NEWRY Town once again stormed Irish soccer by appointing former Northern Ireland international Mal Doherty as their new manager.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea player has taken over at the Showgrounds after player-manager John McDonnell stepped down. The Joe Rice and Trevor Anderson era may have ended but Newry Town clearly intend to keep attracting quality players.
Donaghy has previously turned down job offers in England and Ireland but decided the time was right to take up his first management post assisted by Seamus Heath whom he met at his first professional club Luton Town.
Donaghy, who collected 91 international caps and made around 800 first class appearances, will continue in his post as an IFA development officer for counties Down and Armagh, which should bring the best local talent to the border club.
Newry currently, in second spot, visit Windsor Park this weekend, an ironic first fixture for Donaghy after he had turned down a job offer from Linfield earlier this summer.
The new manager said he was relishing the challenge: “It’ll be a very big match at Windsor but if we can get a result it will put pressure on the leaders.
“I’ll not drastically change the team from day one. It’ll be a ‘getting to know you’ process with the players.
“But they must be doing something right to be second and if we can fine tune it and improve it by 15-20 per cent then who knows where we will end up.”
DOWN say they have no injuries for Sunday’s All-Ireland Minor Football Final against Mayo.
Michael Walsh and Ronan Sexton are said to have recovered from injuries sustained in the club championship, while Colm Murtagh is eligible after a four-week suspension.
All came through with “flying colours” said Dougherty following their final trial match last weekend.
Down’s team will be selected tonight, and their manager is as satisfied as he could be with their preparations for the title match: “We were a bit concerned after the championship match between Mayobridge and Clonduff, but all the players are fit and we will select from a full strength squad.”
PJ McAlinden has also recovered from his injury setbacks and is in the frame to start after Down’s dazzling replay performance ended Dublin’s title hopes.
McAlinden impressed when introduced for the second half of the replay in Navan, where Down turned in a display of fine skill and excellent finishing.
“I think, at this stage, we would be happy to have the two extra games, which should be beneficial to us,” said Dougherty.
Mayo have been idle for five weeks since their All-Ireland semi-final, in which they were magnificent against Cork, scoring from all angles, shooting on sight, and looking awesome. They have gone for an unchanged team for Sunday’s game.
Mayo (MFC Final v Down): J O’Hara, MJ Meenaghan, P Kelly, J Brogan, R Keane, P Coady, C Moran, G Duffy, J Gill, R Moran, B Padden. B Loftus, G Dillon, A Dillon, E Gallagher.
Subs: M Burke, S Lindsay, B Jordan, J Moran, E Barrett, R Walsh, D Costello, D Morley, M Webb.
FORMER world champion Dennis Taylor was involved in a dour struggle with Lee Richardson before losing 5-4 in the first of two qualifying rounds of the Regal Welsh Tournament yesterday. while Michael Judge also lost 5-4 to Mark Fenton.
Judge, who reached the third round of the British Open before losing 5-3 to Mark Williams, had two breaks of 73, the second of which forced the game into a deciding frame.
After a tense 41-minute struggle it was Fenton who prevailed on the pink to reach the second round.
Stephen O’Connor was a 5-4 winner against Mehmet Husnu.
The Dubliner produced his best form of the match when he needed it most in the deciding frame, knocking in a break of 83 to set up a game with Joe Perry this morning.
Last night, Dungannon’s Patrick Wallace was 2-2 against David McLellan, while Jason Prince and Belfast-born Gerard Greene are both in action today.
Joe Swail, Terry Murphy, Fergal O’Brien and Ken Doherty go automatically through to the final stages.
SOUTH Down U14s will play Louth A in the final of the Lough league at St Patrick;s GAA Ground this weekend (under floodlights).
The following panel of players are involved: N McCombe (Longstone), A Carr (Clonduff), P McKernan (Ballyholland), S O’Hare (Mayobridge), N Toman (Tullylish), D McCabe Drumgath), D O’Connor (Warrenpoint), C McGarry (Warrenpoint), D O’Connor (Warrenpoint), C McGarry (Warrenpoint), G Haughian (Clonduff), J Brown Clonduff), M Rooney (Bosco), C McParland (Glenn), G Burden (Longstone), B Magee (Mayobridge), C Larkin (Bosco), P Brennan (Glasrummond), O Henry (Warrenpoint), J Doran (Ballymartin), C Rogers (Ballymartin), P Trainor (Attical), M Poland (Longstone), A Mackin (Rostrevor), D Kimberly (Mitchels), A Cousins (Rostrevor, C Morgan (Rostrevor)
