Last season’s league champions Ardgllass GAC enjoyed a victory on neigbours Kilclief Ben Dearg
Senior Men’s Match Report
Down GAA Div 4, 10th April 2026,
Match Day Sponsor: Kieran Shields & Family,
Ard-Ghlais CLG 1-8 1-4 Kilclief Ben Dearg.
A large crowd turned out for this eagerly-awaited league opener in Ardtole Memorial Park, and despite horrendous weather conditions, the teams turned out.
A strong south-easterly wind gusted diagonally across the pitch, accompanied by relentless rain throughout the sixty minutes, ensuring this was never going to be a game for the purists of the faint-hearted writes Jack O’Shea.
The visitors from Ben Dearg started brightly, opening with a goal after a shot for a point struck the crossbar and fell kindly to a Kilclief forward.
This was quickly followed by a converted free. Ardglass gradually settled into the contest, with Caolain O’Shea opening their account from a free before adding an excellent two-point score from play after cleverly working a short 45.
Conor Kearney levelled the game in the 16th minute following a well worked team move.
The contest remained scrappy as conditions worsened, with both sides battling hard for possession.
The standout moment of the first half arrived in the 25th minute when Dara O’Shea turned over possession inside his own 45 metre line, surged forward and struck a superb two-point effort to give Ardglass a 0-6 to 1-1 lead at the break.
Ardglass carried that momentum into the second half and struck in the first attack. Jack O’Shea finished to the net at the second attempt after his initial effort was saved by Kilclief goalkeeper Caolan Savage.
Ardglass then began to dominate around midfield, and two further frees from Caolain O’Shea extended the lead to seven points with ten minutes remaining.
Kilclief rallied late on but were unable to break down a resolute Ardglass defence. They added three points to reduce the margin, but it was not enough as Ardglass secured a deserved four-point victory to open their 2026 campaign.
The win was built on a strong defensive foundation, with teenager Taylor Beattie impressing on his senior debut in goals.
He was well supported by Malachy Crangle, Antion O’Shea and Conor Kearney, while Dara O’Shea was influential at centre half back.
Up front, Ardglass relied on the composed free-taking of captain Caolain O’Shea, while the tireless work rate of Shea Dorrian and Gavin O’Shea set the tone throughout.
Ardglass GAC: T Beattie; A O’Shea, M Crangle, C Kearney (0-1); C Mahon, D O’Shea (0-2), C McElroy; J O’Shea (1-0), J Crangle; S Dorrian, C O’Shea (0-5), G O’Shea; M Magennis, J McDarby, P O’Shea. Subs: M Magee, O Curran, J Zych; D Murphy, L Kearney, J O’Connor, S P Halpin, E McMullan, R Feenan, S Rooney, S Teggart.
