We welcome Newry City to Dixon Park tomorrow evening for a Last 16 clash in the Bet McLean League Cup.

Match Info

When: Tuesday 4^th October – Kick-Off 7:45pm

Where: Dixon Park

What: Bet McLean League Cup

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

Reminder to season ticket holders that season tickets are not valid for cup fixtures.

Match Sponsor: GM Exterior Cleaning Services

Ball Sponsor: David Strain

The Opponents

Newry currently occupy 9^th spot in the Danske Bank Premiership with 2 wins in their opening 8 games. Their last outing was against Cliftonville at the weekend where Rory Hale bagged a first half hat-trick as Cliftonville moved to the top of the table with victory at Solitude. Hale opened the scoring after ten minutes when he curled the ball into the net in off an upright after the visiting defence failed to clear a corner. Ryan Curran made it 2-0 on 16 minutes from the rebound following a Ronan Hale effort which keeper Steven Maguire did well to save. The Hale brothers then combined six minutes after that for Cliftonville’s third with Rory finishing the move off with a well taken close range finish. Then, in stoppage time, Rory laid claim to the match ball with a simple tap in after more good work from Ronan down the left. Newry might have grabbed a consolation midway through the second half only for James Teelan to strike the post while Noel Healy couldn’t keep his follow up on target.

The Comrades

The Comrades and Warrenpoint Town shared the spoils at Dixon Park at the weekend. The home side moved in front with just over a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock. Calvin McCurry broke clear of the visiting defence but was brought down by Daniel Byrne just outside the box and, from the resultant free-kick, Joe Tully fired into the far top corner. Luke Walsh might have levelled soon after only to hit the back post with a header from a corner. However Walsh did equalise for ‘Point eight minutes from time on the rebound after Byrne had nodded a Kealan Dillon free-kick against an upright. ‘Point thought they had snatched the win deep into stoppage time but Joshua Wilson’s finish was ruled out offside.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, back in March 2022, Newry City took a step closer to the Lough 41 Championship title with a comprehensive defeat of the Comrades at Dixon Park. Darren Mullen’s side went four points clear at the top of the table, however, they had to come from behind to get the better of Ballyclare after Tom Mathieson had opened the scoring on 40 minutes after being played through by Michael Smith. Newry levelled eight minutes after the break, however, when James Teelan gave Jack Ferguson no chance with a decent finish before, three minutes after that, Darren King got on the end of a Daniel Hughes cross to edge the visitors into the lead. They extended their advantage on 69 minutes through half-time substitute Declan Carville’s looping header at the back post, with the same player adding a fourth soon after with a strike through a crowded area into the corner of the net. Then, with three minutes remaining, Hughes completed the scoring with an effort into the far corner.