Brannigan boys Newcastle stars

6 January 2016

NEWCASTLE gave Wellington the boot when they leapfrogged over them to take second spot in the 1B league table on goal difference at Shimna College on Saturday.

Goals from Darren Travers, Ciaran and Peter Brannigan gave Newcastle their sixth league win on the bounce and although they are now 13 points behind runaway leaders Ballynahich Olympic, they have three games in hand over their arch rivals.

Both teams were far from being at full strength, but it was Newcastle who looked the more composed and hungrier in the opening exchanges. Darren Travers, who has made the transition from a wide-sided player into the team’s play maker, was a revelation in the heat of the early midfield battle and it was only fitting that he made the breakthrough.

A few abortive Newcastle raids were repelled by Wellington, but with 17 minutes gone all that changed. A deep free kick from Ciaran Brannigan caused all sorts of consternation in the Wellington six yard box and Travers bravely threw himself into a ruck of bodies to force the ball over the line.

Newcastle’s joy was short-lived as less than a minute later Andy Waide was given the freedom of the park when he was allowed to get on the end of a long ball and from what seemed an offside position, drilled a first time shot past Wayne Lennon.

Stuarty Hilditch blasted over from a good position three minutes later as Wellington continued to threaten, but Newcastle calmly quietened the visitors down with the indomitable Philip Bonny leading from the front.

Newcastle created a number of chances with some excellent approach play, but they were unable to finish them off. Just before the break Peter Brannigan threaded a delightful pass into the path of big brother Ciaran, a pass that left him clear inside the box with only the ‘keeper to beat. Alas, he took one touch too many and the chance was gone.

The second half followed a similar pattern with both sides giving their all, but chances were still few and far between.

With 60 minutes gone Ciaran Brannign had a shot spilled by the Wellington ‘keeper, but the ball hit the upright and was hacked to safety. With 71 minutes gone a neat interchange in the middle of the park created an overload for Gavin Moore to exploit and his cross was dispatched to the net by a grateful Ciaran Brannigan.

Wellington tried to respond and Hilditch blasted over from a good position before Peter Brannigan had efforts saved at the other end.

With eight minutes of the game remaining Peter Brannigan was fed the ball wide left. He was immediately confronted by three defenders and had absolutely nowhere to go.

However, he nutmegged the first defender, danced past the second, left the third for dead with a dip of the shoulder and somehow beat Paul Morton with a perfectly angled drive to make it 3-1.

This should have been game, set and match for Newcastle, but Wellington refused to give way and Waide made it 3-2 with a wicked free kick that dipped into the net.

Newcastle survived a few anxious moments in the dying embers of the game, but held on for a deserved win.

Newcastle:W Lennon, S P Holland, B Fitzsimons, C Collins, P Bonny, D Travers, G Moore, E Simmons, P Brannigan, C Brannigan, D McCartan. Subs: D McKenna, C Maginn, C Hayes.

Wellington Rec: P Morton, C Paisley, W Magill, G Nelson, S Cowie, A Phillips, A Waide, S Hilditch, P Matthews, S Todd, D Shaw. Subs: C McCallister, J Mannis, M Wilson.

Newcastle 3

Wellington Rec 2

AMATEUR LEAGUE DIVISION 1B

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