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Table Quiz
Newry Hockey Club will be holding a fundraising table quiz on Saturday night 19th October from 8pm to raise funds for the repiar of the flood lights. We invite everyone to come along with a team and enjoy the night with us.
Seconds hit for Six
Newry Olympic Seconds will be very disappointed to be on the wrong end of a six nil scoreline after travelling to Comber to face North Down 2nds on Saturday expecting a tight game and possibly a favourable result.
Traditionally slow-starters Newry went screaming out of the blocks on this one to put North under considerable pressure early on as they had the better of the opening ten minutes. Unfortunately the Newry rhythm was upset by an injury to David Hogg on colliding with the North ‘keeper and from that point forward Newry struggled with the expansive play of North and their ability to regularly freshen up the legs from the bench.
North scored three goals in each half, two from a short corner specialist and another from a penalty stroke. Newry contributed to their own demise with two of the goals coming from relatively simple errors at the back when cooler heads would have seen the danger away.
Newry struggled to operate as a unit with the overworked defence and midfield unable to offer the support required to the front men, who in turn struggled going forward with tired legs. That the last two North goals came in the last five minutes was a reflection on the relative energy levels with Newry running on empty as North continued to roll the subs.
It was not all bad for Newry and they will be encouraged by the creation, if not execution, of half a dozen short corners while McGuffin was unlucky to hit the post and Scott and Adams also had shots but couldn’t trouble the keeper. At the other end of the pitch Henry made a pair of fine reaction saves while Lawson was in the right spot to nick the ball from the North forward right on the line.
While six nil wasn’t a fair reflection on the game it shows that an off-day at this level is often heavily punished. Newry will look to cut out the errors and get back to the level of performance they are capable of next Saturday at home to Lisnagarvey.
North Down 2's 6-0 Newry 2's
Newry team: S. Henry, S. Blakely, J. Lawson, A. Baird, D Barlow, B. Scott, D. Andrews, W. Adams (c), A. Foster, D. Hogg, S. McCafferty Subs: J. Niblock, N. McGuffin
Donaghadee Ladies 5-0 Newry Ladies
On Saturday, 12th October, Newry Olympic Hockey Ladies 1st XI travelled to Bangor Grammar School to play Donaghadee 1st XI. From the outset, luck was not on the Newry side having allowed two hours to travel but due to a major security alert on the M1, the team were forced to travel cross-country which meant hitting major traffic complications on the way. On arrival the Newry side had to start immediately and from the whistle, Donaghadee were on the attack, dominating possession on an extremely bumpy pitch and scoring 1 goal within the first ten minutes followed by a second just before half-time.. Newry had a couple of chances with forwards one on one with the goalie but were unable to finish.
At the beginning of the second half both teams came out strong with Newry being awarded two short corners in the first ten minutes of the second half but were unable to score due to the Donaghadee keeper doing some fine saves. Donaghadee battled back and sealed the match with three further goals making the final score Newry Olympics 0 Donaghadee 5
NOHC Team C Waddell/H Kee (goals) L Inns (Captain) A Gamble, C Gamble, N Burns, R Ross, K Baird, J Cochrane, C Ferris, N Shields and A Magowan.
South Antrim 1's 3-6 Newry 1's
Saturday provided the toughest test and biggest challenge to Newry in their unbeaten start to the new season. Newry have now went 8 straight games unbeaten winning everyone. South Antrim flew out of the traps and were unplayable in the first 10 minutes. Newry could not get their passing game together and could not live with the pace and movement of the South' team. South' made their dominance pay off with two goals in this period which was nothing more than they deserved. Newry got back in the game when with their first meaningful attack of the game they scored when Andy Gilmer forced a mistake from the South Antrim keeper who knocked the ball into his own net.
Newry equalised early in the second half through a short corner with Colin McKnight firing home. Newry were now starting to play with a bit more fluidity, finding spaces and causing the South' defence a few more problems. Newry took the lead for the first time when a lightening counter attack found two Newry players on the South Antrim Keeper. Richard Nummy squared the ball to McKnight cutting the keeper as he slid the ball into the open net. Newry were pegged back when South Antrim scored their third with a stunning reverse stick finish into the top corner. Newry however were now starting to get into their stride, they wasted a few chances to regain the lead with sloppy finishing but John Taylor got the forth with a well placed drag flick from a short corner.
Newry now pressed on and when Kyle McCombe broke through the South' defence and at full stretch slipped the ball under the advancing keeper it looked like the game was beyond South Antrim. There was time for McKnight to complete his hat-trick when he connected sweetly with a half volley to make it 6 and insure Newry got all 3 points. Antrim continued to push right to the end and never gave up but Newry held out. Newry take on Portadown at home next Saturday in a top of the table clash.
R. Hanlon, N. Liggett, N. McKnight, N. Davenport, C. Henning, J. Taylor, C. McKnight, D. England, A. Gilmer, K. McCombe, R. Irwin, J. Greer, R. Nummy, D. Andrews
Result
Newry Men's 3rds 6-0 NICS 3's.
