Clearer Water Irish Cup, Round Six
Newry City 1-2 Newington 

ON-LOAN striker Rory Donnelly netted twice in six first-half minutes to see Newington come from behind at the Newry Showgrounds on Saturday to move into the last eight of the Irish Cup.

Donnelly, who arrived from Glentoran until the end of the season during the week, made an immediate impact, but this win was a team effort with The Swans much the better side throughout, their desire epitomised by skipper Richard Gowdy who drove them on throughout.

Even falling behind on 15 minutes having bossed the opening stages, they didn't panic and quickly got back level before taking a lead they never looking in any danger of losing to a home side that was out-fought and out-played for the most part.

"Ruaidhrí is probably our biggest ever signing and he showed his class today," said a delighted Newington assistant manager, Thomas Duffy.

"Not only in his goals, but in his work-rate, game management towards the end when he was holding the ball int he corner and drawing mould.

"He's an intelligent player who hasn't played where he has played (for top Premiership teams) for no reason and you saw that again there today."

The North Belfast side showed little regard for the supposed gulf between them and their Premiership hosts as they were straight down to business from the first whistle, causing some problems along the flanks and they would have their first big opportunity in the seventh minute as Donnelly was slipped in on goal, but his low effort lacked conviction and Conor Mitchell got down to smother.

Newry had offered precious little in the opening stages but they would hit the front in the 15th minute and against the run of play when Barry McKeown sent a ball up the right flank to Jamie McDonagh who sent a pass inside to Adam Sailey. The striker was closed down but the ball broke favourably to Brandon Doyle to make no mistake with his low finish.

This sparked the hosts into life briefly as they looked to press on and Marc Maybin was forced into a smart stop, but Newington settled again and were back on the front foot.

They were rewarded in the 26th minute as a corner from Patrick Downey, whose initial effort was saved out by Mitchell, was swung to the back post where Donnelly rose to head downwards into the net.

Five minutes later and the turnaround was complete as Joshua Diver caught Noel Healy napping as his desire to get not the ball saw him intercept and power forward, slipping out to Downey who rolled to the back post where Donnelly turned home from two yards out.

It could have been even better but the post would deny Darren Stuart's piledriver as Newington went in at the break 2-1 to the good and deservedly so.

The 15 minutes were something of a non-event with neither side taking a firm grip, but the chances would again come for the Belfast side as on 64 minutes, Gowdy put Diver free on the right, but his ball inside to Donnelly wasn't what was required with the striker flagged for offside in any case following his stretched effort that didn't trouble Mitchell.

They had a even better chance four minutes later as Paul Donnelly put Stuart through one-on-one on the left, but he rolled his effort just outside the far post with Mitchell beaten.

It was a big let-off for Barry Gray's side but then, they looked completely devoid of ideas as to how to go about grabbing an equaliser with their long ball into the box approach dealt with comfortably by the Newington defence.

Maybin was virtually a spectator with those in front thwarting what was heading their way and it wasn't much as Newington didn't appear in any danger as they saw out the game to move into a quarter-final against Larne.

"I think we fully deserved it," Duffy said of the win.

"From the first whistle, I think we were the better team and Newry didn't create too much. Credit to the boys, they limited them.

"We're very happy and I think anybody here today knows the right result came out at the end. We were strong today, out-battled them and I think we played the better football." 

NEWRY CITY: C Mitchell, D King (D Scullion 86), N Healy, R McGivern, B McKeown, J McGovern, A Sailey, L Bagnall, G Poynton, J McDonagh (A Carroll 65), B Doyle (P McGovern 86)
Goals: B Doyle 15

NEWINGTON: M Maybin, T McAuley, A Casey, E Hughes J Reilly, R Gowdy, P Donnelly (T McNicholl 90+4), J Diver, P Downey (F Rice 75), D Stuart (P McKiernan 86), R Donnelly (N Cummings 90+4)
Goals: R Donnelly 26, 31

REFEREE: Shane Andrews