Newport to put their best foot forward on and off the pitch
NEWPORT TOWN v CARBURY FC
Derryleigh Park, Newport
Sunday, 2nd December
Kick-off @ 2.00pm
Referee: Robert Broe
Newport gets the taste of big time soccer this Sunday when they host Carbury FC from Sligo in the fifth round of the FAI Junior Cup.
The FAI Junior Cup is the biggest competition of its kind in Europe with over 700 clubs taking part and for the first time in their 48 year history, Newport Town have progressed beyond their own league section, taking their place in the last 64.
In surviving the difficult Limerick League section, they benefitted from some good draws which saw them record victories over Northside Legacy, Patrickswell and Granville Rangers to get to this stage.
However, they face a step-up in quality in the form of Carbury FC who are the reigning Super League champions in the Sligo/Leitrim District League and are the current Connacht Cup holders with a number of former League of Ireland players from Sligo Rovers and Athlone Town in their ranks.
Newport manager Marc Barry has been to see them and rates them as a mid-table Limerick Premier division side, whom he feels his team would compete well against on current form with Newport lying third in the third division of the Limerick League, midway through the campaign.
“This is a nice distraction for the team but it is a great occasion to showcase the club,” he said of what will be the biggest game to take place at Derryleigh Park since their move there in 2007, and has developed into one of the best facilities in the region.
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