TEELAN STRIKE DENTS PORTS HOPES
Newry City mathematically made sure they would avoid the automatic drop with a narrow defeat of bottom of the table Portadown at Shamrock Park.
The result leaves the Ports five points adrift at the foot with City moved a similar amount clear of the play-off spot.
The Ports started brightly with Luke Wilson seeing an early effort saved by Steven Maguire while Cathair Friel had a 'goal' ruled out offside.
Portadown continued to press, coming close when a Paddy McNally header was cleared off the line while, at the other end, Thomas Lockhart saw a free-kick from distance deflected to safety.
But the deadlock was broken with around ten minutes of the first half remaining through James Teelan after he followed up from the loose ball after Brian Healy's initial effort had been pushed out.
Newry might have doubled their lead in the second half with a 25-yard Healy free-kick that curled narrowly past the left post.
The home side pressed for what would have been a crucial equaliser but could only come closest with a Wilson header that drifted just the wrong side of the right post.
Portadown: Barr, Wilson, Balde, Russell, McKeown, McNally, Archer, Rodgers, McCawl, Friel, O'Sullivan subs Mastny, Upton, Stedman, Chapman, Teggart, Igiehon, Walker
Newry City: Maguire, N. Healy, Lockhart, Teelan, Martin, Moan, B. Healy, Scullion, Montgomery, Sloan, Adeyemo subs Halpenny, Carville, Hughes, Donnelly, Forde, Lusty, McNamee
Substitution 
Substitution 
