Dolly Mixtures

Newry City 4 Dollingstown 3 (After Extra Time)
Hanaphy, S Hughes, King, Grant - Gregg 2 (1 pen), Banks

Newry defeated Dollingstown in the Fourth Round of the Coca Cola Intermediate Cup after an eventful game at the Showgrounds. Despite the score line, this was game in which Newry were in control for long periods, before a Dollingstown fight back left them staring defeat in the face. Once again, Newry showed their fighting spirit and for the second successive week notched a last minute goal. This one brought the game to extra time, where Newry would eventually secure the victory that their performance deserved.

The first half saw Newry in almost complete control with little indication of the exciting finale that lay head. Newry scored early on when Darragh Hanaphy got on the end of a Stephen Hughes cross but saw his header well saved by Ryan McConville in the Dollingstown goal. However, Hanaphy reacted quickest and lashed in the rebound. Newry had good control of the ball but weren't turning their possession into a lot of clear cut chances. That all changed on 35 minutes when Newry doubled the lead. Darren Freeman and Marty Havern combined well to set up Stephen Hughes who crashed home a wonderful strike from fully 20 yards out. With Dollingstown providing no threat at the other end, the half ended with Newry in control and seemingly set to clinch a comfortable passage to the next round of the cup.

If the first half was something of a stroll, then Newry were knocked out of their comfort zone almost as soon as the second moiety kicked off. Dollingstown worked the ball into the Newry box and Ashley Gregg fired home to make it 2-1. Nonetheless, Newry responded well and were straight back on the front foot. David Masterson twice went close, before Havern brought a save out of McConville. Then on 63 minutes, a fine Darren King run and cross created a chance for Hanaphy but McConville saved again.

Newry would live to rue those misses as the visitors grabbed an unlikely equaliser on 67 minutes. A Dollingstown break yielded a corner and although Newry dealt with the initial effort, the ball came back out to John Banks who fired home. Newry again responded well and Hanaphy was denied by McConville before Marty Havern twice shot wide for Newry. But with 5 minutes on the clock, Dollingstown shocked Newry again when they took the lead. Paul Donegan was adjudged to have blocked off a visiting attacker and referee Basketfield pointed to the spot. Gregg stepped up to slot the penalty home and the visitors could have been forgiven for thinking that they had pulled off a quite remarkable cup shock. To their credit, however, Newry showed the same sort of determination as last week and came back for one last hurrah. And a decent spell of pressure climaxed with captain Darren King thumping home a 90th minute equaliser to tie things up again. There was still (injury) time for sub Stephen McCabe's cross to bounce off the top of the bar and Stephen Hughes fired over as the tie went into extra time.

Newry were determined to finish the job now and another sub, Timmy Grant, saw his shot half blocked and then cleared off the line. He wouldn't be denied for long though as, on 96 minutes, he met a McCabe cross and headed home past McConville. This time Newry maintained their control and had few scares at the back. They really should have extended their lead at the other end of the pitch, but passed up a number of decent opportunities. Marty Havern was involved in most of them but clipped the post with one effort and saw another deflected wide by a defender after a flowing Newry attack.

Newry: Buchanan, King, Devlin, Copeland, Donegan, Freeman (Tierney), Masterson (Grant), M Hughes (McCabe), Havern, S Hughes, Hanaphy. Subs not used: Hutchinson, S Hand.
Newrycityfc.com Man of the Match: Darren King