Newry City moved into the third round of the Marshall Cup at The Showground’s on Saturday with a comfortable victory over Lurgan side Hill Street FC.  Similar to many of Newrys recent games Saturdays affair really only kicked into life in the second half with the home side in the first period seemingly content to keep possession and wait for an opening to happen.  Indeed in a dull first half it was Hill Street who came closest to scoring, Gareth Forsythe pulling a low cross back to the edge of the Newry six yard box, Ian Curran winning a tussle with Ian Penny to poke the ball for a corner before the striker could finish.

The second half however brought with it a higher tempo from Newry and that was stepped up again in the final quarter, with the game still scoreless, when Newry introduced the experienced duo of Stephen McCabe and Timmy Grant which immediately brought more attacking options, a point which Newry manager Darren Mullen highlighted after the game “Hill Street had a game plan to frustrate us and although we had the lion’s share of possession we should have played a lot better. Our movement off the ball and our play in the final third wasn’t good enough especially in the first half. Once we introduced Giggsy and Timmy they gave us natural width and we looked a lot more dangerous. This was a game I was always going to try a different shape in and I probably learnt more about what doesn’t suit us than what does. That said we hardly ever looked troubled other than when we got complacent at the end but we know that next week brings another challenge and we will have to be better.”

After that first half when only Jimmy Walker registered a shot on target for Newry it only took two minutes of the second half for them to create a good chance, Walker swinging a cross into the penalty area which was met by Thomas McCann who had ghosted in between the Hill Street centre halves only to be denied by Aaron Kidd diving to his right to tip McCann’s header onto the post.  Newry piled on the pressure urged on by a captain’s performance from Chris McMahon and soon went close again, Sean McMullan nodding McMahons long pass into the path of Niall Crilly who’s first time shot flew over the Hill Street cross bar. Crilly next turned provider as Newry racked up the chances, picking up a pass from Josh Durnin and whipping in a cross which McMullan helped on its way to the back post alas just out of the reach of his strike partner Decky Carville. On the hour mark McMullan thought that he would finally score when Carville won a McCann cross, knocking the ball down to McMullan who toe poked the ball towards the corner of the goal once more denied by a fine save from Kidd.

The visitor’s best chance in this period came from a free kick some 25 yards from the Newry goal which Steven Lawson curled around the wall forcing Peter Murphy into a smart diving save. 

The questions were however being asked at the other end and with the introduction of McCabe and Grant Newry were now banging on the Hill Street door with one attacking movement seeing the ball flash from side to side across the goal and ending with a curling shot from Graeme Edgar which once more Kerr saved pushing Edgars low effort around his post for a corner.  The goal did look like it was coming however and on 75 minutes Carville challenged with Kerr for a high McCabe cross, the ball falling inside the box to McMullan who was in no mood to let another chance go by, drilling the ball past the Hill Street defenders on the goal line to put Newry 1-0 up.   

Having opened the scoring McMullan went close to adding another with 10 minutes remaining this time with a much more spectacular effort. McMahon found Crilly in an advanced position on the right wing, Crilly chipped a pass into McMullan which the big man with his back to goal controlled on his chest, juggled it over his head spinning around his marker to volley on the other side unfortunately unable to keep his shot below the cross bar.

The home side soon sealed the tie, Grant speeding free down the right wing and sending in a speculative ball which caught Kerr of his line only for the ball to hit the crossbar, Carville the first to react taking possession and finding McMullan who rolled the ball back to Walker on the edge of the box, Walker curling his shot low into the corner of Kerr’s goal to put Newry 2-0 up.

With time all but up Hill Street pulled a goal back when a mix up in the Newry defence resulted in a clearance going straight to Lawson about 40 yards from goal, Lawson spotting that Murphy’s goal was now unguarded lobbed a perfect shot straight into the back of the net to reduce his sides arrears. There was however little time for any more action as referee Gerry Murray, who had his usual sound performance, blew the final whistle with Newry safely into round 3.

Newry’s next match is a Mid Ulster League fixture on Saturday next, 17^th October at home to Banbridge Rangers, kick off 2:15pm.

Man of the Match (Presented by Mascot Jake O’Neill): Chris McMahon

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Crilly, Edgar, Curran, McCaul, McCann, McMahon, Walker, Durnin, McMullan, Carville. Subs: McCabe, Grant, Martin, Mullen, Sloan.

Photographs Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan 

Newry City slipped out of this year’s Irish Cup in a poor game against top Intermediate side Crumlin Star at The Cliff ground in Larne on Saturday. In a match in which neither team ever really got going Newry, despite not playing anywhere near their potential, will be very disappointed not only that they conceded two goals in injury time but also in the circumstances which immediately preceded The Star’s equalizer, Keith Johnson blown for offside having made what appeared to be a perfectly timed clear run on goal from inside his own half. Although that contentious decision was not lost on Newry manager Darren Mullen after the game he was fully aware that his team were well below par “We didn’t play well but could still have won and are very disappointed in the manner of defeat. With the 90 minutes virtually gone they were throwing everything at us. At that stage it is vital to keep possession when you get it and when we won that ball near the end and gambled on a long ball to Keith the referee gave a terrible decision to blow for offside. They get the ball, we don’t get it back and they score to equalize. That unsettled us and we didn’t recover in time and they grabbed the winner with more or less the last kick but we have to move on. That’s our first defeat in seven games, we now have three games at home and we quickly need to get back to winning ways. We have players coming back from injury and suspension which will add some strength to the squad. We will count that as a poor game and move on”

The first half of the game was instantly forgettable with two evenly balanced teams cancelling each other out. That is apart from a moment of brilliance from Newry’s play maker Jimmy Walker. Stepping up to a free kick 35 yards from goal Walker placed his shot into the very top corner of the Crumlin Star net clipping the inside of both post and bar for a stunning goal which gave Newry a solitary goal advantage at half time.

The second half started much more brightly than the first with the visitors the first to threaten, Josh Cargin and Decky Carville linking down Newry’s left wing, the attack snuffed out inside the box by weight of numbers in the home defence.

Barry McKelvey had been Crumlin Stars playmaker and he tested Peter Murphy on the hour mark. Taking a free kick from the right wing which appeared destined for a back post head McKelvey instead swung a pacy shot towards the near top corner which Murphy did excellent to stop, quickly adjusting his position to get back across his goal and then with the tip of his fingers stretching to touch the ball around the post for a corner.

Newry had half a chance with 15 minutes left to go further ahead when Neil Mullen rose highest at the back post to meet a Walker corner, his effort blocked but falling to Carville on the edge of the box, the Newry midfielder unable to keep his shot from a bouncing ball below the Crumlin cross bar.

From here on Crumlin threw caution to the wind with Newry surviving through some stoic defending principally from Paddy Mooney who was unbeaten in the air all day and also through some wayward finishing by Crumlin. On 80 minutes again McKelvey was the creator, swinging a cross to the back post finding an unmarked James Doyle who headed wide with the goal at his mercy. Crumlin kept the pressure on however and Niall Crilly was next to come to his sides rescue charging down another Doyle chance at the back post.

Then came that contentious decision on 90 minutes. With Crumlin having virtually everybody up field Newry won possession and with Johnson only having to stay in his own half to have a clear run on goal a perfectly pitched pass into his path appeared to give the winger a chance to play the game out only for the referee to call play back having judged that Johnson had stepped too early into the Crumlin half. This decision rattled Newry and gave fresh impetus to the home side who snatched two very similar goals in as many minutes with strikes from Ciaran Murphy and Aidan McNeill to win the tie.

Newry must now regroup for next Saturdays fixture, at home to Hillstreet in the second round of the Marshall Cup. KO 2.15pm.

Newry City Team: Murphy, Mooney, McMahon, Mullen, Crilly, Walker, Carville, Grant, McCann, McMullan, Johnston. Subs: Cargin, Martin, Edgar.

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Newry City moved top of Mid Ulster A with a comprehensive win away to local rivals Camlough Rovers on Saturday. In a tempestuous game which was certainly not helped by referee Caldwell Newry sealed the points late on with two goals in final 10 minutes after the referee had dismissed three players but in truth Newry were better all over the pitch for the majority of the 90 minutes which pleased manager Darren Mullen “We are now getting the rewards for the hard work the boys put in at training. We are a stronger team this season and will try to play football. Certainly I’d like the referee to protect footballers but when that doesn’t happen you just have to knuckle down and compete and the boys did that today. Our back four and Niall when he came on were solid and the odd time Camlough got past them Murphy was sharp. Our midfield are playing really well at the moment and the front men are scoring goals, so I can’t complain. But its early days!”

It was the home side who had the first goal scoring chance only minutes into the game when a Newry corner was cleared up field, the ball falling into the path of Declan Monaghan who forced Murphy into a fine save as he pushed the Camlough mans low snap shot for a corner.

Newry were gifted the opening goal of the game minutes later when a long Murphy kick out appeared to be going all the way to his opposite number Sean McDonald in the Camlough goal only for the keeper to fumble the ball on the edge of his box, punished for the mistake by Paddy Mooney who was the first to react to the loose ball which he rolled into the empty net to put Newry a goal up.

The visitors felt they should have had the chance to double the advantage after 10 minutes when Decky Carville meandered his way through players into the Camlough box only to be taken down by an outstretched Camlough leg, referee Caldwell one of the few who did not agree with Carville’s call for a penalty.

Newry continued on the front foot, Ian Curran playing at left back curled a superb ball down the line into the path of Jimmy Walker who turned his marker before finding McCann on the edge of the box, the Newry midfielder firing over McDonalds cross bar.

Camlough replied with a long range effort of their own on 25 minutes, Gregory MCabe receiving a short free and blasting a shot from 30 yards which Murphy did well to get his hands to, Monaghan’s attempt to latch onto the rebound thwarted by the referees whistle for offside.

The last chance of the half also came Camloughs way. A long hopeful clearance out of their own half looked to be going over the end line only to be retrieved by Jordan King, his low cross met by a group of feet, the ball looping up towards the top corner of the Newry goal bringing another excellent diving save by Murphy to tip it over his cross bar to preserve the Newry lead.

Straight after the kick off Murphy was again called into action when Shane King swung a free kick into the Newry box which Monaghan met at the back post with an out stretched leg which brought another excellent reflex save from Murphy low at his near post.

The rest of the game however belonged to Newry. On 50 minutes, from one of an ever increasing number of free kicks, Carville rose highest at the back post to guide his header towards the top corner of the Camlough net which McDonald did well to tip over the bar.

On the hour mark an exquisite piece of skill from Sean McMullan almost doubled Newrys lead. Receiving the ball outside the box, the big man spotted the Camlough keeper a few paces off his line and clipped a curling shot which hit the junction of post and bar, the rebound falling just out of the reach of Timmy Grant rushing in for the loose ball.

On 65 minutes referee Caldwell was finally forced into taking action when McCabe was shown his second yellow card of the game for a tackle on Mooney.  Down to 10 men and the free kick to come Camlough were fortunate when Walkers free kick across the face of the goal was allowed to slip past the far post without the touch it needed to force it over the line.

Having finally got his cards out referee Caldwell was forced into another tough decision when a rare foray into the Newry box by Camlough ended in a scuffle between Monaghan and Curran, the referee seeing enough to show Monaghan a second yellow and Curran a straight red to further reduce the numbers on the field.

The visitors made the most of the added space to wrap the points up in the last 10 minutes. On 82 minutes McMullan got the goal his endeavour deserved when he got onto a cross from Walker, turned Gavin Moan and placed his shot into the bottom corner of the Camlough net to double the Newry advantage. And on 85 minutes Walker was rewarded for his Man of the Match display when he benefited from Keith Johnston’s endeavour, the winger using his pace to retrieve the ball at the corner flag before picking out Walker inside the box, Walker still had plenty to do as he made room for the shot which he thumped past McDonald into the roof of the Camlough net to leave the final score 3-0 to Newry.

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

Camlough Rovers: S McDonald, S King, Magill, G Moan, K Moan, G McCabe, R McDonald, D McCabe, Monaghan, J King, Grant. Subs: Hughes, Loughran, Mooney, O’Hanlon, Kane.

Newry City’s next game is on Saturday 3^rd October away to Crumlin Star in the Irish Cup. Newry City supporter’s bus will leave the Stonebridge at 11 AM sharp.