Unchartered waters hold no fear for Newport Town
New Balance FAI Junior Cup 6th Round Preview
By Thomas Conway
AISLING ANNACOTTY
v
NEWPORT TOWN
Annacotty
Sunday, 13th January
Kick-off @ 2:15pm.
Referee: Robert Broe
Reaching the open-draw stages of the FAI Junior Cup is generally rewarded with an exotic journey to play a club in some distant part of the country, often Donegal.
There was ample selection of such destinations in this year’s last-32 draw – Newport could have found themselves making the 420km trek up to Glengad, on the Inishowen Peninsula where Peake Villa are heading to, or the more modest 330km journey to Cappry Rovers, another Donegal club located slightly further south.
Instead, they were handed a local derby with Limerick Premier Division side Aisling Annacotty. It’s an away fixture, but bear in mind that both clubs are located within 15 minutes of one another. Not quite Anfield to Goodison Park, but close enough.
There is currently a two-tier gap between Newport and their hosts on Sunday, with Annacotty hovering mid-table in the Limerick Premier Division, while Newport sit third in Division 1B.
It might suggest a gulf in class but intimidation won’t be a factor for the visiting side – Newport proved their worth with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over a hotly-fancied Carbury Rovers outfit in the last round, harnessing the energy from a vocal home crowd to send the Sligo League champions packing.
On Sunday they’ll be forced to cope without the familiar surroundings of Derryleigh Park, but you can expect their supporters to be just as abundant, and just as vocal.
To read more, pick up a copy of this weeks Nenagh Guardian locally or subscribe to our e-paper to access it online each Wednesday.