Darren Mullen Newry City v Ballinamallard United post-match

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We spoke to Newry City manager Darren Mullen after his side claimed an important win over Ballinamallard United this evening.

Transcript

00:00Darren, obviously crucial three points tonight, you must be pleased with the team's performance?

00:04Yeah, we knew it could be five cup finals basically, we'll try and keep our season alive.

00:09This is the first of them, we knew how important it was, it was a difficult game, we haven't had any easy games against Ballymallor this year.

00:15We played well without taking our chances, thankfully we didn't take our chances, we started the game really well.

00:19On the front foot, we pushed them, pressed them in, made them make mistakes, we thought we were excellent.

00:25After that it was just a matter of controlling it, thankfully we got the early one in the second half because it was important.

00:31Whoever got the next goal, they had a great chance just before the end of the first half.

00:36We were lucky in that regard, but I thought we were excellent.

00:40Two early goals, I'm sure coming into the game tonight, that must be really pleasing for you as manager,

00:44because I'm sure you're trying to gel players in and talk about the importance of the game.

00:48You can't get a better start than that, 3-0 up after about 15-16 minutes?

00:51We've had loads of chances in games and haven't taken them.

00:55I've said to the lads the other night, we must have saved them for the right moments and hopefully that's the case in the split.

01:01Two really good goals, a great delivery from Adam, a great header from Ryan and then a great break from Adam in there.

01:08I'm delighted for the lads, they've been working hard and sometimes you do need a wee bit of luck.

01:13It's not luck that has us down at the bottom of the league, we need to be a lot better than we have been.

01:18We just need to keep giving ourselves a fighting chance, we need to do that tonight.

01:22We just need to take it into the next game. Can't we just play well tonight?

01:26Not necessarily against Ballyclare, they know the importance of the next game.

01:30We need to take that performance into that.

01:32You mentioned Ballyclare's chance, Donnelly pulled off a super double save,

01:36but the defence as a unit, as a whole, kept a clean sheet tonight and really outside of that moment,

01:41Ballyclare didn't have a whole lot of chances did they?

01:43No they didn't, we wanted to make sure they weren't getting close into goal.

01:46They're a good football side, if you drop off too deep they're going to have that chance.

01:49We didn't, we pressed out in the right areas, made sure we didn't let them play,

01:53thought the midfield were excellent.

01:54As for the whole team, the energy throughout the team, we needed to bring that into the game.

01:58We needed that intensity, especially at home.

02:01We limited them to very little and we were worthy winners in the end.

02:05Results elsewhere, it's back in your own hands now, there's only a two point gap behind Newington.

02:10I suppose just with four games to go, is it a case of just trying to build as much points as you can

02:14and whatever else happens we'll take care of ourselves?

02:16Yeah, we can only look after ourselves.

02:18Obviously, you're looking at Newington's result and it does mean it's back in our own hands.

02:22It doesn't make it any easier, it's still the same.

02:24We still have to win the next four games to give ourselves a chance,

02:28but it just leaves it that wee bit easier.

02:30We'd have been disappointed tonight if we'd have known that they had it drawn and we hadn't capitalised.

02:33Thankfully we've done that.

02:34All we can do is look after ourselves.

02:36Whatever other teams do is outside our control.

02:39What is in control now is Ballyclare inside.

02:42It's probably just a case of picking up where you left off from tonight?

02:45It is, yeah.

02:46We're the same.

02:47If we play like that, we'll be hard to handle because we played really well tonight.

02:50That 3-0 scoreline certainly doesn't flatter us, but we need to take an end to it.

02:54We know Ballyclare had a good win tonight,

02:56but again, we just need to make sure we're doing what we're doing tonight.

02:59Take the positives out of it, take that intensity and that aggression that we had tonight into the game

03:04and the defensive capabilities that we showed tonight.

03:06We're more looking forward to it and hopefully we can get another big crowd down.

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