Challenge on track as ‘Well draw comfort
NEWFOUNDWELL were tipped to succeed Muirhevnamor as champions from the start of the season and that forecast will carry more conviction after this hotly-contested encounter in the NEFL Premier Division’s big game of the weekend.
Friday night’s draw will increase the unbeaten Drogheda side’s confidence that they can prevail in the title race. Although nine points still separate them and Muirhevnamor are in a three-way tie at the top of the table, the Boynesiders have six games fewer played.
Conversely, the games are running out for the defending champions, who now have just five matches to play, and after an uninspiring first half of the season they have left themselves with little room to manoeuvre and needing to pick up every available point.
This was a hard-earned one from their point of view after falling behind following a bright start, during which the searing pace of the livewire Tiarnan Mulvenna posed real problems for the visitors. The former Dundalk and Drogheda United striker twice went close to scoring in the opening 15 minutes, while Stephen Fisher pulled a shot wide when put free into space inside the penalty box to the right of goal.
However, the Muirhevnamor defence looked shaky, and a mis-kick by Chris Caulfield as Ryan Connor crossed into the box allowed John Kermode to hook a shot from nine yards past David Cooney. The keeper had replaced brother
MUIRHEVNAMOR NEWFOUNDWELL 1 1
Michael in the Muirhevnamor goal a couple of minutes short of the half-hour mark.
The home side were also without Ben McLaughlin and missed his invention and probing ability, as a number of their key players had subdued matches, only fleetingly making their mark. Billy Smith was one, but he still turned out to be their saviour.
Shortly after his side fell behind, Smith managed to get to the endline and under pressure put in a cross for Mickey O’Kane and Stephen Fisher in turn to have shots blocked by the resolute Newfoundwell defence.
David Cooney then just managed to tip Brian Kermode’s snap shot from outside the box over from underneath his crossbar, before a sweeping move ended with Smith’s long-range shot from the left wing hit the foot of the post. Somehow the referee deemed it struck a defender and awarded a corner which came to nought, like a string of others that the home side forced in the early minutes.
Newfoundwell, boosted by the goal, were the side playing with verve and hunger as Muirhevnamor struggled to get back into the game. Goalscorer Kermode went close to increasing his side’s lead after Ian Devine set up his striking partner.
The introduction of Paudie Hearty on the hour quickly paid off for the champions when a few minutes later an exquisite backheel by O’Kane set up Smith to sweep a low shot to the net for the equaliser.
Niall Hearty played a pass from midfield for O’Kane to run into the box and his touch wrong-footed the defence and put Smith into space.
The same combination nearly snatched the lead for Muirhevnamor seven minutes later as this time Smith pushed the ball into space in the box and Newfoundwell goalkeeper Ronan Brown brought off a brilliant instinctive save with his foot from O’Kane’s low shot.
Then with nine minutes left Newfoundwell were reduced to 10 men when Rob Cashman received a second yellow card and was dismissed.
However, it was the visitors who went closest to snatching victory when after a lightning three-man counter-attack, David Cooney advanced off his line to make a crucial block to prevent Dean Carolan from scoring as he was put free in front of the home goal.
The goalkeeper thus preserved his team’s receding hopes of retaining their title. MUIRHEVNAMOR: David Cooney, Niall Hearty, Adrian Rafferty (Paul Mallon 87), Chris Caulfield (Niall Hearty), Nathan Murphy, Philip Duffy (Paudie Hearty 60) Colin Hoey, Stephen Fisher (Brendan Hughes 69), Billy Smith, Mickey O’Kane, Tiarnan Mulvenna.
NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown, Daryl McDonagh, Adam O’Connor, Kevin Bull. Stephen Murphy, Dean Carolan, Brian Kermode, Rob Cashman, John Kermode, Ian Devine, Ryan Connor.