Runner-up spot little consolation for ‘Well boss
NEWFOUNDWELL 3 BELLURGAN UNITED 2
NEWFOUNDWELL joint manager Danny Gartland speculated that the loss of the team’s home pitch mid-season might have cost them the Premier title after they clinched second spot with this final-day victory.
The Drogheda side had to beat Bellurgan on the MDL Astro last Wednesday to overhaul them in the table and they did just that - although it took a last-gasp own goal from former Louth football star Ray Finnegan to seal victory.
The result meant that the ‘Well finished the season just two points behind champions Muirhevnamor, leaving Gartland wondering about the impact of playing all their home games since Christmas in either Walshestown or Navan.
‘Myself and [co-manage] Paul Crowley are very disappointed,’ he conceded, ‘and losing St Joseph’s half-way through the season was a big blow. After Christmas we won away to Navan Cosmos and Muirhevnamor and it was in the home games where we slipped up.
‘We lost two games in Walshestown and drew 4-4 with Quay Celtic and lost to Duleek in Navan.
‘That’s two years running where we finished second, but hopefully we can go one further next season and finish the job.
‘We’ve sat down with a couple of players already over the last two weeks and we have big plans for next year. We’ll be playing our home games in Albion on Thursday nights and that will be a big plus.’
With a draw no use to Newfoundwell in terms of their pursuit of a runners-up finish, they went at Bellurgan from the start and put their defence under pressure, with John Kermode going close to opening the scoring.
However, first blood went to the away side after 14 minutes when Ciaran Sheelan found the top corner of Keith Martin’s net with an unstoppable effort.
The ‘Well retained their composure and with Dean Carolan and Dylan Kearney bossing the midfield exchanges they began to look more threatening.
Dale Harding was a handful on the wing and when he was bundled over in the 22nd minute the resulting free kick led to the equalising goal.
Harding dusted himself down to take the kick himself and Martin Kelly arrived on cue to poke home from close range - 1-1.
Bellurgan continued to press, with their two-man strikeforce of Sheelan and Paddy Quinn prominent, along with central midfielder Daniel O’Connor.
However, the next goal went to Newfoundwell on 35 minutes as Kermode got past his marker before shooting to the bottom left of the Bellurgan keeper’s net.
That was quickly cancelled out early in the second half as referee Brian Murphy awarded a penalty for hand-ball and Bellurgan took the opportunity to equalise.
When an quickly taken free kick by Bellurgan cannoned off Adam O’Connor, the Newfoundwell player earned himself a second yellow card for not retreating 10 yards, and at that stage Newfoundwell were poised to finish third in the Premier table.
But there was to be one final twist in the 88th minute when Kermode latched onto a long ball over the top from Gaz Smith. As the striker bore down on goal, Bellurgan defender Finnegan gave chase and stretched out a leg in an attempt to deflect the ball away but could only divert it into his own net.
NEWFOUNDWELL: Keith Martin, Gaz Smith, Adam O’Connor, James Carter, Daryl McDonagh, Dylan Kearney (Darragh Traynor), Dean Carolan (Ross Reid), Dale Harding, Brandon Sullivan (Johnny Carroll), John Kermode, Martin Kelly.