Newry City turned what the Irish FA had selected as the tie of the 2^nd round in the Intermediate Cup into a one-sided affair with a comprehensive win over high flying Ballymena United Reserves at The Showgrounds on Saturday. The game saw the return to the starting line-up of last seasons leading scorer Sean McMullan and the big man made the most of the opportunity bagging four quality goals in a 5-0 win. Another who grabbed the chance to enhance his rising reputation was goal keeper Jack Heaney who capped a solid competitive debut with a splendid save from a penalty kick when his side were leading by a solitary goal.

That opening goal for Newry arrived after ten minutes, Conor McCaul turning defence into attack with a centre field run before laying the ball wide to Mark Hughes, Hughes losing his marker before curling a cross into the box for which McMullan rose between Ballymena defenders to power a header into the top corner of the Ballymena net to give Newry an early lead. The visitors were given a lifeline minutes later when the referee ruled that Tyler Wilgaus had been bundled over as he received a throw in to his feet inside the box. With a golden opportunity to change the game up stepped Adam McCracken to drill a low hard shot to Heaney’s right, the Newry keeper diving to divert the ball for a corner with an excellent save. Having dodged the treat of level scores the Newry boys rewarded Heaney’s efforts with a second goal after 20 minutes. Awarded a corner on the right Jimmy Walker created a diversion by showing for a short pass allowing Declan Carville to ghost into the box unmarked, superbly picked out by another Hughes cross Carville headed the ball into the six-yard box where goal predator McMullan stooped to head past Ballymena keeper Tom Hegan for his and Newry’s second goal.

With the Newry defence well on top Ballymena’s chances were dealt a severe blow on the stroke of half time when Fra McCaffrey was shown a straight red card for dissent. And any lingering hopes which the visitors held were virtually extinguished on 48 minutes when Mark Patton won the ball inside his own half before cutting the Ballymena defence with a perfect pass for Walker to pick up in his stride, taking a touch before laying the ball across the face of goal inviting McMullan to time his run at the back post to neatly side foot home for his hat trick.

It was all the home side at this stage. On 50 minutes Havern slipped the ball into the box, McMullan forced wide pulled the ball back to Walker, his curling shot appeared destined for the bottom corner before a diving save from Hagen tipped it onto the post. The chances kept coming as from the corner Carville swept the ball wide to Hughes, he stepped inside before shooting for the same bottom corner once more denied by a combination of Hagen and the goal post.

Hagen was truly keeping the score down. On the hour mark Greg McCabe found McMullan on the half way line, McMullan swivelling to curl the ball forward for Carville to receive as he arrived inside the box before drilling a shot on goal which Hagen somehow deflected over for a corner. The goal chances had to eventually bear fruit and from the resulting corner they did in spectacular fashion. Patton heading the ball down to McMullan who with his back to goal juggled the ball before volleying over his head into the top corner of the Ballymena net for a picture goal. It was a case of how many at this stage, goal number five coming on 70 minutes after Greg McCabe once more made his way forward bringing the ball across the edge of the box before cleverly back heeling to Havern who drilled his shot high into the roof of the net before Hagen had a chance to react. The home side had further chances to add to the goal tally. With ten minute’s remaining Mark McCabe got the better of his man wide on the left taking the ball to the end line before pulling it back to McMullan, his first time shot bringing a spectacular reflex save from Hagen who managed somehow to deflect the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner Walker almost claimed the goal his afternoons effort deserved, taking a short pass from Hughes before creating a shooting angle rapping the ball off the Ballymena crossbar with the keeper well beaten.

However, for Newry manager Darren Mullen a 5-goal haul and a clean sheet was an acceptable outcome “This was a very solid performance from start to finish against a team that has been doing very well this season. We knew they would be good on the ball and full of running so we had to make sure they had no space or time to play. The players carried out our tactics to perfection and only for some terrific saves from their keeper we would have won by more. Jack Heaney had an excellent debut and pulled off a super save from a dubious penalty at a crucial time. At 19 he is a very good prospect and working with Micky Keenan can only make him better. Mully will rightly grab the headlines for his goals and he must be praised for his attitude both on and off the pitch this season which hasn’t been the easiest for him. Overall it was a very pleasing performance and sets up nicely for our cup semi-final this Friday night.’

Newry now turn their attention to Friday nights Bob Radcliffe Cup semi-final against Coagh under the floodlights at The Showgrounds, kick off 7:45pm.

Newry City AFC: Heaney, G McCabe, King, Mooney, McCaul, Patton, Walker, D Carville, McMullan, Havern, Hughes. Subs: M McCabe, Mullen, Edgar, Durnin, Paul Carvill

Newry City secured another three league points in a feisty encounter with Sport and Leisure Swifts at The Showgrounds on Saturday. Having gone behind to an early Sport and Leisure goal, and perhaps fortunate not to concede another, the home side eventually clicked into gear making good use of a numerical advantage after the visitors were reduced to nine men in the second half.

Leisure got off to the best possible start after five minutes when a long clearance was won in the air by Kevin Niblock, the ball falling perfectly for Martin Cunningham who volleyed first time past Newry keeper Peter Murphy. The visitors had a great chance to double that goal advantage minutes later when a goal kick was knocked straight back into the Newry box and with a home player attending to his laces deep inside his own half a loitering Leisure attacker was left with only Murphy to beat but lashed his effort wide of the goal.

It took Newry a full 15 minutes to have a strike on goal, Jimmy Walker playing the ball wide to Mark McCabe who tried his luck across goal with a speculative effort which did not trouble the Leisure keeper Michael Magill. Newry were now settling into the game and created a series of half chances right up to half time, the best of which being a volley from Man of the Match Decky Carville which also beat the post.

The first half was interrupted in the 25^th minute with the first flash point of the day, a shocking challenge from Cunningham, which was in stark contrast to his earlier skilful finish, cutting the legs from under Keith Johnston who was very fortunate that his shin pads saved him from injury, Cunningham also perhaps fortunate to only get a yellow card for the incident.

The second half was only minutes old when the game had its second flare up, Pierce Tully crashing into the chest of Newry’s Mark Patton with a high foot challenge which left the Newry man floored. While Patton was fortunate to escape serious injury this time referee David Kelly took the correct action showing Tully a straight red card. With that man advantage Newry continued to search for the equalizer which came on the hour mark, Walker creating room for himself wide on the right before pitching the ball over the heads of the Leisure defence landing perfectly to Carville who had peeled away to the back post now in position to place a shot into the bottom corner of the Leisure net to level the scores.

The visitor’s indiscipline was to further harm them on the hour mark when Carville closed down Stephen Tully as he attempted to play the ball out of defence, the ball breaking forward giving Carville a free run on goal only to be pulled down by Tully. Advised by his assistant Aaron Graham who had a perfect view of the incident, referee Kelly once more brandished his red card reducing the visitors to 9 men.

On 70 minutes Newry went ahead with a goal created by the McCabe brothers. From the left wing Mark used his pace to get behind the Leisure defence before pulling the ball back to the edge of the area where Gregory set up a shot for Walker, his effort partially blocked but only to that man Carville who made no mistake placing his shot wide of Magill.

It was now a game of keep ball for Newry seemingly content to hold onto the lead but that two man advantage was there to be exploited and without pushing men forward the home side added another two goals to their tally.

First on 85 minutes Carville assumed the role of provider skipping past a few challenges before laying a perfect pass into the path of Walker who also picked his spot inside the post for a precise finish. And with time almost up Newry grabbed goal number four, Jordan King pushing forward from left back pulling his cross back for Carville to all but claim his hat trick, his shot slamming off the base of the post, Sean McMullan the first to react to the rebound, his effort helped into the net by Sport and Leisure’s Ryan Burns for what will go down as an own goa to seal a 4-1 win for Newry.

 

Speaking after the game Newry’s Assistant Manager Ray Byrne was relieved to have secured the points “This was a fantastic result against a tough Sport & Leisure team. We conceded early after a slow start but in the second half we showed a maturity and calmness and were worthy winners. Mark Patton and Declan Carville were again outstanding as was Greg McCabe making his full debut. Momentum and confidence is vital for us and the players are working hard to maintain those high standards”

Next up for Newry is a home tie in the 2^nd round of the Intermediate Cup against Ballymena United Reserves on Saturday 19^th November, kick off 3pm.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Gregory McCabe, McCaul, Mooney, King, Patton, Walker, Hughes, Carvile, Johnston, Mark McCabe. Subs; Havern, McMullan, Durnin, Coyle, Fegan.

Sport and Leisure Swifts: Magill, Larkin, McConnell, Burns, McMullan, Stephen Tully, Daly, Pierce Tully, Niblock, Glenholmes, Cunningham. Subs: Gallagher, Moore, Johnson, Ryan.

Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography

Newry City gained recompense for an Irish Cup exit to Newington with a clinical performance to seal all three points at The Showgrounds on Saturday. Newry manager Darren Mullen has repeatedly said that his player’s must learn every week if they are to progress in senior football and this fixture coming so soon after that 1^st of October defeat against Newington gave his player the perfect opportunity to show that they can meet his demands.

Clearly Mullen was pleased with Saturday’s reaction “This was a big win for us not only in terms of staying close to the top end of the table but also psychologically after our last game against Newington. After they beat us in the Irish cup we needed to learn our lesson in dealing with the physical side of the game and we certainly did that yesterday. We tweaked our shape and tactics which I thought worked perfectly and shows we can adapt to different systems of play. Our work rate was superb and left them frustrated at times with my only gripe being that we should have been a bit more composed in the final third.  That said it’s another three points and we will now work hard on the training pitch for the next two weeks in preparation for our next league game.”

While both sides swapped half chances in the opening stages, Kevin McArdle coming close for Newry while Conal Burns forced a smart save from Newry’s Peter Murphy, it was the home side who grabbed the important first goal after 15 minutes, Newington clearing a Mark Hughes corner to the edge of area from where Conor McCaul headed the ball back into the box, Neil Mullen with a deft flick helping it over his shoulder to ace marksman Decky Carville who controlled the ball on his chest with his first touch before swivelling to volley to the net with his second.

On the half hour mark with Newry down to ten men, to allow Carville receive treatment for a nasty cut after an accidental clash of heads, Newington had their best chance of the half, Richard Gowdy overlapping on the right wing swinging a cross into the Newry box for which Stephen Sullivan rose highest to power a header on goal bringing a smart reflex save from Peter Murphy who twisted in the air to tip the ball over his crossbar.

The home side had one more chance to add to the lead before the interval, Conor McCaul finding Carville midway inside the Newington half, Carville running at the defence before slipping the ball wide to Mark Hughes who pitched his shot for the far post alas not getting enough curl on his effort to bring it back inside the post.

The first chance of the second half came the visitor’s way, Conal Burn’s poaching at the near post but crowded out by Kevin McArdle who had tracked back to help his defence. And it was McArdle who created Newry’s next opening taking the ball from inside his own half to outside the Newington penalty area where he slid the ball wide to Carville who was most unlucky to see his shot crash off the underside of the crossbar.

Newry doubled their lead on 70 minutes and once more it was a corner kick which gave Newington the trouble, Mark Hughes delivering a pin point cross which Mark Patton, who was the home sides stand out player of the day, met on the run power his header in off the underside of the Newington crossbar. The visitors were not out of the game and had a chance of their own from a corner minutes later, Padraig Scollay drilling in a low cross which Patrick Pierce met with a first-time effort which flew over the top.

The home side wrapped the points up on 78 minutes in the simplest of fashion, Murphy collecting a Newington cross and with the visitors heavily committed forward the Newry custodian immediately delivered the ball forward with a perfect flightpath taking the Newington defence out of the game leaving Keith Johnston in a race for the loose ball with the visitors keeper Dean Smyth, a race the Newry speedster was always going to win, Johnston confident in his finishing ability choosing to shoot first time curling the ball around the advancing Smyth to put Newry 3-0 ahead.

Newington refused to give up and pulled a goal back on 86 minutes, the visitors taking a touch to a shift a free kick from the corner of the box to a central position from where Conal Burns drilled a low shot past a stranded Peter Murphy to reduce the arrears. And while Newington threw everything at the home side in the final minutes their efforts came to nothing as the Newry defence held firm to see out the win.

Man of the Match Sponsored by Hughes BET: Mark Patton

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Mooney, Mullen, McCaul, Patton, Hughes, McArdle, Carville, Johnston, M McCabe. Subs: McMahon, Havern, Walker, McMullan, Curran.

 Newington: Smyth, Gowdy, McAuley, Pierce, White, O’Neill, Quinn, McAuley, Burns, Sullivan, Doherty. Subs: Rafferty, Brannigan, Scollay.

  

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.