Write a commentNewry 1sts 2-1 Campbellians 1sts
Newry hosted Campbellians on Saturday hoping to continue their recent run of good form and notch up their third win in a row.
They managed to do so with a dominant display from start to finish. The home side laid down a marker early on with their quick accurate passing as Cambpellians sat back hoping to hit on the break. Newry with all their possession did not have a clear cut opportunity until the 15th minute when Mark McCullough fired himself at a low cross but was unlucky to see his deflection at full stretch go just wide of the post. They came close again when Keith McWilliams had a reverse stick shot from the left hand side of the circle but again it flashed just wide of the post.
In the second half Newry got their noses in front early on when Kris Fletcher picked the ball up at the edge of the circle after a miss-hit clearance, he took his time and stroked the ball into the far corner to give the home side the lead. It was nearly two when Colin Henning moved forward from right back and fired in a low cross which Greer deflected goal wards but the keeper pulled out a great stick stop and was then quick on his feet as he denied McWilliams on the rebound. Newry made it two with a well worked short corner which saw Colin McKnight lay the ball into the centre of the circle where David England was on hand to slide the ball home.
Campbellians pushed forward and were unlucky to see a fierce drag flick from a short corner cannon back off the upright with Irwin then shovelling the ball out of play to clear the danger. They did get a consolation goal on the final whistle with a great drag flick which beat keeper Josh Porter as it flew into the top right hand corner.
Team: J. Porter, C. Henning, N. Liggett, D. England, N. Davenport, C. McKnight, R. Irwin, N. McKnight, D. Andrews, K. McWilliams, M. McCullough, J. Greer, K. Fletcher, A. Megaw
Next week Newry travel to Donegal to take on Raphoe.
Campbellians 2’s 3-4 Newry 2’s
Newry 2nds 4th league match of the campaign saw them travel to Campbell College to face Campbellians men's 2nds. Campbellians were 4 league places above the Newry side heading into the match but only 3 points separated them; A win would see them level on points. With this in mind the boys knew it would be a tough encounter.
Newry started really well and inside the first few minutes had as many as 3 short corners.
First going wide, second bringing a good save from their keeper and the third striking a defenders foot on the line but the umpire did not see it.
The breakthrough came on another short corner with Davy Hogg easily beating the first two defenders and firing a ferocious shot low into the bottom left corner.
This goal awoke the Campbellian team and they upped their game, scoring from their first short corner. The shot striking the inside of Ashley Collums kicker.
This give them new confidence and saw them attack Newry down the left hand side, with a pinpoint cross picking out their striker who scored with a first time finish.
From the restart Newry drove forward and created a lot of chances one crashing off the post seeing the keeper beaten. With half time fast approaching Newry were looking that equalising goal to see them go into the break on a even keel. This goal came through another short corner won by Davy Hogg, who beat 3 players and was fowled in the D . This one was slipped back to Andrew Marks who made no mistake this time.
2-2 at halftime and Newry going into the break the happier of the 2 teams having played the better hockey and created more chances.
After the restart Newry picked up where they left off in the last 10 mins of the first half, dominating play and creating some really good chances with the forwards of Alan McMinn and Simon McCafferty torturing the back three defenders.
McCafferty had two good chances to take the lead but seen one saved and one put wide of the left post.
He made up for his errors though when Davy Hogg's pass found him marked by two defenders but with a great first touch and a silky shimmy seen him beat the two defenders easily. He then ventured into the circle drawing the keeper out, instead of going for glory himself he showed great awareness and composure by slipping the ball to his striking partner Alan McMinn who crashed the ball home, 3-2.
Newry knew Campbellians would come at them now and that's exactly what happened, through another short corner they slipped the ball to the left and it was dispatched well out of the reach of Ashley, 3-3.
The last 10 minutes saw both sides search for that all important winning goal, with Campbellians having two chances from short corners but both were dealt with by the outstanding back four for Newry of Robbie Cartmill, Paul English, Andy Baird and Eddy Graham, including a great save from Ashley.
From their last short corner which Eddy Graham charged down, the ball was passed into Andrew Marks in midfield who drove forward Graham had continued his runoverlapping to his left, the ball was played to Graham before their 25. Having beat one defender easily, he then had options to his left and right, however, he had other ideas, with a drop of the shoulder he faked a pass and without breaking stride crashed a bullet from the top of the circle, low into the left corner. The match ended 4-3
Team: Collum, P. English, A. Baird, E. Graham, R. Cartmill, A. Marks, S. McCafferty, A. McMinn, P. Moffett, D. Hogg, S. Graham, J. Niblock
