Check out Newry Manager Darren Mullens interview on QRadio ahead of our match against Larne at the Showgrounds tomorrow night (Friday 29/09) KO7.45pm.
Newry 0-1 Institute
There’s not much going right for Newry City on the pitch at the moment and while they could point to some very questionable refereeing decisions on Saturday against Institute, one in particular from referee Declan Hassan which denied them a very obvious penalty, in truth the Newry boys aren’t doing themselves justice and even this early in the season face a very important game at home to bottom side Larne on Friday night.
Symptomatic of their season so far things were going much to plan for the first twenty minutes on Saturday until possession was lost in the middle of the park giving Aaron Harkin a free run to the edge of the Newry penalty area. From there Harkin tested the Newry keeper and although Maguire was able to parry Harkins shot Newry were unable to regain possession and when the ball came in from the right-wing indecision amongst the Newry players allowed Gareth Brown to latch onto the loose ball and give Maguire no chance from close range. In reply the home side had their first worthwhile attempt on goal after 25 minutes, Mark McCabe setting up Stephen Hughes who shot over from the edge of the box. Newry kept probing for the equalizer, on the half hour mark Thomas McCann and Decky Carville swapped passes before Carville also failed shot over the cross bar. The visitors had similar chances, the best coming on 40 minutes when Michael McCrudden tried his luck from outside the box, Maguire pushing the ball over his crossbar. Newry came closest to scoring with minutes remaining in the first half, McCann combining with Carville to give Marty Havern an opening on the left side of the penalty area, Havern choosing to shoot for the near post but able only to find the side netting which left Institute a goal up at half time.
The second half opened a little brighter for Newry and they had an early opportunity to equalize, Kevin McArdle released Keith Johnston wide on the right, McCabe unable to get enough on to Johnston’s driven cross to trouble the Institute keeper. The visitors almost doubled their advantage after 55 minutes. Awarded a free kick some 25 yards from goal up stepped Harkin to clip a shot over the Newry wall, unfortunate to hit the inside of the post and ricochet across the goal line. On the hour mark Newry thought they had a way back into the game when McCabe was bundled over inside the box, the penalty decision appearing so obvious that referee Hassan‘s signal to play on was misinterpreted by many as him pointing to the penalty spot which compounded the injustice felt by the Newry following. From this point the game became fractious, Newry unable to shake off the penalty decision while Institute were more than happy to draw out every break in play ensuring that football wise the rest of the game was a non-event interrupted only by an odd flashpoint between players exacerbated by some curious refereeing decisions, all of which added up to a disappointing result for Newry.
Having started the season slowly Friday night’s game at home to Larne gives the Newry players an early chance to redeem themselves before a brace of games away from The Showgrounds, something which wasn’t lost on manager Darren Mullen after the game “This was a poor game and a poor performance from us. We looked heavy legged and lethargic for most of the game and as we’ve seen already in this league you pay the price for that.
Sometimes you can carry one or two players who aren’t performing but we weren’t good enough right throughout the team. That said we had an absolute stonewall penalty which everyone agreed with including the Institute management and players somehow not given.
That incident however doesn’t take away from our poor performance and Friday night’s game against Larne now takes on an even greater importance. We certainly won’t hide from what is a tough challenge for us this season and I’m looking forward to see how the players react.”
Newry’s next game is on Friday night at home to Larne, kick off at 7:45 pm
Newry City AFC: Maguire, McArdle, M Hughes, King, Boyle, McCann, S Hughes, Carville, McCabe, Johnston, Havern. Subs: Walker, Mullen, Richmond, Patton, Mallon.
Newry Win Local Derby
Newry City made it through to the Quarter Final of the Mid Ulster Cup and a home tie against Premiership side Dungannon Swifts on Tuesday night at a packed Showgrounds but it took 120 minutes of football against Windmill Stars before the pressure finally told, Newry running out 4-1 winners after extra time.
Had it been a boxing match the tie would have been done and dusted by half time with Newry missing a host of chances. That said it looked as though Windmill would go into the half time break in the lead thanks to a goal from ex-Warrenpoint Town and Newry striker Sean McMullan who gave the visitors the lead on 23 minutes with a typical goal scorers close range finish. Either side of McMullan’s goal a mixture of some poor shooting, a bit of bad luck with Marty Havern smacking a shot of the Windmill crossbar and some fine saves from another ex-Newry man Peter Murphy left Newry with nothing to show from the majority of possession. That changed in first half stoppage time, Declan Carville releasing Kevin McArdle wide on the right, McArdle’s pull back pass finding Keith Johnston unmarked and this time the wee man made no mistake picking out the bottom left hand corner of the Windmill net to level the scores at half time.
While Newry again dominated play in the second half goal chances were more evenly shared, indeed on breaks up field it was Windmill who perhaps created the best opportunities, clever play from Jody McGovern setting up Ruairi Devlin for a strike on goal, Stephen Maguire safely dealing with the shot. At the other end Murphy again came to his sides rescue diving full length to tip a Jimmy Walker free kick around the post. And with 10 minutes remaining Newry had a real scare, the ball bouncing around the home box finally falling to Joe McLoughlin who blasted his shot towards goal, Newry saved by a brave block from Thomas McCann ensuring the game went to extra time.
Having started with a game plan to nullify Newry’s passing game through sheer hard work coupled with the fact that Windmill have become used to plying their trade on the artificial surface at Armagh City the Windmill players were visibly tiring on the Showgrounds grass pitch and extra time always looked likely to be an uphill battle for them and so it proved with Newry’s superior fitness finally paying off in the first period of extra, Walker playing a one two with Mark McCabe before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner of the Windmill net from the edge of the penalty area. Minutes later and the tie was over, Paul Mallon pitching a ball from deep in his own half perfect for McCabe to run onto before spotting that Murphy had strayed from his line and striking a dipping shot from all of 40 yards over the keeper and into the Windmill net to put Newry 3-1 ahead. Newry rounded off the scoring three minutes into the second period, Stephen Hughes sliding a through ball for McCabe to run onto, the Newry centre forward rounding Murphy before slotting the ball home from a tight angle.
So in the end a three goal margin for Newry but it was a somewhat relieved manager Darren Mullen who spoke after the game “This was a game we made a lot more difficult than it should have been due to some wayward finishing. Windmill had a game plan and deserve great credit for the work they put in trying to stop us playing. We had the lion’s share of possession throughout but were far too slow in our approach play especially in the first half. It was written that Mully would score against us but we had more than enough chances to finish the game in normal time. The longer the game went on our superior fitness told and we were able to punish them with some really good finishes. We know we can play a lot better but our squad is threadbare at the minute and those that could do with a rest aren’t getting it. Hopefully we can get some players back for this weekend for what will be another difficult game against Institute”
Welders hold Newry to a draw
An all-round team performance which lacked only that most important element, a goal which would have clinched three important points for Newry City on Saturday away to Harland & Wolff Welders. As it was the Newry men had to settle for one point after a scoreless draw at the Belfast venue.
Coming on the heels of a home defeat this was a point which the travelling Newry fans may have taken before the game but that certainly was not the view of manager Darren Mullen after the game “It’s a game I honestly don’t know how we didn’t win. It’s a place that’s notoriously hard to get a result in but we were the dominant team for most of the game. Apart from the start of the second half we limited them to very little and had numerous chances to score. We knew it was going to be a battle but I thought the lads were superb in terms of their effort. Only for better finishing and a bit of luck we would have run out deserved winners. That said, we had eight players missing today with only four subs, so to get our first clean sheet is pleasing. What we need to do now is build on this and we have three home games in a row to start putting a good run together.”
In a game which was slow to come to life, a speculative shot from Thomas McCann and a dangerous ball from Kevin McArdle across the face of the Welders goal being the only goal mouth action in the opening quarter, the deadlock was almost broken after 25 minutes, Decky Carville finding Stephen Hughes 25 yards from goal, Hughe’s shot slipping through the hands of the Welders keeper Jason Craughwell who was relieved to turn in time to see the ball just scrape over his cross bar.
A big weapon in the Welders attack is the long throw in from Gareth McKeown and on the half hour mark that tactic almost paid dividends for the home side, Scott McMillan getting his head to a long throw in, Stephen Maguire back pedalling to tip the ball over his crossbar. The rest of the half belonged to Newry as they created a series of half chances. The best came with 35 minutes on the clock after Marty Havern and Keith Johnston worked hard to close down the home defence forcing a mistake from Dan McMurray, Stephen Hughes placing the loose ball into the path of Mark McCabe, Craughwell quickly off his line to block McCabe’s shot for a corner.
The home side were quickly out of the blocks in the second half creating a chance in the opening minutes, Ross Arthurs coming off the right wing to try his luck from the corner of the penalty area, his low shot sailing harmlessly wide of the far post. Minutes later and the Welders were the first to hit the wood work, William Armstrong the first to react to an Arthur’s flicked header, hooking a shot over his shoulder which had Maguire beaten but not the crossbar, Newry eventually clearing the rebound. Play swung straight to the other end, Carville playing the ball behind the Welders defence, McCabe picking up the loose ball with time to pick out the near post run of Havern, his first time shot partially blocked by Craughwell, Ryan Deans completing the clearance as Carville followed up. Newry kept up the pressure and created the best chance of the day when neat passing on the left wing between McCabe and Havern released Carville to swing a perfect ball to the penalty spot which Stephen Hughes met with a first time half volley just too close to Craughwell allowing the keeper to make a fine reaction save with his leg.
Chances kept coming Newry’s way, with an hour on the clock Carville and Havern set up McCann 30 yards from goal, the midfielder taking a touch before bringing yet another save from Craughwell. With the Newry defence well on top the Welders opportunities were limited, Leon Bonnes breaking out of defence taking the ball to the edge of the penalty area but finding Maguire in fine form in the Newry nets. Newry were quickly back on the offence and with 10 minutes remaining a period of sustained pressure almost ended with that elusive goal, Carville picking out the wide run of McArdle, his low cross picking out Johnston who swivelled to shoot, the ball cannoning off the base of the post before rebounding back across goal, McMillan with a saving block as Stephen Hughes attempted to turn the rebound home.
With time running out the final chance for Newry fell for Havern, again McArdle was the creator sliding the ball to the feet of Havern who had his first shot blocked but reacted quickly to twist and shoot for the far post but it wasn’t to be Newry’s day, the ball sailing the wrong side of the post to leave the final score 0-0.
Newry now prepare for Tuesday nights local derby against Windmill Stars in the Mid Ulster Cup, Kick off 7:45.
On Saturday it’s back to league action when Newry entertain Institute at The Showgrounds, Kick Off 3pm
Newry City AFC: Maguire, McArdle, M Hughes, Boyle, McCaul, McCann, S Hughes, Carville, Johnston, McCabe, Havern. Subs: Richmond, McKeown, Mallon, Mackin.
NCAFC 1-4 Portadown FC
Goal keeping is an unforgiving position where mistakes are magnified many times and so it was for Newry’s keeper Kieran Gordon on Friday night against Portadown. A calamitous start for Gordon after only three minutes when he allowed the tamest of shots from Chris Lavery to squirm between his hands and legs and trickle over the line to put the visitors a goal up.
To compound matters five minutes into the second half history was to repeat itself. Once again it was Lavery, this time from a hotly disputed free kick on the edge of the penalty area.
And again there looked to be little threat to the Newry goal as Gordon got down on one knee to collect a weak effort only for the unthinkable to happen for a second time as the ball slipped under his body and trickle over the line for a goal which Newry never recovered from.
Between these goals Newry were the better team. With 18 minutes gone they came close to scoring when Decky Carvilles low shot rattled off the base of John Connollys post, Adam McCallan beating Mark McCabe in a race for the rebound.
The home side drew level on the half hour mark from a rehearsed corner routine, Keith Johnston playing a short corner with Mark Hughes before whipping in a near post cross for which John Boyle rose highest to punch his header into the back of the net. Newry almost grabbed a deserved lead before the break, Kevin McArdle and Carville working an opportunity for Johnston, the winger shooting across goal with the outside of his right foot, Connolly diving full length to tip the ball around the post.
If Newry had the better of the first half Portadown showed their intent from the start of the second, the half minutes old when Stefan Lavery was most unfortunate to hit the junction of post and crossbar with a curling shot from outside the box with Gordon beaten. The game, however, was over as a contest before the hour mark. Following on from Lavery’s second goal on 50 minutes, the manner of which was a particularly cruel body blow to the Newry team, any chance of a Newry comeback was extinguished by a moment of quality from Peter Duffin on 58 minutes, dancing through successive Newry tackles on the edge of the box before drilling a low shot past Gordon to put Portadown 3-1 up.
On 78 minutes the visitors added gloss to the scoreline, Adam Salley getting behind the Newry defence, his shot parried by Gordon but only as far as Kevin Amuneke who fired home through a crowd of players from 15 yards to seal a miserable evening for Newry.
Next Saturday, Newry City travel to Harland & Wolff Welders the Newry City Travel club will be departing from the Stonebridge at 1pm sharp all are welcome.
Newry City AFC: Gordon, McArdle, Cunningham (Havern 68), Mullen (Patton 8), Boyle, McCann, S Hughes, Carville, McCabe, Johnston (Walker 77), M Hughes
Subs not used: Mackin, Mallon
Portadown: Connolly, Carson, Brennan, McCallan, McVey, Kilmartin, McCullough, Hazley (Duffin 31), S Lavery (Amuneke 70), C Lavery, Salley (Holmes 84)
Subs not used: Larkin, Henderson
Photographs Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.