Newry Hockey Notes 13 January 2020

Instonians 1’s 3-1 Newry 1’s

Newry were hoping to build on a strong start to the new year as they travelled to Instonians on Saturday with a full-strength side. It was cagey opening to the game with both sides measuring each other up with no real opportunities of note. That was until 15 minutes in when Inst won and scored from their first short corner. Newry started to come into the game more in the second quarter with McWilliams coming closest with a reverse stick short just before the break.

In the second half the visitors again were getting more joy on the attack causing Inst more problems at the back without scoring. That was until Newry won their second short corner and John Taylor dispatched a drag flick to equalise. With both teams on level terms neither side wanted to make any mistakes as the third quarter came to an end. Inst got their noses back in front early in the forth quarter from a well worked short corner. Newry bombed forward in search of another equaliser piling the pressure on. However Inst broke on the counter attack and won a short corner with two minutes remaining and duly scored to make it 3-1 and put the game beyond Newry.

Team: J. Porter, D. England, J. Greer, A. Baird, N. McKnight, J. Taylor, R. Irwin, M. Russell, C. McKnight, K. McWilliams, K. Fletcher, S. Megaw, P. McNiece, C. Large

Newry 2’s 4-2 Banbridge 4’s

Newry hosted Banbridge on Saturday in a local derby, with the home side taking all three points.  Newry made a very sluggish start to the game and were made to pay with Banbridge going one up with only five minutes played when Sam Henry was beating after poor defending, Henry was making his first appearance in three years. However, the lead was short lived as the home side struck back through Darren Liggett after good work from McCullough and McCafferty. It was two shortly after when David Hogg returning from injury found Simon McCafferty in the circle who rounder the keeper and fired home.

David Hogg then got in on the act in the second half with a trade mark rocket from the top of the circle to make it three. Banbridge did pull another goal back but again the one goal deficit was short lived when Darren Liggett got his second of the day to round of a 4-2 win.

Team: S. Henry, D. Barlow, M. McCullough, J. Lawson, J. Boyd, D. Andrews, S. Blakely, P. Moffett, D. Liggett, D. Hogg, S. McCafferty, J. Whiteside, L. Harding, J. Niblock