooting opportunity for the midfielder who drilled his shot over the Tandragee crossbar.

Totally against the run of play the visitors stunned the home support with a cleverly worked opening goal, Mark Bicker pitching a ball through the centre of the Newry defence which Johnny Black ran onto to lob the advancing Peter Murphy to give his side a lead to defend in the second half.

And defend they had to as Newry went in search of the equalizer. Straight from the resumption McArdle broke down the left, looped a ball to the back post which Sean Hand headed back across goal, McGivern taking the ball off the head of McMullan.

The home side remained patient attempting to pick their way through the Tandragee rear guard. On 55 minutes Jimmy Walker played the perfect defence splitting pass which Johnston ran onto only to be bundled off the ball by some last ditch defending. Minutes later and Johnston was put through once more, this time his low cross was cut out by a Tandragee defender fortunate to turn the cross inches outside his own post.

Newry finally got the break through on 75 minutes when a Walker corner was punched back to him by McGivern. Now from a better angle Walker had time to pick his man swinging in a low cross which was met with a sweet volleyed finish from the edge of the six yard box by Newrys ace goal scorer McMullan.

Now after the winner Newry thought they had found the answer on 80 minutes when Neil Mullen rose highest to power a header past McGivern only for the referee to call play back ruling that Mullen had pushed a defender as he jumped.

The set back was only temporary as the home side grabbed the winner with time running out with a beautifully crafted goal. With his back to goal wide on the right Hand flicked a low pass inside to McMullan and spun down the line. The big man had read the script and turned the ball into the space behind the Tandragee defence for which Hand, Newrys best player on the evening, won the race. Determined not to let another chance go Hand took the ball to the end line before looking up and picking out Walker as he arrived inside the box, Walker making no mistake with a firm side foot finish to seal a deserved but hard earned three points for Newry.

 

 

Newry manager Darren Mullen was in buoyant mood after the match “The fans are certainly getting their money’s worth this season in terms of comebacks and late drama. The character of this team certainly cannot be questioned and they know to play right until the final whistle. Tandragee had one decent attack in the first half and scored from it which was disappointing. We were playing ok and had chances to score but although we were controlling most of the play we needed to lift the pace.

The second half was a lot better and we could have scored earlier than we did. What we don’t do this year is panic and with the pace and movement we have we continued to test their defence. Even with 25 minutes to go I knew we would get chances and it is a credit to the players that they don’t resort to kicking the ball aimlessly into the box. Both goals were well worked and no more than we deserved. It’s just another step along the way and there is still a lot of football to be played but are we on a good run of form. What we won’t allow is complacency to set in and will prepare the players in the right manner for our away game at Lower Maze.”

 

Newry City AFC: Murphy, McMahon, Edgar, Curran, Mullen, Walker, McArdle, Carville, McMullan, Johnston, Hand Subs: Patton, McCann, McCabe, Mooney, McVerry.

A game won with a wonder strike from Sean Hand but this was a complete team performance from Newry City starting from goal keeper Peter Murphy who made some crucial saves, a defence superbly marshalled by Neil Mullen, a mid field led by Man of the Match Decky Carville who covered every blade of grass through to Stephen McCabe who showed when introduced as a substitute with 15 minute remaining that returning from injury he retains all the tricks and pace that he has displayed for years.

Fresh from a routine win over Seapatrick Newry would have been travelled to the Lisburn venue expecting a much tougher examination from a Ballymacash team who are better than their mid table position suggests and that’s exactly what transpired, the visitors delighted to hear the final whistle which sealed a solitary goal win and a vital three points.

Newry started off on the front foot, Keith Johnston and Sean McMullan combining to feed the ball into the path of Decky Carville, his shot from inside the box blocked by the legs of the advancing Ballymacash keeper Jonathon Lecky.

At this stage chances were few and far between, indeed it was the 20^th minute before the second shot at either goal, Newry’s Kevin McArdle picking the ball up on the half way line and advancing before cracking in a low shot which Leckey spilled forward, fortunate to see his defence clear as Johnston followed up. Newrys next chance minutes later was along the same lines, McArdle controlling a scuffed Leckey kick out and again moving forward into a shooting position this time pulling his shot wide.

The home side came close on the half hour mark when Ian Metcalf tried his luck from 30 yards from goal, his dipping shot cannoning of the Newry crossbar with Murphy stranded.

Newry quickly replied with a chance of their own, McMullan holding the ball up for Johnston to cross to the back post where Hand won a cushioned header, the ball hacked away from inside the small box just as Carville arrived.

Newry opened the scoring on 38 minutes with a wonderful goal, created and scored by their two Dundalk based players, McArdle and Hand. Picking the ball up on the half way line McArdle drove forward skipping past challenges until he arrived wide at the junction of the penalty area where he stood on the ball to stop it dead, setting it perfectly for Hand to strike first time with the inside of his right foot, the ball curling perfectly to nestle into the far top corner of the Ballymacash net to put Newry a goal up.

That lead was maintained until half time thanks to a fine save from Murphy who was fast of his line as Ballymacash danger man Kenny Campbell bore down on goal, the Newry keeper bravely spreading himself amongst feet to smother the ball.

The second half was fairly even with both sides making chances. On 50 minutes a diagonal ball from Paddy Mooney cut out the Ballymacash defence, Carville timing his run perfectly to head the ball past the advancing keeper desperately unfortunate to see the ball bounce before the base of the post and veer the wrong side. On the hour mark Carville won another header in the box, this time from a Graeme Edgar free kick, Carville’s nod down falling to McMullan who swilled to shoot straight into the mid drift of Leckey who saved.

On 70 minutes Murphy produced one of the saves of the season after a Ballymacash corner was powerfully headed towards goal from close range, the Newry keeper with lightening reactions springing full length to tip the ball around the post for a corner.

Fresh legs were needed for Newry and with a full bench to choose from Newry introduced Mark Patton and Stephen McCabe, both player’s presenting new challenges to a tiring home defence.

On 85 minutes McCabe created the chance the visitors had been waiting on, beating his marker and from the end line firing in a low cross which fell perfectly for Carville who went for a precision finish into the corner but saw his effort go just the wrong side of the post. Fortunately it wasn’t costly as the Newry defence stood firm with the home side throwing everything forward as the game moved into injury time and beyond, that wonder strike from Hand remaining the only goal in a keenly contested game. After the game Newry manager Darren Mullen was particularly satisfied with his team “This was a big win for us in what I knew was going to be a very difficult game. We came here last year and didn’t put up a fight but we have a completely different mentality this season that is showing its rewards. Sometimes you have to battle to get a result and that was the case in this game. It was a tough game for the full 90 minutes but we stood up to the physical challenge and were worthy winners in the end. It’s not the easiest place to come to and I expect them to take points off other teams but all we are doing at the minute is taking one game at a time. We now have a squad of players who not only are talented but are willing to work hard and buy into what we are trying to do at the club. That’s Sean Hands 3rd goal since he came back and will rightly get credit for a super goal but it was a team performance from start to finish. While we are happy with the win its soon forgot about and we now look forward to hosting Tandragee.’

Newry City AFC: Murphy, McMahon, Edgar, Mullen, Curran, McArdle, Walker, Johnston, McMullan, Carville, Hand Subs: Patton, Lowry, McCabe, McVerry, Mooney.

Newrys next match is against Tandragee at The Showgrounds on Tuesday night, 15^th March kick off 7:45 pm. On Saturday Newry City travel to Lower Maze for a 2:15 kick off. Newry City travel club bus will leave the Stonebridge at 1pm.