Write a commentNewry 1’s 3-1 North Down 1’s
Newry hosted league leaders North Down on Saturday in a must win match for the home side. Having not played for a couple of weeks Newry were rusty with passes going astray in the early exchanges. However as the half wore on they grew into the game and were staring to make in roads into the North Down defence. David England put Newry one up from a short corner with 20minutes gone, and it was so nearly two when he rattled the post from a another short corner soon after. North did manage to win a couple of corners themselves but they were dealt with well by the Newry defence.
In the second half the visitors came flying out of the traps in search of their equaliser but were unable to create any opportunities of note. Newry went two up through another well worked short corner which Kris Fletcher flicked Home from a tight angle. Lindsey Beck in the Newry goals pull off a sublime save from a reverse stick shot to keep Newry’s 2 goal advantage intact. The home side slowed the game down now as they started to manage the game well but did fire through the gears again with 10 minutes remaining when David England got his second of the game and Newry’s third. With 4 minutes reaming North Down did pull back a consolation goal but it was too little too late as Newry took all three points.
Team: L. Beck, D. England, C. Henning, J.Greer, A. Baird, R. Irwin, N. Davenport, N. McKnight, C. McKnight, M. Russell, K. Fletcher, A. Irwin, K. McWilliams, D. Andrews
Newry Ladies through to the Final!
On Saturday 24th March 2018, Newry Ladies 1st XI travelled away to Cookstown High to play Cookstown Ladies 2nd XI in the semi-final of the Ulster Minor Trophy. Newry started sluggishly and took their time to get into the game, centre mid Rachel Lockhart filtered the ball through to right wing Stephanie Smart who drove up into the Cookstown corner only to be met by a strong defence. Cookstown seized possession of the ball, were awarded a penalty corner within the first ten minutes and went into a one nil lead. Newry kept their heads up and ten minutes later left back Victoria Lewis slipped the ball through to Shannen Robinson on the left wing who drove the ball up into the Cookstown circle. Robinson flicked the ball across to the centre forward Laverne Inns who scooped an equaliser into the Cookstown net. Both sides fought hard for the remainder of the first half and just before the half-time whistle Robinson secured a second goal for Newry.
Within the first two minutes of the second half Cookstown succeeded in scoring from a short corner putting both teams on an even keel. Newry narrowly missed a couple of chances in the next ten minutes however right wing Aimee Magowan weaved in and out of the Cookstown defence into the circle securing a penalty corner for Newry. Robinson fired the ball across to Magowan who deflected the ball past the keeper putting Newry into a 3 – 2 lead. Newry kept the pressure up with sweeper Laura Simpson driving the ball through Cookstown forwards and mids to left mid Gayle Davidson who fired the ball across to Magowan and with such a fast reverse hit at the keeper, Cookstown sweeper could not stop the ball and scored an own goal. Newry remained strong and confident with left mid Claire Gamble dodging through the Cookstown defence and after being awarded another penalty corner this enabled Captain Kathryn Baird to deflect the ball into the Cookstown goal to secure a fifth goal. Cookstown fought back hard but with Newry’s strong defence, they were kept out of the circle on numerous occasions by the swift footwork of goalie, Collette Lambe and superb clearance of centre back Abbie Blakely. With one minute to go, right back Becky Murdock walloped the ball into the circle for Inns to finish the sixth and final goal for Newry. Newry are ecstatic to be through to the final of Minor Cup where they will play Coleraine. Player of the match goes to Aimee Magowan.
Final score Newry Olympic 6 –v- Cookstown 2
Team: K Baird (Captain), C Lambe, (goals), A Blakely, C Gamble, L Simpson, G Davidson, V Lewis, R Murdock, R Lockhart, S Robinson, L Inns, S Smart, A Magowan
