Blast from the Past: The Town’s first ever trophy triumph

This Friday (2nd November) marks exactly 100 years to the very day when Newry Town FC played their first ever competitive fixture. To help mark this hugely significant landmark occasion, club historian and long-serving supporter Jim Campbell will delve into the archives and also recall some of the stand-out moments – ranging from the joy of success to the depths of despair, on this incredible one hundred year journey from Newry Town to City to City AFC.

In our first edition of the series, Jim takes a look back at the club’s first season which, incidentally, yielded Newry Town’s first ever trophy in the Newell Cup…

Newry Town FC was formed during the autumn of 1918 and immediately gained entry to the Newry and District football league that had been reformed after the end of World War One.

The other competing teams in the new nine club league were: Bessbrook Athletic, Newry United, Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (based in Dundalk), Warrenpoint United, Royal Field Artillery (based in Dundalk), Warrenpoint Celtic, Dundalk Town, and Damolly Juniors.

The Town played their first League game on Saturday 2nd November 1918 against Newry United as World War 1 was coming to a close. At the same time a terrible Spanish Flu epidemic was raging through the Town Of Newry causing several tragic deaths.

The Town got away to a very disappointing start and a league table published by the Newry Reporter on Saturday 1st February 1919 shows the club isolated at the bottom having gained only one point from their opening six games.

The town’s management committee took swift action to strengthen the team and results quickly improved.

This improvement led to the club reaching their first ever Newell Cup final against the well-established Damolly Rovers.  Damolly Rovers, whose reserve team Damolly Juniors also played in the league, had entered the Newell Cup through special invitation and were favourites to win the coveted trophy.

The cup final staged at the Marshes ended in a scoreless draw and the replay was staged a week later on Tuesday, 20 May, 1919, at the same venue.

The Newry Reporter dated Thursday, 22 May 1919, carried a detailed match report of the cup final replay as under:

Newell Cup final replay

This important cup tie was replayed at The Marshes before a huge attendance. Referee Anderson had charge of the following teams.

DAMOLLY ROVERS: Jones, McCann, Kinney, Thompson, Truesdale, McKinley, Rafferty, F McCann, J Bradley, Calwell and Bradley.

NEWRY TOWN: Sweeney, Kavanagh, Coleman, Chambers, Carroll, McQuillan, Donellan, Devine, Rice, Dale and McStay

The Town team guessed the spin of the coin and Bradley kicked off for Rovers who at once made tracks for Sweeney but Chambers relieved. Good work by Devine and Rice nearly brought a score but Jones saved at the expense of a fruitless corner.

The Town were pressing McCann and Kinney very hard and for an infringement a penalty was awarded. McQuillan was entrusted with the kick and gave Jones no chance. Damolly from the kick off seemed to waken up and Truesdale was prominent in an attack but Rafferty when well placed was slow, with the result that Kavanagh was allowed to clear and a splendid chance was lost.  Dale was playing a splendid game for The Town and he and Rice at times played havoc with the Rovers defence and only for the fine tackling and kicking powers of Kinney a score must have come.

At the other end Sweeney came out to save at the expense of a corner. Bradley placed the kick nicely but Chambers was handy with his head and cleared. After this the pressure on the Damolly defence was bound to tell and Rice scored no2,  Jones making a brilliant save but Rice getting on the rebound gave him no chance.

Give and take play followed and Dale got settled down and passing to Rice that player scored no3.  The Rovers now attacked in spirited fashion and Sweeney was brought to his knees with a good shot from the foot of Truesdale.  Assisted by a free kick well placed by Thompson, matters looked promising for The Rovers but Chambers, who was a tower of strength to the Town team relieved and at the other end Rice beat all opposition and performed the Hat trick.

Not downhearted, the Factory Boys attacked and Truesdale gave Bradley a lovely pass but nothing resulted, Sweeney clearing.  Matters were inclined to be rough but Referee Anderson had a firm hold of the players.  Dale was cautioned for forcible play and from the kick Kinney placed well to his forwards but Chambers nipping in cleared.  At the other end in a scrimmage, play was stopped and a foul awarded to The Rovers but nothing resulted.  Chambers who had been playing finely, was ordered to the pavilion.  With ten minutes to go, Damolly were playing gamely and forced a corner and Bradley placing well but McCann sent over the bar.  A free to Damolly outside the 18 yard line looked promising, McKinley placed hard into goal but the ball was cleared and danger averted.  The turf was now very slippery and the players were finding it hard to keep their feet.  Encouraged by the cries of “COME ON THE TOWN” Rice receiving beat several opponents and punting to Dale he had a great shot at Jones who cleared well at the foot of the post.   Still pressing, The Town gave Kinney no rest and when all seemed lost, McKinley nipped in to clear.  Matters never slackened and with only a few minutes to go Devine almost scored No 5, the ball striking the upright and going past.  Dale and Donnellan had a good understanding and the latter player got across a lovely centre, McStay catching the pass banged in a hard shot but Jones again cleared.  Play was in midfield when the final whistle sounded and on the run of the play the better team won.

Result: Newry Town 4 – 0 Damolly Rovers

Photo: Newry Town FC players and management with The Newell Cup at the end of the Club’s First Season in Football, 1918-19.

Newry City AFC link with Southern Regional College

Newry City AFC are delighted to announce our new partnership with the Southern Regional College. Via this partnership we have welcomed HND Media student Michael Canavan to the club as our new Newry City AFC TV Operator.

Club Press Relations Officer Laura Hillen commented “It is fantastic to have Michael on board. Having match footage is not only a vital tool to aid player analysis for our management team but also helps promote both the football club and our sponsors that do so much for us through our online match highlights. Ally McKenzie & Tommy Harris have made a great platform for Michael to build on and he has already shown in his first few weeks at the club that he is capable of doing so. We are also delighted to give Michael the opportunity to develop his portfolio for his studies”.

Norbrook Launch 50 for 50 in aid of SAH

At Newry City AFC we are absolutely delighted to hear that our Charity Partners, Southern Area Hospice will be partnering with Norbrook Laboratories Ltd for their 50th anniversary celebrations, with their 50 for 50 employee fundraising campaign.

Norbrook employees are organising a number of fundraising events with the aim to raise £50k which will be matched by an equivalent donation from the Company. To help them on their way to their target, a few members of the fundraising team will be attending our Bet McLean League Cup Match v Portadown FC on Tuesday 30th October – any donations would be greatly appreciated.

Southern Area Hospice Services patients will benefit greatly from the money raised from this campaign.

We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Norbrook on their 50th Year and wish them many more successful years in business.

https://www.norbrook.com/news-media/2018/october/norbrook-launch-50-for-50-in-support-of-hospice

Mourne Ultimatum Part two tonight

Newry will hope to bounce back from Friday night’s 2-0 defeat to Institute this evening when they take on Warrenpoint Town in the quarter final of the Mid Ulster Cup at the Showgrounds, kicking off at 7:45pm.

City defender Darren King spoke of the importance of picking up a positive result in the local derby.

“We need to get the Institute game out of our system as we let ourselves and the supporters down on Friday night with an uncharacteristic home performance. Secondly, to ensure we progress in the cup and try to build up some momentum again. And finally to get a result in order to give the squad, coaching staff and supporters a lift as you always want to be on top in a local derby,” said King.

Newry City Reserves Latest Match Reports

Newry City Reserves 3 – 0 Ballymena United Reserves (06/10/18)
Newry City Reserves welcomed league high fliers Ballymena United to the Showgrounds hoping to bounce back from the previous week’s disappointment away to Coleraine.
The away side started very brightly with Lewis Hunter being called into action in the first minute to keep out a stunning long range effort from ex-Glentoran ace Steven McAlorum.
As the game progressed, Newry got themselves a foothold in the game and were rewarded when a clever reverse pass from TJ Hughes was picked up on the edge of the box by Josh Durnin who cooly curled a left footed effort into the bottom corner in the 35 minute to give the home side a 1-0 lead going into the interval.
As expected, Ballymena threw everything at Newry in the second half and showed just exactly why they are sitting so high in the table. In doing that though, they left gaps which were cleverly exposed by the young Newry team. A wonderful run in the 78th minute from his own penalty area down the right hand side by skipper Matty Taylor was justly rewarded when his cross was met by Sokei John at the back post to make it 2 -0.
Before Ballymena had time to regroup it was 3-0 when in the 80th minute, when Sokei John grabbed his second of the game rounding the keeper and tapping into an empty net after a through ball from Lee Hutchinson.
Newry remained firm to maintain a clean sheet and put another three points on the board.

Newry City: Lewis Hunter, Leigh Crooks, Zach Annett, Mark McCullough, Thomas McGreevy, Matthew Taylor ©, Josh Durnin, Lee Hutchinson, Sokei John, TJ Hughes, Ryan Duffy
Subs: Kealan Morgan, Dean Morgan, Jordan Mackey, Jervis McCaul, Jordan Copeland

 

Newry City U20s 1 – 1 Linfield Swifts (17/10/18)
Newry City Reserves welcomed table toppers Linfield Swifts to the Showgrounds on Wednesday night in the hope of ending the Swifts unbeaten league record to date.
In front of a big crowd and under the watchful eye of first team boss David Healy, Linfield started the game at a frantic pace and it took a last ditch tackle from centre half Mark McCullough in the second minute from stopping local lad Adam Carroll from opening the scoring for the away side.
Chances were aplenty at both ends thereafter with Josh Durnin, TJ Hughes and Conal Delaney going close for Newry whilst Daniel Reynolds and Mark Stafford saw efforts well stopped by Hunter. Although the pace was relentless both teams went in at the break level at 0-0.
The half time break didn’t seem to count for either side as the second half began in a similar fashion to the way in which the first ended, with both sides have a real go at it. It was Linfield though who drew first blood in the 62nd minute when Caomhan McGuiness’ cross into the box from the right evaded everyone in the Newry defence and Brandon Doyle headed home at the back post to make it 1 – 0 to the visitors much to the delight of the travelling away support.
Full credit to the young Newry side as they didn’t allow this setback to affect them and after a brilliant piece of link up play in midfield between Matty Taylor and Conal Delaney, the latter’s deep cross was met by the onrushing Taylor on the six yard box to powerfully head home the equaliser in the 65th minute.
Less than two minutes later it could have and probably should have another for the home side when Delaney’s ball from the right was powerfully volleyed against the upright from TJ Hughes from 12 yards with Dylan Stewart in the Linfield goal rooted to the spot.
As the game drew to a finish, Newry had one last chance to snatch it in injury time when skipper Taylor’s powerful surge into the box and stinging drive drew a magnificent save from Stewart to earn the visitors a share of the spoils.

Newry City: Lewis Hunter, Thomas McGreevy, Noel Healy, Jordan Mackey, Mark McCullough, Matthew Taylor ©, Josh Durnin, Dale Montgomery, TJ Hughes, Conal Delaney, Zach Annett
Subs: Lee Hutchinson, Sokei John, Ryan Duffy, Jervis McCaul, Kealan Morgan

Ronan Casey
Ronan Casey

Commenting on the two results, Newry Reserves’ boss Ronan Casey said:
“Since our defeat in Coleraine, the lads have been magnificent. The performance against Ballymena was first class as they were extremely strong and I could see why they are highly regarded in this league. Full credit to our boys in that game though. Their pressing and movement was superb and at no stage did they panic when Ballymena held possession for long periods. Three nil certainly didn’t flatter us.
Coming up against Linfield was always going to be the yardstick for us. They have been hitting teams for cricket scores this season which isn’t surprising when you see the wealth of talent they have at their disposal. We had spoken at length in training through the week about giving a good account of ourselves and focusing on all of our own attributes and performing those well. If we did that, we felt we could we could really trouble them and that we did. On another night we could well have taken all the points but to take 4 points in a week from the top two sides in the division isn’t a bad return. We look forward to welcoming Moneyslane to the Showgrounds on Saturday in the Premier Intermediate Cup before our next outing in the league at home to Glenavon on Halloween night.”