Newry Hockey Notes 25 October

Newry 1’s 7-1 South Antrim 1’s 

Back in league action this week and Newry hosted South Antrim in a thrilling high scoring game.  The home side dominated throughout the game and bagged seven goals. With 9 minutes played Newry got their first with Keith McWilliams firing in a reverse shot from the left hand side of the circle, and he doubled his tally just 3 minutes later when he was the first to pounce on a short corner which had been saved by the South keeper.  

Newry kept piling forward and Peter McKnight was in the right place to deflect home a Josh Porter cross to give them a commanding 3-0 lead by half time. 

South were a young energetic team and Newry knew they would not lie down, Kris Fletcher with only his second appearance of the season got Newry’s forth as he dived to deflect in at the back post. At 4-0 it was comfortable for Newry who kept carving out chance after chance, on the right hand side Ivan Steen fire in a pin point ball for Josh Porter to tap in to make it five. The sixth was probably the goal of the game as John Taylor picked the ball up on the half way line, rounded two defenders and drove forward, he smartly placed the ball down the side of the keeper and Josh Porter knocked it over the line.  

South Antrim did get one back when there was a mix up in the Newry defence and McGivern in nets could do nothing about the shot. There was time for one more with Ivan Steen scoring from a short corner to round off an impressive win.  

Team: R. McGivern, C. Henning, C. Holmes, N. Davenport, J. Greer, C. McKnight, J. Taylor, I. Steen, P. McKnight, K. McWilliams, J. Porter, K. Fletcher, C. Large, A. Baird, J. Gregg 

North Down 1-5 Newry 2’s 

Newry travelled to Comber to face North Down and try to put last weeks defeat behind them. The return of Mark Mccullough boosted Newry and his direct running from midfield was causing the home side all sorts of problems, and it was McCullough who got the first scoring from a tight angle.  

Both sides cancelled each other out for long periods in the remainder of the first half.  

Newry however came shooting out of the blocks in the second half as David Hogg fired home a rocket from the top of the circle to make it 2-0. Hogg was on fire and he got his second from a short corner. North started to create a few chances but Richard Henning in nets kept them at bay.  

David Hogg stepped up again and got two quick fire goals, within minutes of each other to bring his tally for the day to 4 and 5 for Newry. North Down did get a consolation goal but it was a good day at the office for the 2nds.

Team: R. Henning, M. McCullough, D. Barlow, I. Lutton, M. McCullough, J. Ross, S. Moffett, J. Whiteside, S. McCarfferty, S. Blakely, D. Hogg, N. Lutton, S. Graham, J. Lutton