Newry City completed a hat trick of wins for the season over Banbridge Rangers on Saturday with a victory which secures their place in the end of season Mid Ulster show piece Marshall Cup final. Before that the Newry boys will switch their sights to securing the league title on Tuesday night and will surely go into that game against Broomhill brimful of confidence with a league and cup treble now looking possible.

Fielding what was probably their strongest team of the season Banbridge Rangers started the game on the front foot but were unable to turn their early possession into a strike on goal. Indeed it was the home side who created the first chance, Jimmy Walker pitching a ball to the edge of the box which Sean McMullan chested down for Decky Carville to strike, his shot however rising from the moment it left his boot.

Danger to the Newry goal on 17 minutes when a deflection from a Newry player in the middle of the field saw the ball fall to Rangers centre forward Stephen Taggart loitering goal side of the Newry defenders. Fortunately for Newry Taggart was as surprised as anyone to get the ball which allowed Conor McCaul, who was carrying a knock from an earlier clash, to quickly recover the necessary ground to make a superbly timed tackle to clear the danger for a corner.

That earlier knock was to have further ramifications for Newry as without McCaul, who had to leave the field to receive treatment, the home side were unable to deal with the corner which was allowed to travel right across the face of the Newry goal to the back post where Jeff Brady turned the ball goalwards and despite the best efforts of Chris McMahon to prevent it from crossing the line any doubt that Brady’s effort had gone in was rendered immaterial when Mark Wilton stabbed the loose ball past Murphy to give Banbridge the lead.

With plenty of time on the clock the home side gradually got on top and created a number of chances before half time which on another day would have bore fruit. With 24 minutes gone Jimmy Walker blasted a free kick from the corner of the box which appeared destined for the far top corner only for a brave headed interception from Ryan Gregg. On 36 minutes McMullan saw the opportunity for a quick short corner allowing Walker time to find Carville at the back post, his sliding effort diverted wide.

Chances kept coming, with five minutes remaining McMahon pushed forward to play a low cross into the box which Mark Patton controlled before unselfishly setting up McMullan, the striker making room to get his shot away which beat Ivon Blevins but not William Frazer who covered behind his keeper to make a terrific clearance. Completely on top Newry simply didn’t want the half to end and had one more glorious chance before the break when Paddy Mooney crossed to the back post, Thomas McCann lobbed the ball back to the centre of the goal for Carville who looked set to score but couldn’t keep his header down, the ball slipping over the crossbar much to Banbridge Rangers relief.

As expected Newry dominated possession from the restart but found it difficult to create clear chances against a visiting team who appeared content to hold onto their single goal lead. With the half minutes old McMullan spread play wide to McCann who swung a dangerous ball across the box which beat everyone to go harmlessly wide. Newry continued to probe for an opening without success until the hour mark when McMullan was fouled on the edge of the box, perfect for a Walker strike on goal. As so often this season Walker found the target with his free kick which he bent up and over the wall, Blevins tipping his shot over with a fine diving save.

The home side grabbed an equalizer after 65 minutes in somewhat contentious circumstances. Beginning with a Walker corner on the right the ball bounced around the box and with the Newry fans shouting for a penalty when Neil Mullen was flattened, Carville nodded the ball down to Mark Patton and while Banbridge appealed for offside he blasted the ball to the roof of the net for a deserved equalizer for the Newry boys.

Minutes later and Newry had almost turned the game around, McMullan chasing a long pass to the end line where he feigned to cross but cut back inside the box which completely lost Ryan Gregg and now from an acute angle the league’s top scorer went for the near post but found Blevins up to the challenge, the keeper blocking his shot at the expense of a corner. Although restricted to attacking on the break the visitors still posed a threat and could have scored on 75 minutes when a crossed ball evaded the Newry defence, fortunately for the home side also beating the sole Rangers attacker.

On 80 minutes Thomas McCann won the ball in midfield, quickly found Carville who played a clever ball inside the full back for McCann to run onto, the move foiled by the alert Blevins who was quickly off his line to clear. At the other end Newry were saved by Peter Murphy who displayed terrific reactions to deflect a Brady volley from close range for a corner.

Newry manger Darren Mullen had the luxury of having four quality attacking players on the bench and it was a movement which involved two of these which finally won the game for Newry. With only two minutes remaining and play deep inside the Banbridge half Timmy Grant knocked the ball to Walker who played an instinctive lobbed ball over the Rangers defence for Stephen McCabe to use that burst of speed which he has always possessed to get to the ball first, McCabe the calmest man on the pitch as he lobbed the advancing Blevins, the ball taking one bounce as it entered the Banbridge net to give Newry the lead which they held to the final whistle setting up a final against Valley Rangers on Friday 13^th May at Crystal Park.

With Tuesday’s league game against Broomhill next on the agenda Newry manager Darren Mullen was delighted with Saturday’s performance ‘This was a really good cup tie which I knew was going to be a difficult game. From the first minute the tempo was high and we needed to be up for the challenge. Unfortunately some poor defending cost us before the half but I thought we finished the half stronger and looked the more likely to score. The message at half time was not to panic and that we had come from behind numerous times this season. We were the better side in the second half and knew if we were patient the goals would come.

Thankfully they did and we ran out deserving winners. Having the likes of Giggsy, Timmy and Lowry ready to come off the bench gives us real pace in attack and they are all a handful for any defence. We now have another cup final to look forward to in what will no doubt be another tough game but our focus now turns to Tuesday night. Hopefully our supporters will turn out in force in what is a massive game for us and a great opportunity to win another league title. Broomhill won’t make it easy for us but we are ready to face the challenge.’

This weekend, Newry were delighted to have a special guest as our Match day Mascot. Captain Chris McMahon, Niall Crilly & Sean McMullan first met Kaiden McAlinden at Christmas when they visited the Childrens Ward in Daisy Hill Hospital.

At only four years old Kaiden enjoyed his whole experience of being mascot, taking part in the team warm up while scoring a goal against Newrys number one Murphy, walking out on to the pitch with the team for kick off and even presented Conor McCaul with his Man of the Match Award. Kaiden was certainly up for the job!

 

The Newry City AFC Travel Club bus to Broomhill will be departing from the Stonebridge at 6pm sharp on Tuesday night. All are welcome.

Newry City AFC Team: Murphy, Mooney, McCaul, Mullen, McMahon, McCann, McArdle, Carville, Walker, Patton, McMullan. Subs: McCabe, Grant, Johnson, Lowry, Edgar.

 

Not one of Newry’s better performances this season and probably only memorable for a goal of the season contender but that will not worry Newry manager Darren Mullen and his team, their only interest being the three points on offer to the winners of Tuesday night’s league game against Fivemiletown at The Showgrounds. Those points, which were secured for Newry with goals from Decky Carville, Paddy Mooney, Mark Patton and a wonder goal from Thomas McCann, place Newry in a commanding position at the top of Intermediate A needing at most two points from two games to secure the league title and a chance, most likely after a play-off, to return to Irish league football which was Mullen’s goal from the day he set about reforming the club. “We now need two points to secure the league title and it’s a little ironic that the first  chance to get those points will come at Broomhill where we secured the Intermediate B title in 2014. Broomhill will not lie down for us and I’m sure will make it difficult. Considering Fivemiletown beat us three times last season it was a relief tonight to complete a hat trick of wins against them this season. At times we played some terrific football but poor passing especially in the final third kept the score line down. The second half was good in parts but we did what was needed to get the points and that’s really all that matters at this point in the season. We have been defensively very strong all year and with the attacking threat we pose it has been very difficult for anyone to play against us this season. For now we have a semi final to look forward to and our sole focus is on that game on Saturday.”

As for the game it wasn’t until the 15^th minute that either keeper was tested, Thomas McCann firing in a speculative effort from outside the box straight at Fivemiletown keeper Olly Scallon. However better was to come for Newry as Scallons kick out, against the breeze, reached only the half way line where Decky Carville won possession and immediately bore down on the visitor’s box, skipping first past a defender before rounding the advancing keeper and planting the ball into the Fivemiletown net to settle the home side’s nerves. It was Carville who had Newrys next scoring chance after 25 minutes when his header from a Jimmy Walker corner was saved by the keeper. This time Scallons distribution created a chance for his own team, his early kick down field finding Newry a little short handed at the back following the corner, the ball latched onto by Ashley McFarland who made his way into the Newry penalty area and although shepherded wide by a Newry defender was able to get a shot on goal forcing Peter Murphy to turn the ball around his post for a corner.

 

On 33 minutes a mix up in an otherwise solid Fivemiletown defence presented the ball to Thomas McCann to the right of the visitor’s penalty area. Gifted with a tremendous ability McCann attempted an audacious curling shot with the outside of this right foot, the ball passing inches wide of the far post. Strength in a tackle is another of McCann’s attributes and on 35 minutes he demonstrated all these skills in 30 seconds, taking the ball down the right wing outside and inside challenges which were robust enough for the linesman to flag for fouls but not strong enough to stop McCann who shrugged them off, cut inside the box and from the narrowest of angles curled a shot once more with the outside of his right boot across the face of goal and into the far top corner for a magnificent goal.

 

On top Newry kept pressing for goal number three, Chris McMahon pushing forward from right back creating an overlap to get dangerous crosses into the Fivemiletown box unfortunate that the ball simply refused to fall kindly for a Newry boot leaving the half time score 2-0.

Much like the first half the second started slowly but when it did come to life on the 65^th minute it was worth the wait. Picking the ball up from Murphy, McMahon sprayed an early pass wide to McCann. With the Fivemiletown defence stretched McCann swung a ball from just inside the opposing half arcing into the penalty area just too far in front of McMullan but falling for Paddy Mooney who had gauged its flight perfectly meeting the ball with a sweet shot which fizzed low past Scallon to put Newry 3-0 up. On 78 minutes it could have been four, the recently introduced Mark Patton crossing from the right wing to fellow substitute Stephen McCabe, his intelligent run to the front post not rewarded with the goal it deserved with Scallon pulling off the save.

 

Minutes later the visitors pulled a goal back when the persistence of Jordan Garrity paid off when he got the better of two home defenders on the by line to cross to the edge of the six yard box from where Jock Kerr gave Murphy no chance with a clinical finish. Newry were in no mood to let the points slip and sealed the win with minutes left when the ever industrious Carville won the ball in midfield and played a perfect ball into the channel for Patton to run onto and from inside the box he drilled a low shot across Scallon into the corner of the net to seal the victory and the valuable points for Newry.

 

Newry now set their sights on the semi final of the Marshall cup in which they host Banbridge Rangers at The Showground’s on Saturday 30^th April, KO 2:15pm. Then on Tuesday 3^rd May Newry travel to play Broomhill in their penultimate league game of the season, KO 7pm. Travel club bus will leave The Stonebridge at 6 PM.

 

Newry City AFC: Murphy, McMahon, Curran, Mullen, McCaul, McArdle, Walker, Carville, McMullan, McCann, Mooney, Subs: Patton, Edgar, McCabe, Grant, Lowry.

Three games to go and the destination of the Mid Ulster league title remains very much in Newry City’s control after Saturdays 4-0 win away to St Mary’s. From the first minute Newry showed that their intent was to pick up full points, Jimmy Walker collecting a pass from Newrys best player on the day Kevin McArdle before curling a shot across the penalty area towards the far top corner, the St Marys keeper Danny Devine scrambling across his line to deflect the ball wide. A temporary reprieve however as Newry got the early goal they wanted after 11 minutes, Conor McCaul rising highest at the back post to power a Walker corner past Devine before the keeper had a chance to react.

It was all Newry at this stage with the visitors virtually containing St Marys in their own half. Pressing high up the pitch Paddy Mooney forced a mistake from the St Marys defence to win possession before finding Sean McMullan on the edge of the penalty area, the striker taking a touch to control before attempting to lob the ball over Devine, his effort dropping the wrong side of the crossbar.  It was a full 20 minutes before the Newry goal was threatened, Ciaran Rooney swinging a ball in from the right wing and with Ruairi Feeney about to pull the trigger Neil Mullen nipped in to take the ball out of the danger area.

Play swept immediately to the other end, McArdle and Thomas McCann setting up Walker for another shot from distance, the ball dipping and swerving in mid air, Devine making the wise decision to punch clear rather than attempting to catch. Pinning the home side back created its own problems for Newry as they had to contend with a packed final third of the pitch and too often promising attacks broke down. However on 26 minutes a string of passing to and fro burst into life with a ball into McMullan’s feet, the big man laying a first time ball wide to Walker before turning back into the box to win the crossed ball, his header flashing past the post with Devine rooted to the spot.

On the half hour mark Newry hit the woodwork for the first of what was later to become three times during the game, McCann swinging a high ball into the box which appeared to be going out but held up in the wind allowing Mooney, who had not given it up, to get an out stretched boot to turn the ball towards goal unfortunate to see it hit the post. Newrys final chance of the half almost produced a picture goal. Starting from Chris McMahon at right back a sweeping passing movement between McArdle, Carville and Walker culminated in McCann continuing his run into the box to meet a pass which sat up perfectly allowing him to smash a first time shot on target, Devine producing a fine diving save to push the ball away to keep the half time score 1-0 to Newry.

Newry got the second half off to the best possible start with and an early goal. McMahon made the most of space in front of him down the right wing before playing the ball inside to Carville. Strong on the ball Carville brushed aside a tackle before showing great vision to play a low diagonal pass across the box picking out Mooney’s run from the left wing, Mooney calmly placing his shot low past Devine to double Newrys advantage. Playing with the wind behind them Newry were virtually camped in the opposing half but had to wait until the hour mark until they came close again, McMullan holding play up with his back to goal before sliding a pass once more finding Mooney who this time went for a power finish, the ball rattling off the underside of the cross bar and out.

Now fully recovered from a serious knee injury Mark Patton gives Newry a different attacking option and shortly after being introduced as a second half substitute he gave St Marys an early warning of what he is capable off when he ran onto an Ian Curran pass to drill a low and hard shot from 25 yards unfortunately straight into the mid drift of Devine. The home side did not heed the warning and minutes later Patton claimed the goal of the day. Again Curran provided the ball out of defence, Patton flicked the ball wide to McCabe before spinning to get onto the return pass which he nodded down into his own path before blasting a half volley from the edge of the penalty box high into the roof of the St Marys net.

The St Marys woodwork shook for the third time on 85 minutes. With Newry awarded a free kick which looked perfectly placed for Jimmy Walker just outside the penalty area, the midfielder didn’t disappoint curling the ball over the wall to the far top corner only to hit the underside of the crossbar and bounce down onto the goal line before being cleared. The visitors did claim the fourth goal their performance deserved in the dying moments of the game when Patton was tripped inside the box, Timmy Grant taking the chance to drill the penalty straight down the middle of the goal to make the final score 4-0 for Newry.

With just those three league games to play Newry manager Darren Mullen was pleased with his side performance but knows there is more work to be done “We started the game very impressively with our pace and movement difficult to for them handle. Some of our passing was first class and it was only a matter of time before we took the lead. After we scored although we had loads of possession our decision making in the final third needed to be better. Our second half performance was much better and I can’t remember Peter Murphy having to make a save. We looked solid all over the pitch and never gave them any time or space to play. I was delighted to see Mark Patton get on the score sheet after the amount of effort he has put in since his knee operation. He epitomises the attitude and character we have in the squad this season. We now have three league games left but our sole focus is Fivemiletown this Tuesday night. A special mention has to go to our fans who have been brilliant this season and turned out in their numbers again on Saturday. We are going to need their support and it certainly gives the players an extra lift.’

Newry City now have two home fixtures. First up is the league visit of Fivemiletown to The Showgrounds on Tuesday 26^th, KO 8 pm. Then on Saturday Newry City host Banbridge Rangers in the semi-final of the Marshall Cup, KO 2:15 pm.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, McMahon, Curran, McCaul, Mullen, McArdle, Walker, Carville, McMullan, McCann, Mooney. Subs:  Patton, Johnston, McCabe, Edgar, Grant.