Newry City 1 - 0 Ballymena Utd

A PAUL Keenan predator like goal inside the opening minute was enough to secure Premiership status for Newry City next season.

The lanky 35-year-old grabbed what proved to be the only goal of the game after just 50 seconds when the ball fell for him after United 'keeper Dwayne Nelson couldn't hold a low, stinging Alan Davidson 25-yard drive.

Davidson himself then had another excellent chance to extend the lead a short time later, a clever run and Beckham like through ball by Garrettdinho saw his clever chip just fail to beat the busy Nelson in the sticks.

Stephen Garrett himself might have made it 2-0 before the break when he     connected superbly with a scintillating Keenan pass only for the ball to strike the inside of the left upright and bounce back into play.

It got worse for the visitors on 57 minutes when they were reduced to ten men when Mark Surgenor was sent off for what appeared to be a shockingly late tackle on the resurgent Steven Ferguson.

Garrett came close again for Newry on 78 minutes but was denied by a Nelson save to his right after the impressive Keenan had once again teed the in-form striker up.

United almost earned a share of the spoils, very much against the run of play, a short time later when substitute Noel Anderson laid the ball off for Aidan Watson only for Ross Black to produce a perfectly timed trademark tackle to save the day and ensure all three points & Premier League status for 2010/11 was secured.