Newry City AFC will be holding an open trial for the Senior squad on Wednesday the 26th June at 7.30pm at The Showgrounds.
Those wishing to play should contact Sean at 07519888849 or Laura at 07857077176 by the 22nd of June to register. You can also register by e-mailing your name, age and position to info@newrycityafc.co.uk.
The Newry City AFC Management Committee have released the following statement regarding their recent decision not to ground-share with Warrenpoint Town FC for the 2013/2014 season:
The management committee of Newry City Athletic Football Club wishes to take this opportunity to respond to recent unfair and uninformed criticism over its decision not to share Newry Showgrounds with Warrenpoint Town in the forthcoming football season.
Newry City AFC has an excellent working relationship with Warrenpoint Town. In the season just finished the Newry management committee was happy to agree to a request from Warrenpoint to use the Showgrounds to play an outstanding Mid Ulster Cup match under lights. Within twenty four hours of Warrenpoint winning promotion, Newry sent a letter congratulating Warrenpoint on their promotion to the Danske Bank Premiership where we hope they do very well next season.
After a traumatic period, Newry City is in the process of rebuilding and we look forward to playing Warrenpoint Town in Premiership football one day.
Unfortunately, however, Newry are not currently in a position to ground share with Warrenpoint Town, or for that matter, with anyone else. The reasons are as follows:
• The playing surface at The Showgrounds would not stand up to the extra traffic in the Winter months that would occur as a result of groundsharing;
• In order to host Premiership football a licence is required. Newry Showgrounds does not have this licence because Newry City will now be playing intermediate football. The cost of acquiring such a licence runs to thousands of pounds;
• Newry Showgrounds is currently rated as an amateur ground. If it were to be rated for professional football this would increase Newry City’s rates bill by approximately 400%;
• The Showgrounds’ insurance premium would increase by approximately 100% if professional football were to be played there; and
• if groundsharing were to take place, there could also be potential difficulties around the scheduling of matches.
Yours in Sport
Newry City Athletic Football Club
The rise of Newry City AFC is set to be featured on Sky Sports News this week!
Sky’s Laure James was at the Showgrounds today, interviewing Newry Manager Darren Mullen, Chairman Martin McLoughlin and City fan Gareth McCullough. The footage will be broadcast on Sky Sports News at some stage during the week, so be sure keep an eye out for it!
Pictured below are the members of the Newry City AFC staff along with the lovely Laure and Gary from Sky Sports:
Mark McCabe scooped both awards on offer at the Newry City Under-16 presentation night in the Bosco on Saturday. Mark’s impressive tally of 34 goals earned him the top goalscorer award and the same player picked up the Players’ player of the year award after he was unanimously voted so by his team mates.
The Under 16 team joint managers Des Murphy & Thomas King congratulated Mark and the rest of the team for all their hard during the course of the season before the Newry City AFC Chairman Martin McLoughlin and Vice-Chairman Eric Wilson were called upon to present the awards.
Newry City over 40s played Banbridge over 40s in a charity match for the NSPCC last night at Cheney Park. The game was played in great spirit with many players attempting to roll back the years.
Banbridge started the game well and tested Joe Price with a few early efforts. Tommy O’Hanlon then had a great 25 yard drive saved by the Banbridge keeper before hitting the post with another great effort. Newrys defence were working hard to shut down the Banbridge attack with Tommy Gray marshalling them well. Dessie Edgar was attacking at every opportunity and linking well with Damien Grant on the right hand side. John White and Michael Crowe were also linking well on the left but were unable to break a resolute Banbridge defence. The half finished goalless with a few tired legs glad to see the break.
Newry broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half when Darren Mullen fired home after a great through ball from Grant. Banbridge tried to hit Newry on the break but Newry’s midfield of Craven, Griffin, Mullen and O’Hanlon were dictating the play. Newry Legend Ollie Ralph was giving the Banbridge defence plenty of problems – his movement a lesson to any young player. The second goal came following great work from Larry Griffin and Dessie Edgar on the right
hand side when Tommy O’Hanlon curled a great effort into the far corner. Banbridge were now pushing forward in numbers with Price pulling off some great saves. Terrance Feehan then made a great saving tackle to prevent his brother Billy pulling a goal back. Newry had a further chances to increase their lead with Keith Kelly and Jervis McCaul failing to beat the Banbridge keeper.
The game finished 2 0 to Newry with Tommy Gray awarded the man of the match award. This was a very entertaining game and a chance for old playing colleagues to meet up for plenty of craic. This will be the first of several over 40s games with the next game to be played in The Showgrounds whenever all the aches and pains have cleared up.
Newry squad: Joe Price, Dessie Edgar, Terrance Feehan, Tommy Gray,John White, Damien Grant, Larry Griffin, Tommy O’Hanlon, Michael Crowe, Ollie Ralph (captain), Dixie Craven, Darren Mullen, Keith Kelly, Jervis McCaul, Billy Feehan.
