Newry Town (City) 3
Ballymena United 2
League (NIFL Premiership)

Match Report

Newry City turned the tables on Ballymena United on Tuesday night, coming out tops in a 5 goal game.

With an unchanged starting XI, United started on the front foot and managed to grab the opening goal on 7 minutes, a Michael Place corner into the box steered home by the head of Kym Nelson.

It was just 10 minutes later when Noel Healy made a run through the middle of the park, passed to Daniel Hughes and, on receiving the ball back, sent the ball flying into the net.

This prompted the home side to up their game and they started threatening, Conor Keeley forced to clear a shot from Hughes off the line and Sean O'Neill denying James Teelan as he beared down on goal, finally going ahead on 36 minutes. Jack Henderson was penalised for a poor challenge on Daniel Hughes in the box and, while the striker sent his penalty straight towards O'Neill, he was quick to get on the ball and smash it home.

It was an end to end battle throughout the game, and the game continued in the same fashion after the half-time break, Waide and Kelly coming on in the 60th minute and McElroy and McGrory in the 73rd.

The changes eventually fell into place as Nelson beat a City defender to the ball, played it out to Ross Redman who sent a cross in for Ryan Waide to score at the back post, levelling the scores with 15 minutes left in the game.

It was to be a disappointing end for the Sky Blues when Daniel Hughes and Brian Healy linked up in injury time and the latter smashed the ball off the underside of the bar and into the net, leaving O'Neill no chance as the game ended 3-2 to the home side.

Match report written by Paul Irwin (www.ballymenaunitedfc.com)