Newry into Bob Radcliffe Quarter Final

Not their best performance of the season but Newry City still had too much fire power for Mid Ulster side St Marys under The Showgrounds lights on Friday night winning 3-1 to set up a Bob Radcliffe Cup quarter final against Tandragee.

Match Day Mascot Eoin Cunningham with NCAFC Player Mark McCabe.
Match Day Mascot Eoin Cunningham with NCAFC Player Mark McCabe.

Although Newry manager Darren Mullen made several changes to his starting line up the early exchanges looked very positive for the home side who opened up with two great chances neither of which were converted.

First Kevin McArdle broke forward and having exchanged passes with Sean McMullan found himself with a shooting opportunity but instead chose to square the ball to Marty Havern who shot straight at Daniel Devine. This was followed by an even better chance, Paudie Smith finding his former Warrenpoint partner McMullan inside the box, the big man making room for a shot unfortunate to see his effort hit the outside of the post.

For their part St Marys started off slowly, Neil Mullen cutting out a dangerous cross from Dermot Kelly the extent of the threat to the Newry goal. Certainly Newry looked the most likely to score and on the quarter hour mark they almost did, Decky Carville flighting a perfect cross field ball over the St Marys central defence falling for McMullan to chest and volley unfortunately straight at Devine.

Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

The reprieve was temporary however, Carville chasing the ball to the by line and holding possession before finding Tiarnan Rushe on the corner of the penalty area. Rushe still had a lot to do but made it look simple curling a shot with his left foot across goal into the far top corner of the St Marys net for a picture goal.

For the next half hour chances were in short supply until injury time in the first half when Newry doubled their advantage. Before that the home sides best chance fell to Neil Mullen who made his way forward playing the ball wide to Rushe before receiving it back and trying his luck from the edge of the box, his shot saved by Devine. The visitors also settled into the game and played some neat passing football with Conor Byrne and Ryan Creany showing up well on the left wing, indeed Byrne and Creany created St Marys best chance of the half ending with a dangerous ball across the Newry goal which needed a clearance from Jordan King to snuff out the danger.

Newry grabbed that cushion goal in stoppage time when McMullan received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box and flicked it over his head to Marty Havern who although surrounded by defenders took a touch to control the ball and another to make room before picking his spot inside the post to put the home side 2-0 up at the break.

Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

St Marys came out of the blocks much better than Newry in the 2nd half and had a great chance to pull a goal back after 50 minutes, a long ball catching out the home defence leaving the visiting centre forward Sean Brady with space on the edge of the box. However, split between passing and shooting indecision got the better of the argument, Brady’s tame effort easily saved by Peter Murphy.

Newry however failed to take the warning and Brady soon made amends for that miss when Creany swept a super ball across the face of the Newry goal perfect for Brady to slide home. And things could have got worse for Newry on the hour mark and once more it was Creany down the left wing with a dangerous ball into the Newry box which a St Marys player elected to head when perhaps he was better placed to take a touch, the ball hitting the post and scrambled clear. Shook into action Newry stepped up a gear and created a series of chances of their own, Stephen McCabe outpacing the St Marys defence before crossing for the recently introduced Mark Hughes who was unable to get enough power in his shot to beat Devine.

Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

The home side came within inches of scoring on 80 minutes, Carville bringing the ball down the left wing before cutting back along the end line and finding McMullan, the striker toppling over as he stretched to have his first effort parried by Devine, McMullan struggling on the ground to forcing the loose ball over the goal line only to be denied by Devine.

Newry sealed the tie on 85 minutes. With the visitors pushing forward for the equalizer the ball was cleared to another Newry replacement Keith Johnston. Full off confidence with from his early season form Johnston raced into the St Marys half and with options either side Johnston drew the lone St Mary’s defender before slipping the ball to Hughes who used all his experience to round the goal keeper and walk the ball into the net to finish the days scoring.

Chairman Martin McLoughlin presents Neil Mullen with his Man of the Match Award sponsored by Hughes BET.
Chairman Martin McLoughlin presents Neil Mullen with his Man of the Match Award sponsored by Hughes BET.

In all a satisfactory performance from Newry and manager Darren Mullen who now set their sights on next Saturdays home league match against Banbridge Town “It was a game we made hard work of and ended up making it a lot more difficult than it should have been. We could have been two up in the first few minutes and that wastefulness in front of goal continued throughout the game. We struggled to get any great rhythm in our play which was partly down to the amount of changes I made from the previous week’s team. That said with the big squad that we have its up to the players to take their chance when they get it. Young Tiarnan Rushe was lively on his full debut and scored a terrific goal which I’m sure won’t be his last for the club. Whilst we know we can play a lot better that’s four wins out of our first five games and we now have a home tie in the quarter final. We have four home games in a row so we will be aiming to continue our good start to the season.’

Newry City Team: Peter Murphy, Kevin McArdle, Jordan King, Neil Mullen, Conor McCaul, Decky Carville, Marty Havern, Paudie Smith, Sean McMullan, Tiarnan Rushe, & Stephen McCabe. Subs: Keith Johnston, Graeme Edgar, Mark Hughes, Mark Patton, & Mark McCabe.

Photograph Courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Mid Ulster Cup venue change

Please note that the Mid Ulster Cup Round 1 tie against Glenavon has been switched from Mourneview Park to The Showgrounds, as Mourneview Park is hosting an U17 International 24 hours earlier.

The game will take place at The Newry Showgrounds on Tuesday, 20th September. Kick Off 7.45pm.

 

NCAFC Launch New Strip

Newry City AFC would like to thank the main sponsors of our new strips for the 2016/17 season.

 

We are very grateful for the continuous support we receive from the Canal Court Hotel, Around a Pound, Clanrye Taxis, Newmay Electrical Services & Peak Electric.

Along with our many other sponsors listed in the following link https://newrycityafc.co.uk/sponsors/ .

 

The new strips will be available to order shortly, if interested please send a message to the club facebook page or email laura@newrycityafc.co.uk or gary@newrycityafc.co.uk.

 

Main header picture; Newry players Chris McMahon, Jimmy Walker & Manager Darren Mullen, representatives from Canal Court Hotel, Cathy Mallie from Clanrye Taxis and Damien O’Hare from Around a Pound.

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

 

Three points for City

Newry City quickly bounced back from Tuesdays League Cup exit with an emphatic win away to Lisburn Distillery. Newly promoted to the Premier Intermediate League early fixtures were always going to be a learning period for both the Newry players and manager Darren Mullen and having now secured maximum points from their first two league games the Newry boys will be content with the start they have made “Our first game away was always going to be a test so it was pleasing to come away with three points. We were well worth our win and the score line certainly doesn’t flatter us. We could have been two up after ten minutes and the only criticism I have of the first half performance is that we were wasteful in the final third.

“The 2nd half was a lot better with our pace and fitness evident. To have four different scorers was also good and shows that we have a threat throughout the team. This was a good physical test for us and one that we’re well capable of handling with some strong challenges throughout the game. It’s a good start for us but we need to continue to work hard in every single game we play and that will need to be the case in our next game in the cup at home to St Marys on Friday night”

Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

On top in the early play Newry could have gone ahead in the first minute, Mark Hughes and Keith Johnson exchanging passes, unfortunately the return ball a little behind Hughes preventing him from getting the necessary power on his shot to beat Jack McCrea in the Lisburn goal.

Newry’s opening goal came after ten minutes when Conor McCaul was bundled over on the edge of the box, referee Dillon awarding a penalty to Newry which Jimmy Walker placed inside McCrea’s post for his second converted penalty in as many games. Newry were much the better team all over the park but playing against a strong breeze they struggled to create many clear cut chances although Kevin McArdle started and almost finished an opportunity on the half hour mark, winning a strong challenge inside his own half before launching an attack which ended with him receiving the ball from Walker in the Lisburn box alas finding the side netting with his low shot.

The home side had chances of their own, Jonny McCaw going close with a glancing header and then the final chance of the half also going to the home side, Timmy Clarke finding Alan McMurty who for a moment appeared to be through on goal only for Neil Mullen to snuff out the threat with a perfectly timed block.

Newry doubled their lead straight after the break, Johnston finding Hughes inside the box, Hughes showing quick feet to skip inside two Lisburn players before firing in a shot which McCrea could only parry, the alert Mark McCabe presented with the simple task of planting the ball into the net to put Newry 2-0 ahead.

In response Lisburn had little to offer, Ian Curran and Neil Mullen comfortably dealing with anything which came their way.

Newry’s 3rd goal duly came short of the hour mark, Hughes spotting the chance to take a short corner to Walker. In turn Walker spotted the run of Johnston to the near post and glided the perfect ball into his path, Johnston using the pace on the cross to flick the ball with the outside of his boot across McCrea and into the far side of the net for a picture goal.

Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.
Photograph courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

On 70 minutes the home side were reduced to ten men when Walker picked the ball up inside his own half and played the ball into space for Johnston to race away from the Lisburn defenders only to be cruelly chopped down by Stephen Curley who, although already booked for an earlier challenge, was shown a straight red by the referee Dillon.

The visitors came close to making it four with five minutes left, Paudie Smith swung a cross into the box for which McCabe rose higher than goalkeeper McCrea but was unfortunate to see his header drop over the crossbar. Newry were not to be denied that 4th goal, Chris McMahon picking the ball up inside the Lisburn half before setting out on a mazy run in which he beat half a dozen players almost creating a goal for himself only for his shot from inside the box to be blocked for a corner. That corner however led to goal number four, Ian Curran meeting Decky Carville’s cross with a powerful downward header which gave McCrea no chance.

What will annoy the Newry management will be that their team, for the second league game in a row, conceded a late goal. This time Aaron Harris popping up in injury time for a consolation goal for the home side. That though takes little away from a solid performance from the Newry boys which sets them up for Friday night’s Bob Radcliffe cup tie under the lights at The Showgrounds with St Mary’s the opponents, kick off 7:45pm.

Newry City Team: Peter Murphy, Kevin McArdle, Conor McCaul, Neil Mullen, Ian Curran, Chris McMahon, James Walker, Mark Patton, Keith Johnston, Mark McCabe, Mark Hughes. Subs: Declan Carville, Padraig Smith, Sean McMullan, Stephen McCabe, Tiernan Rushe.

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Ards FC 3-1 Newry City AFC

Newry City bowed out of this seasons League cup on Tuesday night at the Bangor Fuels Arena but not before putting in a very credible performance against Premiership opponents Ards in a cup tie which was in the balance until the final minutes when the home side grabbed a vital third goal. To all those in attendance that however was a little unfair on the Newry boys who had not only battled hard but had also stuck to their own brand of quality passing football building from the back which both pleased manager Darren Mullen and also augurs well for the rest of the season “Although we are bitterly disappointed not to have won the game there are plenty of positives we can take from it. To go to a Premiership side and perform as well as we did is another sign of the progress we have made at the club. For 82 minutes we more than matched them and the 3-1 score line was certainly harsh on us. Ards were missing a few but we had half a dozen players unavailable which shows why we need a big squad this season. I can’t fault the players for their effort and the quality they showed in carrying out our game plan. It’s a pity we couldn’t see it out and come away with a win but if we keep that level of performance up we will be difficult to beat this season”

As for the game itself the first shot on target came after ten minutes when Newry’s right back Kevin McArdle burst free from his defensive duties making his way to the edge of the Ards penalty area from where he tested Liam McAuley in the home goal. This stirred Ards into life, a long ball up the right wing finding Guillaume Keke, his low ball into the six-yard box requiring an excellent block from Neil Mullen to stop a goal bound effort. With Jimmy Walker back to his very best most of the Newry attacking play was passing through his magic footwork and with willing runners up front in McCabe, Johnston and Hughes Newry continually posed a threat to the Ards goal. However, it was the home side who had the better chances and the visitors were saved by their keeper Peter Murphy with several quality saves before the interval.

On the half hour mark Murphy punched a corner clear only for the recycled cross to fall for Jamie Douglas who rushed his shot blazing the ball high and wide. This was followed by the best piece of action of the game, Gareth Tommons losing the Newry defence with a skilful turn on the edge of the box and with only Murphy to beat and time to pick his spot looked sure to score. The Newry keeper thought otherwise diving to the base of his left post to turn Tommons strike around the post for a corner with a splendid save.

Minutes later and Murphy excelled once more. A move which started with a hint of offside, the ball broke forward and with Ards attackers out numbering Newry defenders the home side played the ball wide for Keke to run onto, the Ards man foiled by Murphy who was fast off his line, resisted the temptation to dive in shepherding Keke to an acute angle from where Murphy once more pushed the ball for a corner. And when Murphy was beaten his captain came to Newry’s rescue, the resultant corner to the back post headed back over Murphy only to be cleared from the Newry goal line by Chris McMahon to keep the score line level at the break.

Newry started the second half the quicker of the sides and threatened the Ards goal immediately, Walker slipping the ball through the defence for Johnston to force McAuley into conceding an early corner. This time Johnston became the provider delivering the perfect corner to the penalty spot from where Mullen rose highest to power a thumping header on goal, McAuley displaying tremendous reflexes to tip the ball onto the top of his cross bar for another corner.

On the break play swung to the other end and with the visitors once more outnumbered Jordan Hughes had time from the corner of the penalty area to curl his shot around Murphy striking the base of the far post, McMahon once more coming to Newry’s rescue reacting quickest to clear the rebound. With both sides playing open attacking football Newry were next up, Patton who battled hard throughout flicking on a Murphy kick out to Mark Hughes who fizzed the ball across the box alas evading both attackers and defenders.

The next ten minutes saw the spotlight fall on three penalty incidents, two of which were given, the other waved away by referee Steven Taylor. The first appeal on the hour mark was not given much to Newry’s dismay. From deep in their own half Newry played a long ball over the top of the Ards defence for which Johnston used his pace to get goal side of the Ards defence only to be bundled over by an innocuous challenge from behind for which he required treatment, referee Taylor still some distance from the action waving play on.

The referee got the next two decisions correct however, a low corner to the near post causing the Newry players to bundle over Carl McComb, the same player dusting himself down to give Murphy no chance with the spot kick. Newry refused to panic and maintained their passing brand which bore almost immediate fruit Mark McCabe and Johnston combining to release Hughes on the left wing, Hughes outpacing his marker as he turned along the bye line, referee Taylor judging that Hughes was pulled back duly awarding a second penalty which Walker placed past McAuley to level the score line.

Play continued to be end to end with Newry introducing the new attacking threat of Decky Carville and Tiarnan Rushe for his debut. With Rushe displaying both trickery and pace on the wing and Carville now a valuable aerial threat in the box Newry looked capable of winning the tie. They were however clinically punished on the 82nd minute when an attack broke down on the halfway line, McComb intercepting a Newry pass and in a flash the top flight side swept the ball to the opposite flank where David McAllister took a touch before giving Murphy little chance with a placed shot to give Ards a lead.

With time now against them Newry threw men bodies forward in search of an equalizer and were made to pay with time almost up when the home side scored on the break. Once more McComb inflicted the damage playing a give and go with Tommons before firing home for a third goal which secured a scarcely deserved two goal winning margin.

So after a very good team performance Newry must turn their sights on more important league matters and in particular Saturdays game away to Lisburn Distillery at New Grosvenor. Newry City travel club bus will leave the Stone Bridge at 13:30, all welcome.

Newry City AFC Team: Peter Murphy, Kevin McArdle, Conor McCaul, Neil Mullen, Ian Curran, Chris McMahon, James Walker, Mark Patton, Keith Johnston, Mark McCabe, Mark Hughes. Subs: Padraig Smith, Stephen McCabe, Declan Carville, Joshua Durnin, Tiarnan Rushe.