A super hat-trick of goals from striker Mark McCabe helped Newry City return to winning ways at Dundela on Saturday securing three very valuable league points which puts them right back into the title race. There was however much more to Saturdays win over Dundela, Newry taking an early lead before conceding two quick goals after the break. That scenario has become all too familiar to the Newry faithful except on Saturday the Newry boys rolled up their sleeves and built a winning lead before toughing out the final 15 minutes with 10 men which pleased manager Darren Mullen “This was a really hard game and one where we are delighted to come away with three points. To be 2-1 down and come back in the manner we did can only be good for the player’s confidence. We’ve been on a poor run of late but the players have never dropped their heads and deserve great credit for turning this game around. Mark McCabe will rightly grab the headlines for his hat-trick especially for his second and third but as a team we worked so hard today. The coaching staff have continuously told the players that no matter what happens if they continue to work hard they will get their rewards. Thankfully that happened today against a Dundela side who will take points off a lot of teams this season especially at home. What we need to do now is take this confidence and work rate into the next game away to Queens.”

The tight confines of Wilgar Park usually mean that goals will flow and Newry had a great chance to open the scoring after only 5 minutes, Mark McCabe cutting the Dundela defence open giving Decky Carville a run-on goal, Jonathan Sergeant quickly off his line to block Carville’s shot. The visitors followed this up with another half chance, Keith Johnston whipping in a cross for Mark Patton to deflect onto the roof of the net with a glancing header. Play was end to end, the Newry goal getting a scare when James Sofley broke down the left wing before fizzing the ball across the face of the Newry net, the danger cleared by Stephen McCabe at the back post.

Newry obviously had their homework done with a changed game plan to hit the twin strike force of McCabe and Carville with long passes and this paid off after 22 minutes when Mark McCabe contested a long ball on the edge of the Dundela penalty area, McCabe the first to react after Sergeant flapped at the bouncing ball, the Newry striker grabbing the opportunity to stroke the ball through Dundela defenders into the net to give Newry the lead. Dundela also had chances, Peter Murphy producing a fine save to turn a shot from Ben Roy around the post. The final chance of the half came Newry’s way, to plan Murphy delivered a long kick out for Mark McCabe to win, knocking the ball down to Carville who was unfortunate to pull his shot wide of the far post.

The home side were quickly out of the blocks in the second half and soon had Newry on the back foot so much so that it looked only a matter of time until the equalizer came, a mixture of bad luck, bad finishing and an excellent save from Murphy keeping the Newry goal intact. However, the pressure had to tell and the equalizer duly arrived after 53 minutes, Roy unfortunate when his effort smacked off the post but equally lucky that the rebound fell perfectly for Mark McCelland to drill the ball past Murphy. With their tail’s up Dundela quickly went a goal up, McCelland setting up Jamie Jackson some 25 yards from goal, the winger giving the Newry keeper little chance with a dipping shot which ripped into the top of the Newry net to give his side the lead.

As they needed to do the Newry boys knuckled down in a bid to rescue the points. Indeed, the chance for the equalizer owed much to a strong fifty fifty challenge from Carville outside the Dundela penalty area, the ball breaking favourably for Mark McCabe. The Newry marksman still had much to do to score but he made it look easy nutmegging the first defender before shooting across Sergeant, the ball hitting the far top corner of the Dundela goal for a precision finish. Newry regained the lead on 65 minutes with a goal set up by the quick thinking of Thomas McCann, his free kick aimed to the feet of Carville on the edge of the penalty area not dealt with by Dundela, McCabe once more alert to the chance latching onto the loose ball before firing an unstoppable shot high into the Dundela net to give Newry a 3-2 lead.

And that’s how it stayed for the remaining 25 minutes despite Newry losing Decky Carville who was sent off for successive yellow cards for technical offences by the very competent referee Matthew Goodricke. That’s not to say Dundela didn’t have their chances to equalize the best of which came after 70 minutes when McCelland, who enjoyed 90 minutes of battle with Newry’s Marcus McKeown, managed to shake off his marker and looked to be clear for a run-on goal only for a perfectly timed challenge from Paddy Mooney who got across to clear the danger and ultimately secure the points for Newry.

Newry now travel to play Queens on Saturday 4^th February, kick off 3pm. Newry City travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge at 1:15pm.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, S McCabe, Mooney, Mullen, McKeown, Patton, McCann, Johnston, M McCabe, Carville, Hughes. Subs: Grant, Curran, Lowry, Walker, King.

Darren Mullen is delighted to announce the signing of John Boyle to Newry. “This signing is a big statement of intent for the club. We had been poor defensively of late and John is exactly what we need. He is a natural leader and comes with a wealth of experience not only in this division but having played premiership football for three seasons. To get someone of his stature is never easy but he believes in what we are trying to achieve at the club and hopefully he will be here for the next 3-4 years. I’m sure our fans will be delighted with this signing and I’ve no doubt he will improve what is already a strong squad.”

John Boyle commented “it has been a long hard week but I am very pleased with how it has all worked out. I know and have played with a lot of the boys and I am excited to catch up with them again and get stuck in to help with the promotion push! I know the club has big ambitions and I hope I can play a big part in helping to deliver that over the coming months.”

Photograph courtesy of Ally McKenzie

Newry Manager Darren Mullen is delighted to add another player to his talented squad with the acquisition of goalkeeper Kieran Gordon.

“The goalkeepers position is one we badly needed cover in. We lost Martin Marron to injury and Jack Heaney has been with Down U21s so it was vital we brought someone in to provide competition for Murph. Kieran comes highly recommended and I’ve spoken to several players who have played with or against him. They have all spoken highly of him and he will be given his chance to impress like every other player in the senior squad. Having two quality players for each position can only be good for the team and hopefully Kieran enjoys his time at the club.’

Kieran Gordon added that he is “delighted to have signed for Newry City. Newry is a club that didn’t need to be sold to me, the facilities and the professionalism of the club are second to none. I am fully aware of the pressure that comes with playing for a big club like Newry and it is a challenge that I’m really looking forward to.”

Newry City allowed a two-goal lead to disappear and with it their hopes of Intermediate Cup success at The Showgrounds on Saturday against Belfast side Crumlin Star. While many of the home spectators will point to some dubious decisions from referee Andrew Woodside, which undoubtedly changed the game, Newry manager Darren Mullen will be most concerned by the amount of goals his team have been conceding particularly after they have taken the lead in a game, a trait which has seen them crash out of two cups and lose valuable league points.

A repeat of that scenario looked unlikely on Saturday after a first half of attacking football during which the Newry boys created many chances from which they grabbed two fine goals thanks to quality finishes from Mark Hughes and Keith Johnston. Strangely with attack minded players all over the pitch it took Newry 20 minutes to create their first good chance, Stephen McCabe skipping past challenges down the left wing before finding Johnston inside the box, his shot partially blocked by Star goalkeeper Ciaran McNeill but still appeared destined for the net only for back spin to take over, the ball slowing enough to allow a defender to get back to clear from his goal line.

The next chance also fell to Johnston, created by Marcus McKeown driving forward from half way before setting up Johnston in a similar position to before, this time the striker’s effort beat both McNeill and the post as it fizzed wide. Newry kept probing, Thomas McCann picking the ball up on the half way line before pushing forward, feigning to pass from the edge of the box before cutting back on his right and drilling a shot which looked destined for the net only to be headed away from goal for a corner. Cue the opening goal, Johnston’s corner headed by a Star defender to the edge of the box from where Mark Hughes smashed a perfect left foot volley into the top corner of the Crumlin Star net to put Newry a goal up.

The visitors could have equalized minutes later, David Fearon knocking the ball down to Niall Hawkins who from ten yards out blasted wildly over the bar. Five minutes before the break Newry doubled their advantage, McKeown again bursting forward from half way before playing the ball wide to Hughes, he in turn took the ball to the end line before spotting Johnston’s clever run to find space at the near post, the striker opening his body to side foot the ball into the roof of the Star net to leave Newry 2-0 up at the break.

For one reason or another that was as good as it got for Newry as they allowed the visitors back into the game shortly after the restart, centre forward Fearon cleverly rolling his marker on the edge of the box before giving Peter Murphy no chance with an unstoppable shot. Both teams swapped chances before the decisive moment of the game, referee Woodside ruling that Kevin McArdle had dived in an attempt to win a penalty as he arrived at speed into the Star penalty area. Having previously booked McArdle a second yellow brandished by Woodside meant that Newry were reduced to 10 men for the rest of the game. And they paid the price for that on 65 minutes when Kevin Trainor found Fearon unmarked at the back post, the centre forward clinical with his finish to level the scores.

If Newry felt aggrieved by the referee up to now worse was to come on 80 minutes when the stylish Barry McKevrey hooked a long ball forward for Ciaran Murphy, who appeared to be yard’s offside, to run onto and nonchalantly lob the ball over Murphy to but his side 3-2 ahead. Newry threw caution to the wind in the final minutes and believed they had won a penalty kick with time running out when Hawkins raised his boot as he attempted to clear a bouncing ball only to make simultaneous contact with the head of Marcus McKeown, referee Woodside instead opting to award an indirect free kick to the home side which came to nothing leaving the final score 3-2 in favour of Crumlin Star.

Although obviously frustrated after the game Newry manager Darren Mullen chose his words carefully “I have to watch what I say about officials but what I will say is that although it’s a difficult job they have to be fit for purpose. We’ve gone from winning 2-1 with a clear penalty to make it 3-1 to having a man sent off for apparently diving and losing 3-2 to a clear offside goal. If we were beat without playing well I would be the first to admit it but to lose in the manner we did is very frustrating. Our first half performance was exactly what we wanted and we were well worth our two goal lead. The players were well warned that the game was far from over at half time and although their first goal was well taken we still should have seen the game out. Although certain decisions didn’t help we still need to defend a lot better and it’s something I need to deal with before we get back to league action next Saturday.”

Newry City’s next came is on Saturday 28^th Jan at Dundela, kick off 2pm. Newry City travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge at 12:15.

Before that on Thursday 26^th January Newry City AFC will host a Consultation Event at The Showgrounds at 7:30pm where they will present proposed development plans for a new facility at The Showgrounds which will include a community space i.e. community and training rooms, new hybrid stadium pitch and a floodlit 3G pitch. Newry City ask sports clubs, schools, community organisations and charities who may wish to utilise the proposed shared community and sporting facilities to come along to the event where members of the project development team will be available to discuss the proposals and answer questions. If you are unable to attend and would like more information please contact Richard Forsythe on 07835771951 or contact Richard by email at richard@copiusconsulting.co.uk

Photographs Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Hughes, McArdle, Mullen, Curran, McKeown, McCann, Lowry, McCabe, Johnston, Hughes. Subs: Grant, Walker, Patton, Mooney, McCaul.