Newry vs Ards.
Bluefin Sport Championship.
Newry Showgrounds.
Saturday 14th March at 3.00 p.m.
Ards travel to the Showgrounds hoping to stop Newry claiming a hat-trick of victories over the Red and Blues this season. Newry inflicted the first defeat of the season on Ards when they won 3-0 in Bangor back in August and followed that up with a 5-1 demolition job on their own pitch in October.
League position and current form shows there shouldn't be much to choose between the two sides, Ards sit in fourth place with 52 points, while Newry are fifth with 51 points but they do have a game in hand. In spite of their long injury list the Red and Blues are currently on an unbeaten run that was extended to six after their 2-1win over the Welders last Saturday, while Newry have lost only one league game since the start of January with six wins and two draws in that time. Their sole defeat was at home to second placed Loughgall last Saturday. Newry's last two games have come at a cost however as Declan Carville was sent off in that defeat last Saturday and fellow midfielder Thomas McCann picked up his fifth yellow card in last night's win against Dergview so both will be suspended for the game on Saturday. Newry still have enough to trouble a depleted Ards side with ex Ards striker Mark Kelly, regular scorer Mark McCabe and leading goalscorer Adam Foley, who has already scored four against the Red and Blues this season, all likely to start.
There is some good news on the injury front for Ards fans as only Adam Harwood and Leo Brown, who has yet to make his first team debut, missed training on Tuesday. It is hoped that some of the players missing last week can be included in the squad this week but for the likes of Craig McMillen the post-split fixtures are a more realistic target.
The PASC will be running a bus to this fixture leaving the Social Club/Gibson's Lane at 1.15 p.m. As always all fans are welcome.
Match Officials : Not known at time of writing.