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Newry City AFC U21s got their season off to a positive start with a win over Newington at Valley Leisure Centre on Saturday morning 24 August in the NIFL Championship U21 Development League emerging victorious with a 3:1 win.
The first few minutes of the game was cagey. Both teams tried to wrestle control of the ball. Newry came out the better and started to move the ball well and open up Newington’s back line. With the first worked attack the ball was played down the left for Darragh McParland to play Daniel O’Sullivan in on goal, the Newington goalkeeper made a great point blank save. Jack Deery was first on the scene to head home to give Newry a 1-0 lead with 3 minutes played.
Newington fought well and managed to equalise on the 13th minute when Newry’s Rory O’Connor was fouled on the ball. However, the referee waved play on and Newington found themselves back in the game.
Newry continued to create chances, with control of the ball and game. Only for Newington’s Goalkeeper, who had a phenomenal game. Newry would have found themselves out of sight.
Lee Fallon, played a clipped ball over the top of the defence to Jack Deery, who calmly controlled the ball under pressure and rolled it across the box for Daniel O’Sullivan to make it 2-1 to Newry going in to half time.
The game was well controlled again by Newry in the second half and again only for Newington’s goalkeeper the game would have been out of sight.
2 penalties were awarded to Newry in the second half after great play into the box. Daniel O’Sullivan had his penalty pulled from the corner by the brilliant Newington goalkeeper.
In the dying moments of the game, Daniel with great courage took penalty number two to make it 3-1.
A game well controlled by Newry and on another day, it could have been a more comfortable ride.
Full Time 3-1 Newry.
Team List; Calum O’Reilly, Adam Heaney, Pierce Patterson, Darragh Cluskey, Eoghan Hickey, Louis Crilly, Rory O’Connor, Evan McEnteggart, Kyle Harte, Adam Doran’s, Lee Fallon, Jude Whitten, Karl Woods, Keelan McEvoy, Jack Deery, Daniel O’Sullivan, Darragh McParland
Debuts made for Newry from;
Jack Deery, Darragh McParland, Lee Fallon, Adam Dorans, Adam Heaney and Keelan McEvoy.
Next up the U21s welcome Ballyclare Comrades to The Showgrounds on Monday 2nd September KO 7.45pm.
Newry City AFC U18s
Newry City AFC U18s started their season with a 6-0 defeat away to the reigning League Champions Cliftonville. The score was a fair reflection and could have been worse but for some excellent goalkeeping by Artan MacPhaidin making his debut for Newry. There were a lot of positives particularly in the first half as the boys worked hard and kept the game scoreless until one minute before half time and Cliftonville went in 1-0 up at the break. Unfortunately tiredness kicked in, in the second half as a lot of players were new to this level of football and the intensity involved. Ciftonville ran out convincing winners with five goals in the second half, three of which came in the last ten minutes.
On Friday 30th August the U18s travel to play Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park KO 8pm.
