Blitzed Fitz!

United went into their final game of the season today with just one change from last Saturday’s starting line-up, Paul Murphy replacing youngster Sean O’Neill in goals. To say that the Sky Blues were indebted to their keeper during this game would be a vast understatement, as he kept them in the game with three crucial saves in the first half. Newry, who had lost their last 4 games, were intent in ending that sequence and deservedly took the lead, when Willis hammered the ball past Murphy as the United defence looked on. This goal after 23 minutes gave the visitors a one nil lead in a game they almost completely dominated, but it should have been an equaliser as 5 minutes earlier Darren Fitzgerald had perpetrated a shocking miss, even taking into account the ones he has missed in United previous two games. In a rare United attack, Mark Picking had crossed to the far post where an unmarked Fitzy headed over, when it looked easier to score. I do realise that Darren isn’t deliberately missing chances, but it is nevertheless galling, when despite not playing great, we miss, the best chances of the game. He repeated the dose twice more with two shots which should have ripped the net, but failed to trouble the visitor’s keeper. Newry’s use of the off-side trap didn’t allow United to play any free flowing football, but that was no excuse for their lack lustre efforts in the first half. Referee Mahon blew his halftime whistle with Newry still leading by a one nil scoreline.

United’s central defender and Captain Albert Watson, didn’t appear for the second period and Aiden Watson came on in midfield, with Haveron dropping back into central defence alongside Simon Kelly. Aiden gave the home team a bit more bite in midfield, but still United struggled to elude the Newry off-side trap, although there were a few close calls. Aiden Watson raced to the by-line on one occasion and his long cross was headed into the net by Fitzy, but the referee’s assistant (a female), ruled that the cross had gone out of play and therefore the goal was wiped out. United finally managed to beat the off-side trap once more and Picking’s perfect cross was once more headed wide by, you guessed it, Fitzy. That was about the 60^th minute and soon afterwards the United manager brought on Paul Brown and took the non-striking Fitzy off. United finally got back on terms, when Scates once more beat the off-side trap and as the Newry keeper left his line, he cleverly ‘chipped’ the ball over his head to level the scores. That goal came in the 73^rd minute and two minutes later the United manager took off the disappointing Stephen Lowry and brought on Boydie, who evoked the biggest cheer of the day from the home supporters. Suddenly we looked like a different team, with Boydie giving us the width on the left we had been lacking for so long. Top scorer Kevin Kelbie, spurned a great chance to give the home team all three points when he screwed a shot wide from the edge of the box. Despite forcing several corners United couldn’t achieve the vital breakthrough although they had a goal disallowed from a Kelly header, but for why I have no idea. So the match ended in a draw, a point that keeps the Sky Blues in 9th place and at the end of the day that perfectly sums up our efforts for the season. The conclusion is we have not improved over the last two seasons. The manager keeps saying we’re getting there, but I believe if it doesn’t happen soon, he and a lot of other folk, will be looking for a new job!

P. Murphy 8 Scates 8 MoM: P. Murphy

Callaghan 6 Fitzy 4

McClean 6 Kelbie 5

Haveron 6 Lowry 5 Referee: S. Mahon 4

Alb Watson 7 1^st Sub: Aid Watson 7

Kelly 7 2^nd Sub: Brown 7

Picking 6 3^rd Sub: Boydie 7