Newry City cruised into Round three of the Intermediate Cup with a comprehensive victory over Larne Tech Old Boys at a sodden Newry Showgrounds on Saturday. Another hat trick from top goal scorer Sean McMullan, which brings his tally this season to 22 along with a single strike from his partner Keith Johnston completed a four goal winning margin for the Newry boys who could and probably should have at least doubled the margin of victory had they been less wasteful in front of goal.

That however was not worrying Newry manager Darren Mullen after the game ‘The most pleasing thing about this game was that we made five changes to the line up from last week and still won comfortably. That shows the strength of our squad and gives me a good headache before the Premier Cup Final after Christmas. From start to finish we were rarely troubled and played some very good football in poor conditions. Sean McMullan will grab the headlines and is in great form but will be the first to acknowledge the hard work that goes from defence through to the supply he gets. Jimmy Walker and Decky Carville are two very gifted players but both put in a serious amount of work off the ball and that epitomises what we are about this year. It was also good to see Mark Patton and Ben Wilson back on form after their knee operations. Unfortunately we haven’t got a game until the final but we will be working hard in training to prepare as best we can.’

The home side were on the front foot from the off threatening the Larne goal after only a few minutes, Keith Johnston judging the flight of Peter Murphy’s kick out better than the Larne defender Gary Workman which gave him the space to race to the by line and pull a cross back into the six yard box where a Larne boot cleared as McMullan was about to pounce. A sign of things to come as there was to be little respite for the Larne defence. On 20 minutes Ben Wilson pitched a perfect ball into the Larne box, Decky Carville chested it down to McMullan who swivelled to shot low to the far post brining a fine reaction save from the Larne keeper Steven Adair. Five minutes later Adair was once more called upon, Jimmy Walker picking the ball up in the middle of the park and surging forward playing one twos, first off Timmy Grant and then McMullan which took him inside the Larne box from where he once more tested Adair who saved low to his left. With the Newry full backs free to roam forward it was Paddy Mooney’s chance to next  get involved in an attack, taking the ball well into the Larne half before releasing Johnston on the wing. Johnston whipped in a cross which was always just ahead of the in rushing McMullan but that didn’t stop the big man fling himself forward to get the slightest of touches but not enough to guide the ball on target.

The goal was coming and McMullan got the reward for his endeavour on the half hour mark. Again Wilson provided the ammunition picking the centre forward out with a long pass which McMullan in the same movement controlled and turned into space which left him with only Adair to beat which he did with ease curling a low left foot shot round the keeper to put Newry a goal up. Newry had the chances to wrap the game up before half time. On 35 minutes Conor McCaul played a slide rule pass through the Larne defence which Carville ran onto before whipping in a cross which Johnston got a glancing head to, the ball going wide of the far post. On 40 minutes McMullan won a tussle for the ball mid way inside the Larne half and picked the run of Walker who blasted a shot from the edge of the penalty area straight at Adair but with such force that the ball spun up and fortunately for the keeper over his crossbar for a corner. And right on half time Adair worked wonders again. From midfield Walker picked out Timmy Grant inside the box and perhaps in a position to shoot Grant spotted Carville alone on the penalty spot. Now with only Adair to beat Carville kept his shot low but too close to Adair who saved well with his feet.

A goal to the good at half time Newry doubled the advantage soon after the break, Carville this time the instigator picking the ball up on Newrys left wing and changing the point of attack with a sweeping ball to Grant on the right wing. Grant skipped past his marker before picking out McMullan inside the box. Tightly marked McMullan still had work to do to get his shot away but made light work of it chesting the ball into space before firing his shot into the opposite corner for his and Newrys second goal.

Even on this sticky pitch Newry were determined to keep to their own brand of pass and move football which has served them so well this season. And on 55 minutes one such passing phase really should have been rewarded with a goal. Starting at the back with Ian Curran, a patient passing movement back and forward between Chris McMahon, Walker, Wilson and Johnston burst into life when Carville again swept the ball wide to Grant, his low cross stepped over by McMullan and into the path of Johnston arriving at the back post who was most unfortunate to see his reaction shot from close range slam off the base of the post with Adair nowhere to be seen.

McMullan grabbed his hat trick in bizarre fashion on the hour mark. Good inter play between Walker and McMahon created the space for Carville to be able to pick out the centre forward with his back to goal on the edge of the box. McMullan’s first touch got the ball out from his feet and his second was a low shot which somehow beat a suitably embarrassed Adair to put Newry 3 goals clear. Chances kept coming Newrys way, Johnston, McMullan, McCaul and Walker all having goal bound efforts cleared. But goal number four had to come and again it was patient football which created it, Newry playing the ball along the midfield to make space before once more spreading the ball wide to Grant his low cross met first time by Johnston who steered a low first time shot across Adair and into the far corner of the Larne net for a goal which was a just reward for his afternoons effort and which completed the days scoring.

Newrys next match will be the Premier Cup final on Monday 28^th December at Crystal Park, Banbridge, kick off 11:30. Newry City supporter’s bus will leave The Stonebridge at 10:30.

Newry City: Murphy, Wilson, McCaul, Curran, Mooney, McMahon, Carville, Walker, Grant, McMullan, Johnston. Subs: Edgar, Crilly, McCann, Mullan, Patton.

Photographs Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

City will compete in their first cup final since their reformation two and a half seasons ago after they saw off the challenge of local rivals Camlough Rovers on Friday night. Despite the high winds and persistent rain, over 700 hardy souls packed into The Showgrounds to see City progress to the December 28 Premier Cup Final, courtesy of goals late in each half from Sean McMullan and Timmy Grant. With the weather conditions not exactly lending themselves to the free-flowing fast football the home side in particular are used to playing, it was something of a flat encounter for the vast majority of the 90 minutes, despite no shortage of effort from both teams. Despite having his entire squad at his disposal for the first time this season, City manager Darren Mullen opted to stick with the same starting line-up that produced a stunning comeback to win 5-3 at Banbridge Rangers the previous week, with the returning Paddy Mooney, Ian Curran and Keith Johnston having to be content with a place on the bench.

It was Seamus Kane’s visitors who had the first chance of the match with just two minutes on the clock when ace marksman Declan Monaghan found space on the right but he flashed his shot narrowly wide with the City defence all at sea. The hosts got their opening shot in on goal in the sixth minute when McMullan turned in the box and cracked in a left footed drive that was straight at Camlough keeper Joe Goodwill. They spurned a glorious opportunity to go in front just shy of the quarter hour mark when a slick passing move down the right saw McMullan’s backheel run perfectly for Declan Carville. However, instead of shooting early, the striker delayed his shot and that allowed the Camlough defenders time to get back and clear the danger. After Monaghan had headed straight at Peter Murphy from Gavin Moan’s free-kick on 16 minutes, chance, unlike the weather, began to dry up somewhat and it took until minute 26 for the next effort on goal to materialise. This time it was for Newry with Stephen McCabe making space down the left hand side and whipping in a cross that was met by the head of Carville only to glance it wide of the post.

The deadlock was finally broken four minutes before the interval with a scrappy goal that owed as much to McMullan’s strength and persistence than anything else. Carville’s clever effort with the outside of his right boot beat Goodwill but not the base of the left hand post before being partially cleared. However, when the ball came back into the box, McMullan was able to get turned and force it into the roof of the net from close range to send the majority of the crowd in attendance into delight. Newry could and probably should have doubled their lead two minutes into stoppage time, Firstly, McCabe’s shot cleared off the line by Moan, Conor McCaul’s rebound was saved by Goodwill before McCabe’s second effort was blocked.

The second half was much more a case of one-way traffic than the first with City dominating possession and chances on goal. However, they didn’t get the security of a second goal until nine minutes from time, despite having a number of opportunities to increase the leads before that. Jimmy Walker shot over the bar from 16 yards six minutes into the half before McCaul poked over from closer range just before the hour mark. Camlough had their best chance of the second period on 64 minutes when John Grant header just wide of Murphy’s goal as Rovers attempted to apply some pressure. However, City always had the upper hand and McMullan shot wide from 18 yards after being put through by Walker on 66 minutes with McCaul seeing his header deflected over by Greg McCabe with 19 minutes remaining, Eight minutes later, Stephen McCabe saw his effort blocked with Goodwill saving McMullan’s rebound before that all-important second goal form a Newry point of view, arrived two minutes later. Walker found himself bearing down on Goodwill’s goal but the keeper made an excellent save to deny the midfielder. However, as the ball popped up into the air, Goodwill opted to punch clear rather than catching the ball. His punch only went as far as Timmy Grant who took one touch to set himself before rifling the ball home from 15 yards to make it 2-0 and secure his side’s passage to the final, where Newry will meet the winners of Fivemiletown United and Tandragee Rovers.

Newry manager Darren Mullen was pleased with a workmanlike performance from his side as they booked their place in the maiden final for the first team in their third season. “Even though it was difficult to play in the conditions, I thought we did try to play our normal style of football. Obviously, you’re going to have to work hard in those conditions, which we did. Once we matched Camlough for effort, I thought there was only going to be one winner. We weren’t overly troubled. I thought the second half would have been tougher but it wasn’t because we worked hard and didn’t let them play. We were well worth the victory,” said Mullen. “That’s the first time this year we’ve had the full squad to pick from and it keeps that winning run going. The good news for the boys now is that they will be in Boxing Day training. That will be something for them to look forward to over Christmas. It’s good for Newry to be in a final and it’s good for the fans. The fans were brilliant tonight and there was a good crowd down so it’s something for everyone to look forward to. “It’s proud for me, being a Newry lad, to take the team to a cup final. We’ll enjoy winning this match because it’s going to be a tough final whoever comes out of the other match. “I remember getting interviewed outside the Camlough changing rooms after we were beaten and that was probably the lowest moment in my three years here. We didn’t put up a fight. Now we have players who are not only good enough but are wiling to fight for it and that’s what they did in the second half. If you can match the effort with the talent we have, we’ll come close. It will take a good team to beat us.”

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Crilly, McMahon, McCaul, Mullen, McCann, Walker, Carville (P Mooney 88), McMullan, Grant (Lowry 82), S McCabe Subs not used: Wilson, Johnston, Curran.

Camlough Rovers: Goodwill, G McCabe, Magill, Moan, G Mooney (Magee 72), S King, McDonald (Massey 61), D McCabe, Monaghan, Grant, J King Subs not used: Mackey, Loughran, Kane.

Referee: Gerry Murray