Professional approach is going ‘Well
HIGH-FLYING Newfoundwell made light work of a 700km round trip to Cork on Sunday as they continued their remarkable unbeaten season with victory over Munster League outfit Bandon in the New Balance FaI Junior Cup.
But while winning one or more of the big knockout competitions would be a fantastic achievement, joint manager Paul Crowley insists that landing the North East Football League Premier trophy remains the number one priority for the Drogheda side.
Crowley runs the show along with Danny Gartland who has been with the club since its formation, and the former Drogheda United captain was in great form en route back from Bandon.
‘You never know what you’re coming down to and we didn’t have much information [on Bandon], but we got the win and that was despite travelling down quite slim, with no Paddy O’Boyle or the two Kermodes,’ he began.
‘Things are going good, but the hard work starts after Christmas. They are going to start piling games into us and we have a lot of work to do [in the league]. There’s plenty of games in hand and they are fine, but you have to get points on the board.
‘We have a really good bunch of lads and it’s important to have some time off and some family time over Christmas, but they will have to start looking after themselves after Christmas and I think they will.’
Asked about running the team alongside Gartland, Crowley added: ‘It’s going well. I came in with him last year and we felt things needed freshening up. The only trophy he hasn’t got his hands on is the league. We are trying to make things as professional as we can, and we are getting really good commitment from the lads.
‘I always found as a player that when things are done right that the players feel a bit of responsibility to do everything they can for the team.’
After a 7.30am start from Drogheda, Newfoundwell arrived at Town Park to find a pitch described by Crowley as ‘very bad’, but after a cagey opening the ‘Well settled into their rhythm and Stephen Murphy broke the deadlock with a header from an Adam O’Connor corner.
Jordan Duffy had an opportunity to give the away side more of a cushion going into half-time but shot over the bar and so Newfoundwell reached the break with just a slender one-goal advantage.
The tie remained on a knife-edge for most of the second half, but the NEFL representatives finally booked their place in round six in the 75th minute when Ian Devine struck for the sixth consecutive match. The former Boyne Harps and Duleek striker shot into the bottom corner of the net to register his 13th goal of the season in all competitions.
Newfoundwell have another long trip next Sunday when they renew acquaintances with Evergreen, this time in the Leinster Junior Cup. The Drogheda side lost 3-2 to the Kilkenny outfit last January in a thrilling FAI Junior Cup sixth-round tie. NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown, Daryl McDonagh, Kevin Bull, Stephen Murphy, Alan Murphy, Cormac Reid, Ryan Connor, Craig O’Connor, Adam O’Connor (Kenny Hurley), Jordan Duffy (Adam Brady), Ian Devine.