Newry City secured a semi-final spot in the Bob Radcliffe Cup with a 4-2 win over Mid Ulster opponents Tandragee at The Showgrounds on Saturday. Despite a first half deluge of rain both sides served up an entertaining cup tie and although Newry looked the more likely winners throughout the visitors as always proved to be dogged opponents the tie not safe until Sean McMullan’s late goal.

With a close recent history between the teams Newry would have expected a tough game against Tandragee but apart from a few early feisty tackles, which went unpunished by referee Glen Buchannan, the home side had things much their own way in the opening period, Decky Carville coming close with only minutes on the clock after Mark Hughes switched the direction of play releasing Stephen McCabe down the left wing, his low cross met by Carville at the front post with a first time effort just the wrong side of the post. Newry’s second chance came minutes later, Marty Havern picking the ball up in the middle of the park before driving forward playing two give and goes first with Jimmy Walker, the second with Carville which presented Havern with a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box, unfortunate to pull his shot wide of the far post.

It was all Newry possession at this stage and the opening goal was not long in coming. Once more Havern picked the ball up inside his own half before moving forward, exploiting a gap between two Tandragee midfielders to burst into the opposing half before laying the ball into the box for McCabe to run onto and with the deftest of flicks dink the ball over the advancing Richard McGivern for a super goal.

Despite dominating play it took the home side a further 15 minutes before they created another chance. Once more Hughes was the architect, holding play up outside the box before playing the ball wide to Havern, his cross to the back post nodded wide by Jimmy Walker. Newry doubled their advantage on the half hour mark when Neil Mullen played a superb long cross field pass which was lost in the air by the Tandragee right back, McCabe making the most of the lapse picking out Carville with a low cross which the striker clinically finished past McGivern.

With Tandragee having seen little of the play that appeared to game over but the visitors had other ideas pulling a goal back on 40 minutes when Peter Murphy did well to push a low free kick which skipped off the wet surface wide of the goal only for Chris Mackle to latch onto the rebound and somehow score from an acute angle. The home side had chances to regain the two goal advantage before the break both of which fell to Havern, first a header back across goal which was easily claimed by McGivern and then a blasted shot after being set up by Hughes, once more McGivern came to Tandragees rescue to leave the half time score 2-1 to Newry.

Tandragee had a great chance to level the score soon after play resumed when Johnny Black beat the Newry offside line before closing in on goal only to be denied by a fine reaction block from Murphy. The danger was far from gone as the rebound fell straight to Cecil Corbitt who had the whole goal at his mercy but somehow missed the target screwing his shot wide. Newry were soon to need Murphy again, this time Corbitt beat the offside trap before crossing low across goal finding Mackle arriving into the box, his first time shot requiring a reaction save by the Newry keeper.

Newry were stung into action and came close to goal number three, Carville cutting the visitors defence with a slide rule pass which gave Havern sight of goal, the wee man choosing to go for power only to find McGivern once more in his path to goal. There was nothing McGivern could do with Newrys next chance. Receiving a throw in midway inside the visitors half Walker had time to spot that Hughes had peeled off the Tandragee centre half swinging in a perfect cross which floated over the centre half perfect for Hughes to place his header wide of McGivern to put Newry 3-1 up.

The game was still not won, Tandragee pulling a goal back on 75 minutes after they were awarded a very soft free kick outside the Newry box. The danger appeared to have passed when Aaron Gallagher scuffed his shot into the box but the Newry boys failed to deal with the loose ball which fell to Corbitt who made up for his earlier miss from close range. Although the home goal did not come under any threat for the remainder of the game it took Newry until the late stages to finally kill off their opponents, Carville playing the ball wide for Havern who crossed to inside the six yard box from where McMullan was never going to miss to end the Tandragee challenge to put his team into the semi-final.

 

 

Speaking to Manager Darren Mullen after the game he commented “As per several of our other games not taking our chances makes games more difficult than they should be. We had enough chances to win two games and need to start finishing teams off earlier.

They had a great chance to equalise but we were well worth our victory and can now look forward to a semi-final appearance. The conditions were difficult at times but I thought some of our attacking play was excellent. It’s good to get back to winning ways and there’s a great spirit among the lads so hopefully we can continue to build on our good start to the season.”

Next Saturday (October 1st) NCAFC welcome Newington FC to the Showgrounds in the second round of the Irish Cup, KO 1.30pm. Tickets are still available for our ‘Audience with Dermot Gallagher’ which is taking place next Saturday night. Contact Laura on 07857077176 for tickets & info.

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Neil Mullen, Jordan King, Mark Patton, Ian Curran, Thomas McCann, James Walker, Mark Hughes, Declan Carville, Marty Havern, Stephen McCabe. Subs: Sean McMullan, Keith Johnston, Josh Durnin, Padraig Smith, Mark McCabe.

Despite conceding a third minute goal and playing virtually the complete second half with ten men Newry City will still look back on Saturdays score draw against neighbours Banbridge Town as two points dropped rather than a point saved. With both sides probably fielding short of their 1^st choice eleven the visitors got off to the best possible start when Conor McCaul chose to head a high aimless ball into the Newry half back to his keeper only to see his header fall short straight to Conor Downey who calmly lobbed the advancing Peter Murphy to give his side an early lead.

While this early goal advantage was the cue for Banbridge to set up camp inside their own half the home side, despite dominating possession, found it difficult to conjure up many goal scoring chances. On 15 minutes Decky Carville picked the ball up on the half way line before driving through the first line of Banbridge players and playing the ball wide to Keith Johnston, Johnston the centre of a three man Newry attacking line stepping inside and trying his luck from the edge of the penalty area thwarted by Stephen Cairnduff in the visitor’s goal. Minutes later and Johnston was very nearly in on goal, Jimmy Walker dinking a pass over the defence for Johnston to run onto, his first touch letting him down allowing the ball to roll through to Cairnduff.

There followed a period where Newry were forced into lateral passes in the middle of the pitch as Banbridge closed ranks. However the home sides frustration was interrupted on the 36^th minute when Johnstons fleet of foot inside the box forced a rash challenge from a Banbridge defender, referee Barry Monaghan pointing immediately to the penalty spot from where Walker maintained his 100 % record with his 4^th penalty conversion of the season.

Buoyed by this goal Newry piled forward and almost paid the price when the ball broke up field to Downey, he in turn made ground before crossing to Andrew Wilson who’s header back across goal was cleared from the goal line by Chris McMahon who had made ground to cover. Newry had 1 more chance before the half Mark Hughes and Johnston combining on the left wing to give Stephen McCabe a shooting opportunity, Cairnduff quickly off his line to block with his legs to leave the score level at the break.

The home side were straight on the attack as the second half started Neil Mullen finding Mark McCabe with a long pass over the defence, McCabe pulling the ball back for Walker to swing a cross into the box as Carville arrived, his powerful header skimming the crossbar. The home side had an ever better chance moments later when, with Walker about to put a free kick into the box, a Banbridge attempt to catch the Newry players offside went badly wrong leaving a line of home players trying to get on the end of Walkers whipped cross, the ball alas just out of their reach.

On 50 minutes the home side were reduced to ten men when referee Monaghan judged that Mark Hughes had pulled back Wilson as the pair raced for the ball on the Banbridge right wing. Having received a yellow card in the first half this second infringement was deemed enough for referee Monaghan to brandish a second yellow card and so a red to Hughes which should have put his team on the back foot.

However as so often happens the ten men were galvanised with Newry dominating almost the entire second half, Banbridge without a shot in the 2^nd period until the 82^nd minute when Ashley Gregg blasted over Murphy’s bar when well placed. Before that the home side failed to convert many chances the best coming on the hour mark when Walker and McCabe combined on the right wing to carve out a fine chance for Johnston who from five yards out shot straight at Cairnduff who produced a fine reaction save. Although that was the home sides best chance Carville was also unfortunate with a number of chances twice rising highest only to head over and then with time running out finding the Banbridge side netting from an acute angle.

With Newry unable to carve out a second clear scoring chance the visitors were able to run time out to secure the draw much to the frustration of Newry manager Darren Mullen “It feels like a defeat to be honest after playing so well. Considering we went down to 10 men so early in the second half we dominated the whole second half and looked like the only team likely to win the game. We gifted them a goal and didn’t start the game particularly well but once we got into our stride we had them pinned back for most of the game. I can’t fault the players for effort and only for some poor finishing we would have won the game even with 10 men. It shows the progression we have made that we are disappointed with a draw but we have made a very good start to the season and need to keep the unbeaten run going.’

Newry City’s next two games are also at The Showgrounds. First up on Tuesday night, 20^th September Newry entertain Glenavon in the Mid Ulster Cup, KO 7:45 pm. Then on Saturday it’s the turn of Tandragee Rovers to visit The Showgrounds in the quarter final of the Bob Radcliffe cup, KO 2pm.

Newry City: Murphy, McCaul, Hughes, Patton, Mullen, McMahon, walker, Carville, Johnston, S McCabe, M McCabe, Subs: McMullan, Havern, King, Smith, McCann

Banbridge Town: Cairnduff, J Wilson, Acheson, Thompson, Lavery, King, McCartan, Lavery, A Wilson, Moffatt. Subs: Gregg, Taggart, Pedlow, McParland, Greave