No upset win for Newry City as they fall to powerful title-chasers Larne

There was to be no shock win for Newry City on Friday night, as they lost 3-0 away to reigning Premiership champions Larne at Inver Park.

It wasn’t completely one-way traffic, with Barry Gray’s men creating several clear cut chances in the second half, but ultimately it was Tiernan Lynch’s team who had the more class and quality, as expected.

The only goal of the first half came on 17 minutes for the home side. A dangerous Joe Thomson cross was headed back across goal by Lee Bonis, and the Newry defence failed to clear their lines, instead laying the ball up on a silver platter for new Larne signing Chris Gallagher to meet on the half volley and send into the net.

Outside of that goal, Larne controlled the possession but didn’t lay much of a siege on Conor Mitchell’s goal. Newry centre back Barney McKeown foiled several dangerous attacks, including getting his foot to a low Tomas Cosgrove cross with Andrew Ryan lurking at the back post.

Ryan did manage to get a couple of half chances in the opening period, but he flashed both efforts just over the bar, whilst a Mark Randall corner deflected off Ro-Shaun Williams, looped into the air and came back out off the crossbar.

Newry’s first chance of note came in the opening minutes of the second half, when Darren King sent a through ball down the right channel for Adam Salley, but with the angle against him, City’s top scorer fired over the bar in a one on one.

Newry were punished on 52 minutes when Larne’s two wing backs combined to make it 2-0. Left wing back Sean Graham’s corner beat everybody in the middle and landed at the feet of right wing back Cosgrove, who tapped the ball home from a yard out with the easiest goal he’ll ever score.

The visitors had some chances of their own to pull themselves back into it, but both Salley and new addition Jamie McDonagh were denied by an outstanding double save by Rohan Ferguson. Then The Showgrounds side had another opportunity when a loose ball bounced in Larne’s box and Salley lobbed a shot over Ferguson, but Millar got back and got enough on the ball to direct it behind for a corner.

Alas, Larne put the game beyond all doubt on 73 minutes, when a needless foul by Georgie Poynton on Cosgrove – who was on the by-line and off the ball – led to Ryan coolly slotting a penalty into the bottom corner for his side’s third.

Bonis and Cosgrove had late chances to put further icing on the cake, but both men missed the target with their efforts.