Duo shine in drab encounter

McLaughlin (25)

Newry City.......................................(0) 1

Graham (46)

WITH nothing at stake for either side Institute’s home encounter with Newry City really was a typical end of season match, on Saturday.

The only positives which came from the encounter were the debuts of ’Stute youngsters Matthew Smith and the impressive Gary McFadden, while Conor Mullan also held his own in the Carling Premiership, when he came off the bench just after the hour mark.

However it was the visitors who went close to taking an early 11th minute lead when Ross Black’s left wing cross was dummied by Davy Munster, but Stephen Garrett’s side footed effort from six yards was instinctively kept out by Alan Ryan.

That Ryan save seemed to inspire the home side as they themselves broke the deadlock on 25 minutes.

Midfielder McFadden saw his long range shot blocked by Munster, but from 20 yards the alert Paddy McLaughlin was on hand to fire past Andy Coleman, his second goal in as many games.

Just after the half-hour mark Newry missed a golden opportunity to level things when Alan Davidson fired just over the bar when it looked easier to score.

City were reduced to ten men on 39 minutes when Cullen Feeney was shown a straight red card after he upended David McClements and was adjudged by referee Trevor Moutray, who was officiating in his final match, to being last man.

Whatever Gerry Flynn said to his players at the break it certainly worked as they equalised right at the start of the second half.

Striker Andy Graham watched in amazement that his low drive somehow bobbled past Ryan and into the net.

That set-back for the home side seemed to disrupt the flow of the game and it was the ten men who dominated things.

In fact Garrett was unlucky not to give Newry the lead on the hour mark when his 20 yard side footed effort fizzed over Ryan’s bar.

The home side brought on both Paul Lowry and Mullan and it was the wee striker who nearly won the game for ’Stute on 73 minutes.

The Strathfoyle man skipped away from a few challenges after he picked the ball up on the half-way line, but he failed to trouble Coleman and blasted well over the bar.

Institute: Ryan, Crown, McLaughlin, Ogilby, Holmes; Smith, McClean, McFadden, Divin, McClements, McCready. Subs: Lowry for Smith (59); Mullan for McClean (64), Wray for McCready (76); Blackburn & Cullen (not used).

Newry City: Coleman, Black, Feeney, Munster, King, Hazley, Henderson, Davidson, Garrett, Rowe, Graham. Subs: Keenan for Graham (74); Ferguson for Garrett (78); Richmond for Henderson (81); Boyd & Keegan (not used).

Referee: Trevor Moutray (Dundonald).

Cautioned: McFadden (38); Munster (41); McClean (42).

Sent-off: Feeney (40).