SHAMROCK ROVERS 0
NEWCASTLE UNITED 3
Friendly
Tallaght Stadium, Dublin
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Kick-off 3pm

Craig Hope reports from the Tallaght Stadium ....

MATCH SUMMARY

NEWCASTLE United marked their first pre-season friendly of the summer with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers.

After a goalless first half it was Geordie defender Steven Taylor who broke the deadlock on 50 minutes as he turned home from close range after Andy McNeil had kept out Kazenga LuaLua's low strike.

Shola Ameobi (87) made it two after a mazy dribble inside the area before Nile Ranger got his first goal at senior level with a 25-yard shot in the dying seconds.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

And the full-time whistle sounds with United 3-0 winners.

89min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-3): Nile Ranger gets his first goal at senior level as he turns a loose ball into the unguarded net from 25 yards after the Rovers keeper had rushed from his line to block Ameobi.

87min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-2): This time Ameobi does get it right as he jigs between Shamrock bodies inside the area before seeing a left-footed shot find its way into the back of the net via a deflection off a green-and-white shirt.

84min - Ameobi escapes the attentions of Johnston but the Geordie striker miscues his shot after galloping into the penalty area.

77min - Tim Krul's blushes are spared as he swipes at fresh air from Ryan Taylor's bobbling back pass only for Pavol Jurco to turn to loose ball onto the post with the goal gaping - it was a narrow angle but the striker should have scored.

74min - Danny Guthrie clips the top of the crossbar with a dipping free-kick from a narrow angle on the left with the ball bouncing behind for a goal-kick.

71min - Tim Krul's first involvement comes when Trouten's out-swinging centre is bravely plucked from the boot of Amond by the Dutch keeper.

66min - Donaldson is again in the hunt for a goal and he drives forward on the right before sending a low drive inches wide of the Shamrock frame from 20 yards out.

63min - Shola Ameobi stands up a far-post cross for Ryan Donaldson to attack, the Toon youngster climbs and is unlucky to see his header flash wide with McNeil beaten.

62min - Ryan Taylor again goes for goal from a deadball 20 yards out but McNeil shuffles across his goal line to grasp.

59min - Frank Danquah takes aim from 20 yards but his strike slices away from the target and behind for a goal-kick.

57min - Danny Guthrie looks to free Shola Ameobi with a threaded throughball but the pass skids away off the greasy surface and through to McNeil.

The sweeping rain here in Dublin has put the lid on a barbecue behind the United goal.

50min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-1): Kazenga LuaLua's skidding low strike from just inside the area is kept out by the legs ouf McNeil but STEVEN TAYLOR is on hand to turn home from six yards before celebrating with the United fans behind the goal.

47min - It's been a promising start to the second period from United and Ryan Taylor tests McNeil with a dipping free-kick from 20 yards which is scrambled around the post. Nothing comes of the corner.

Alan Smith has taken the armband as Shamrock get us started amid a light drizzle here in Dublin.

United make wholesale changes during the break with the Magpies now lining up as follows; Tim Krul, Ryan Taylor, Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor, Ben Tozer, Danny Guthrie, Kazenga LuaLua, Frank Wiafe Danquah, Ryan Donaldson, Alan Smith, Shola Ameobi.

FIRST-HALF ACTION

And the half-time whistle sounds to signal the end of a goalless opening period.

40min - Nolan attempts to swivel inside the area but when the midfielder unleashes a low shot on the turn it is blocked by Trouten at the cost of a corner. Duff lifts into the mix but it is Madden who hacks to safety at the near post.

37min - Baheng's low strike from Barton's cut back is deflected behind by Trouten inside the six-yard area. Barton lifts the corner into the area but again it's a Rovers head which clears.

34min - The hosts again burst forward with purpose and the tricky Andrezly swaps passes with Jurco only for his weak stab to roll hamrlessly wide of the target from just six yards out.

31min - Rovers mount a promising forward break but Chisholm's touch lets him down at the crucial moment after he had been slipped in on goal by Amond, the ball running free to the recovering Habib Beye.

26min - Steve Harper gets the feintest of touches on Jurco's goal-bound shot as the United stopper brushes the 20-yard effort around the upright. Nile Ranger is back on defensive duty for the resultant flag-kick and it is the young striker who climbs to head clear.

22min - Nicky Butt tries to get around the outside of Maguire on the right flank but the Rovers man recovers to poke away from the United skipper at the expense of a corner. Duff works it short to Butt but Treacy has read their intentions and arrives to steal and clear.

16min - A game of pinaball inside the Rovers area ends with a grounded Kevin Nolan swinging the loose ball towards goal, it looks like the Toon midfielder's effort is heading for the back of the net but goalkeeper Andy McNeil is well positioned on his goal line and saves with his shins - that was close.

13min - United break and Habib Beye comes close to breaking the deadlock with a drive from range, the ball is curling away from Rovers stopper Andy McNeil but he manages to dive and palm clear with the effort headed for the bottom corner.

12min - Callum Morris does well to jockey the red-booted Pavol Jurco with the striker attempting to steal room for the shot on the edge of the area, the United defender stands strong and eventually blocks a fizzing low strike.

8min - Wesley Ngo Baheng's right-wing centre is blocked by Maguire and United win the first corner of the afternoon. Damien Duff clips into the area but it's keeper Andy McNeil who steps up from his line to snatch and avert the danger.

5min - Nicky Butt bodychecks the lively Madden as he cuts in from the left flank and referee Ian Doyle blows for a free-kick on the angle of the penalty box. It is Madden who flights into the danger zone but Callum Morris backpedals to leap and head clear at the far post.

1min - Steve Harper is called into action within the first 30 seconds as Amond advances from halfway before stinging the palms of the Tonn stopper with a low drive from 25 yards - great save.

United get the game started kitted out in their new black-and-white home kit with Shamrock in their traditional green-and-white hoops.

TEAM NEWS

NEWCASTLE United hand senior debuts to Nile Ranger, Wesley Ngo Baheng and Tamas Kadar for this afternoon's first friendly of the summer against Shamrock Rovers.

The Magpies have spent the past week at a training camp in County Kildare with Chris Hughton taking charge of first-team affairs.

Also included in the United starting line-up is Dubliner Damien Duff and Republic of Ireland Under-19 defender Callum Morris.

TEAMS

SRFC: Andy McNeil, Eric McGill, Darragh Maguire, Corie Treacy, Simon Madden, Alan Trouten, Barry Johnson, Ross Chisholm, Peter Gal Andrezly, Pavol Jurco, Padraig Amond
Subs: Eoin Doyle, Loyed Massey, Sean O'Connor, Tadhg Purcell, Ian Bermingham, Karl Coleman, Victor Ekanem, Aidan Price, Shane Robinson

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Callum Morris, Fabricio Coloccini, Tamas Kadar, Wesley Ngo Baheng, Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Nile Ranger
Subs: Jose Enrique, Danny Guthrie, Ryan Taylor, Alan Smith, Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Frank Wiafe Danquah, Ole Soderberg, Ben Tozer, Kazenga LuaLua, Tim Krul, Ryan Donaldson