Newry City’s young side loses out to Loughgall in the Mid Ulster Cup last four

Newry City – who had 11 of their 16 players used aged 20 or younger – cruelly lost out late-on against Loughgall in the Mid Ulster Cup Semi-final at The Showgrounds.

Newry were without a number of their regular starters though suspension and injury including: Steven Ball, Lorcan Forde, Noel Healy, Ryan McGivern, Donal Scullion, Fra McCaffrey, Seanna Foster, Jordan Mooney and Georgie Poynton – and they lost Gavin Smith to injury just 22 minutes into the game.

Their starting 11 tonight included 16-year-old Charlie McGrath, 19-year-olds Alex O’Brien, Oisin McStay, Dualta Honney and Lee Fallon and 20-year-olds Jamie O’Flaherty and Evan McEnteggart, whilst U20 players Adam Dorans, Keelan McEvoy, Adam Heaney and Fionnan O’Tuathail featured off the substitutes bench.

The hosts got off to a dream start when they found the net just five minutes into the match. Playing left-back, McEnteggart launched a pinpoint ball over the Loughgall defence and found Honney, who controlled it and smashed his shot into the top corner of the net.

Loughgall controlled the ball for most of the first half, but never tested McStay in the Newry net. Their best chances saw Conor McCloskey and Caolan McAleer fire half chances over the bar.

The home side had two half-chances of their own with experienced players Adam Salley and Ciaran O’Connor (who was captain for the night) also both volleying over.

Over the course of half-time a thick fog descended overhead, which made visibility difficult for players and supporters alike.

Newry had a golden chance just minutes into the period when Jamie O’Flaherty played a one-two with O’Connor and supplied Salley with a low cross, but City’s number nine was denied by Berraat Turker from close range.

Loughgall were inches away from equalising when Jordan Gibson’s header beat McStay, but O’Flaherty was in the right place to clear the shot off the line. McStay was then called into action moments later, as he got across his goal to keep out a 25-yard piledriver from Loughgall captain Ben Murdock.

On 79 minutes, the visitors got the leveller they craved when Nathaniel Ferris flicked the ball across the face of goal and McCloskey tapped the ball into an empty net from two yards out.

Ferris had a major opportunity to score himself moments later when he connected with McAleer’s dangerous whipped cross, but he headed just inches over.

With just under three minutes to go, Loughgall found the winner. Balde’s cross was cleared out to the edge of the area where McAleer was waiting, and his powerful shot flew past McStay and into the bottom corner.

MATCH STATS

Newry City: Oisin McStay, Gavin Smith (Adam Dorans 22), Ciaran O’Connor, Alex O’Brien, Adam Salley (Keelan McEvoy 89), Adam Carroll, Dualta Honney (Adam Heaney 89), Evan McEnteggart, Jamie O’Flaherty, Lee Fallon (Ryan McNickle 61), Charlie McGrath (Fionnan O’Tuathail 89).

Unused subs: Conor Mitchell, Stephen Moan.

Loughgall: Berraat Turker, Ben Murdock, Tiernan Kelly, Caolan McAleer, Jordan Gibson, Luke Cartwright, Jay Boyd (Robbie Norton 89), Ben Harvey (Nathaniel Ferris 53), Adam Towe, Conor McCloskey (Alberto Balde 80), Daire Kelly.

Unused subs: Sean Hamill, Conor McDermott, Lewis Francis, Alan Teggart.

Referee: Mark Dillon.