Meet the Coaches: Denis McGuinness

Name: Denis McGuinness

Age: 41

What is your role at Newry? Newry U17s manager

What are your ambitions for the club? Love nothing more than being a part of getting the club back to where it should be.

How did you get into coaching? Was always into football and when my son started playing I was approached to help a local club in management.

Who is the most exciting talent in your team? Not prepared to single anyone in particular at the moment. One of my roles is to get players ready for reserves or first team and I certainly have one or two that I am confident will make the next step in the future.

Who has been the biggest influence on your coaching style? Massive fan of Kenny Dalglish, the way he treated players and other teams was always with the utmost respect.

Who was the best player you ever coached or managed? Too soon to judge as I have always been involved at youth levels and would rather judge a player after his full career in football.

If you could give any young player advice what would it be? Look, listen, learn but most of all enjoy.

If you could organise a friendly for your team against any other team in the world who would it be? Liverpool U17s, just so I could visit Melwood training ground and hopefully meet a few seniors while there #selfishiknow.

Other than Newry what team do you support? Liverpool FC

Do you have any nicknames? No but I’ve been called allot of different names in the past!

Who is your footballing hero? John Barnes

Favourite drink? Tea

Favourite food? Chinese, anything with peking sauce.

Favourite Film: Star Wars, all of them.

Favourite band: Iron Maiden

What are your interests outside football? Just sold my beloved Suzuki sv1000s motorbike, so have to say golf.

If you had a super power what would it be? Teleportation, would love to just get away every now and again to a tropical island and a bit of good weather would be nice.

Meet the Players: Sean McMullan

mullyName: Sean McMullan

Age: 34

Occupation: I’m partner in a small specialised cleaning company called Grease Busters.

Position: Striker

Previous Clubs: Warrenpoint Town

Honours: Mid Ulster A x3, Mid Ulster B x1, Premier Cup x3, Marshall Cup x3, Championship 2 and Championship 1 play off winner

Footballing Hero:  Eric Cantona & Roy Keane

What is the best ground you have played in? I love Solitude as I scored a penalty there for the ‘Point when we beat them on penalties in the Irish Cup. I made my Premiership debut there as well.

Who is the joker of the team? Ian Curran is the top man for one liners and Tucker (Thomas McCann) after a bottle of Buck lol

Apart from yourself who is the best player on the team? There are that many good players now, it’s hard to call but I love playing up top with Johnstie (Keith Johnston). We have an understanding – he does the running and I take the hits!

Who is the laziest player in the team? Mark Lowry – Only man to play more games than training sessions!

Who has the worst dress sense? Niall Crilly without a doubt but I see past that because I love the man and I wouldn’t be playing for Newry only for him.

Your toughest opponent? Toughest would be Colin Coates or Darren King when roles were reversed.

Who is the best player you have ever played with? John Boyle on his day was unbeatable. Also Simon O’Hare had more ability than anyone I ever seen but wasn’t too bothered.

If you had a super power what would it be? If I had a super power it would to be to able to run lol.

What are your interests outside of football? Spending time with my gorgeous nieces and crazy nephews, eating Chopsticks Chinese and wedding planning (not) haha! Oh and going to watch the ‘Point even though Mr Ruddy gives me a hard time for it. ( You can take the man out of the ‘Point but ya can’t take the ‘Point out of the man lol!!)

What is your goal at Newry? My goal at Newry is to help get this great club back to where it belongs in the Irish League. Oh and I’d love a treble this year. Have to say the support we get is second to none – it makes all the difference especially when games are tight.

Photos courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography

Newry City AFC receive Ifa/McDonalds Award

Newry City AFC has recently completed the McDonald’s Irish FA Foundation Club Mark scheme. 89 clubs across Northern Ireland have been awarded the McDonald’s Irish FA Foundation Club Mark scheme since its launch in 2014. The scheme offers coach education bursaries, free equipment and 12 hours of coach mentoring to grassroots football clubs with mentoring and encouragement also provided to encourage clubs to aim towards the Irish FA’s Excellence Mark.

Newry City both worked closely with an Irish FA Development Officer over six mentoring sessions to learn more about taking their grassroots clubs to the next level. The clubs can now promote to players, parents and volunteers that they have successfully demonstrated outstanding governance, practice and operating standards that will assist the clubs to grow and raise coaching standards.

Grassroots Development Manager, Ian Stewart stated, “Our Grassroots Development Officers have done a fantastic job working with clubs across Northern Ireland to achieve this standard. It is a credit to the clubs and individuals involved that the community can benefit from their hard work and dedication to football in Northern Ireland. I look forward to seeing Newry City being nominated in the future for a Club of the Year Award as part of McDonald’s Irish FA Community Awards.”

Local Ifa RGDO for Newry, Mourne and Down Seamus Heath was delighted with the commitment and dedication from all at Newry City and McDonalds Newry. Seamus commented;

“It was a pleasure working with Darren Mullen and his team of coaches as they rebuild Newry City.”

“It was also ironic that it was Newry City’s U10’s who received the equipment and was presented to club member Marina Binks who also works in McDonald’s Newry.”

Speaking about receiving the award, a delighted Newry City AFC manager Darren Mullen said;

“This award is a sign of the progress being made at the club and is a reward for all of the hard work the youth coaches have been putting in.”

“We are continually trying to build the club back up to a level whereby we have a constant supply of local talent. This will not happen overnight and it’s only through continuous progress that we attain that goal. We now have the skills school, U10s, U15s, U16s and U17s groups that are representing the club and enjoying their football along the way.”

He added, “I would like to thank Seamus Heath and the IFA for their time and valuable assistance in helping us obtain this award.”

 

Newry City U16 6 – 1 Ballybot Celtic U16

It was Newry’s third win of the season over local  rivals Ballybot Celtic. Newry took the lead when Shealan Fegan latched onto a breaking ball on the right hand side despite pressure from the Celtic defender and falling back Shealan managed to curl a right footed shot into the Ballybot net , a great goal.

Newry started to pile on the pressure playing some great one and two touch  football in midfield with Dean Morgan and Matty Taylor  who were exceptional on the day. Shealan picked up the ball just past the half way line he beat four players and fired the ball into the net for a second a truly brilliant goal.

Newry kept possession well and Kaylem Elliott who was coming back from injury showed a great amount of composure and slotted it past the keeper. James Irwin also impressed at right back and never put a foot wrong.

At halftime Newry were encouraged  to keep playing possession football and to keep trying to make the right decisions. At the start of the second half Newry won a corner and Matty Taylor curled a great ball into the path of Jervie Og Mc Caul who caught the ball on the volley and scored Newry’s fourth , another well taken goal . Hubert Pasternak scored  Newry’s fifth when he dropped his shoulder and scored a wonderful 25 yard drive.

Newry kept dominating and won a free kick just outside the box . Shealan scored his hat trick with a well taken free kick and he won Newry’s man of the match.  Jack Beattie was introduced with 20 mins left and nearly got on the score sheet when the ball narrowly went past the right hand post. Jack Carville  also added an extra bite in midfield and did really well. The low point for Newry was when  keeper Adam Watson had to go  off with a nasty ankle injury. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

Ballybot grabbed a consolation goal but it was too late, with Newry deserving a well earned win. After a few weeks lay off, the Newry team played very well and it was a great team performance matched by some excellent goals.

Lurgan Celtic u19s 5 – 0 Newry City u17s

U19 Mid Ulster Youth cup
It was always going to be a tough challenge for Newry’s under 17s playing against an under 19 team from the National League and playing their first ever 90 minute match.
Lurgan started as you would expect a good quality team to perform giving a lesson on possession and one touch football. Newry certainly give it their all and Shane Magill pulled of some outstanding saves for the first half hour to keep Newry in the game, James Smyth also had to step into centre back role today due to injuries in that position. Finally Lurgan broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with a cracking cross which was excellently headed into the net. Lurgan stepped up the pace again before the break to score their 2nd.
After half time Newry came out fighting and had the best possession for the first 15mins but unfortunately couldn’t split the Lurgan defence. Goal of the game then came when the Lurgan winger dribbled around three players and split the defence for a quick 1-2 which left Magill with no chance of stopping him. Newry did get the ball in the net when pacey Ross McGuinness made a run from the half way line and rounded the keeper to slot home – only to have an offside decision go against him. Lurgan finished off the game with two late goals as Newry tried to get a consolation goal. Newry staff where very proud of the team performance today and delighted with the fitness and commitment from the squad.