Newry City come up second best against relegation rivals Newington at The Showgrounds

Newry City’s task of staying up in the Playr-Fit Championship has become all the more difficult after they lost 1-0 at home to bottom-placed Newington this evening.

Indeed, the score-line could have been worse for the hosts if it weren’t for a superb display from goalkeeper Lorcan Donnelly. Some ugly scenes towards the end of the game meant that both sides finished with just nine players on the pitch apiece.

Newington settled the quicker of the two teams and most of the early possession, but it was the hosts who had the first chance of note when a long ball was cleared by Newington shot-stopper Dean Smyth as far as Alex O’Brien. Newry’s number eight tried to catch the ‘keeper off his line, but his shot went wide.

Newington’s January signing of Jay Donnelly on loan caught the headlines and the Glentoran frontman almost opened the scoring. He was picked out by Richard Gowdy’s through ball and after cutting inside on his right foot he looked certain to score, Lorcan Donnelly closed the space, made himself big and made an impressive save.

Newry’s next chance was a speculative effort from range by Jamie Doran which was kept out by Smyth, before they had their biggest opportunity of the half. Doran picked out Lorcan Forde with a superb through ball, and he drove past Tomas Gilmour and cut the ball back for Ryan McNickle from the by-line. From six yards out, McNickle went for a diving header but failed to make significant contact with the ball and the chance was missed.

With 33 minutes on the clock, the north Belfast men were given a golden opportunity when referee Niall Devlin adjudged Stephen Moan to have handled the ball inside his own area and a penalty was awarded. Jay Donnelly stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, rolling his effort into the net to make it 1-0.

O’Brien came close to levelling on the stroke of half-time, but his shot from 25 yards out flew just inches over the bar.

Newington almost doubled their lead just 60 seconds into the second half when Tony McIlhone’s free kick from the left wing found Conal McGrandles, but his volley came back out off the post.

Moments later, Newington striker Darren Stuart must have had eyes in the back of his head when – with his back to goal – he split the Newry defence with a clever through ball. However, goalkeeper Lorcan Donnelly was alert to the danger and raced out to deny his namesake Jay a second goal.

Deadline day signing Casey Smyth was introduced to the game just before the hour mark, and he very nearly scored with his first touch in a Newry jersey when Brian Healy picked him out with a clipped ball to the back post. He knocked the ball past the Newington ‘keeper but centre back Aodhfionn Casey was in the right place at the right time to clear it off the line.

On 65 minutes it should have been 2-0 and game over, but Lorcan Donnelly had other ideas. Jay Donnelly picked up a loose ball, beat Tommy Taggert for pace and squared the ball for his strike partner Stuart. From six yards out he looked certain to score, but the Newry shot stopper somehow got across and made a superb save.

Donnelly was tested again moments later when Gowdy made a driving run through the Newry defence, but his shot was at a good height for the goalkeeper, who pushed it wide of his post.

Newington kept prodding and called Lorcan Donnelly into action yet again when Jay Donnelly drilled an effort toward the near post, but the shot stopper made it three saves for three in quick succession to keep his team in the game.

With 10 minutes to go tensions boiled over and three players – Newry’s Lorcan Forde and Newington duo Dean Smyth and Paul Donnelly – were shown straight red cards for their part in a fracas, which required several peacekeepers on both sides to calm things down.

So, it was 10v9 for the closing stages of the game, and Newry had two chances, but couldn’t find a late equaliser. First, a Doran effort went inches wide of the near post, before an O’Brien volley forced an excellent reaction save from substitute goalkeeper Nathan Kerr.

Newry City also finished the game with nine players after Tommy Taggert was shown a straight red card for lashing out at Newington’s Daire Rooney with what was the last action of the game.

MATCH STATS

Newry City: Lorcan Donnelly, Noel Healy, Alex O’Brien, Jamie Doran, Lorcan Forde, Tommy Taggert, Stephen Moan (Jamie O’Flaherty 90), Brian Healy, Georgie Poynton (Casey Smyth 59), Ryan McNickle (Adam Carroll 70), Evan McEnteggart.

Unused subs: Conor Mitchell, Darren King, Ryan McGivern, Adam Dorans.

Newington: Dean Smyth, Aodhfionn Casey, Richard Gowdy, Paul Donnelly, Darren Stuart (Nathan Kerr 82), Conall McGrandles, Tomas Gilmour, Odhran Craig, Tony McIlhone, Lee McGreevey (Patrick Downey 68), Jay Donnelly (Daire Rooney 90).

Unused subs: Callum Parker, Robbie Morrow, Seamus Duffy, Fiontan O’Boyle.

Referee: Niall Devlin.