Ardglass FC win Premier League in Newcastle and District Amateur Football League
The Newcastle and District Amateur Football League,
Premier League, League Match,
Venue, The Meadow, Ardglass, Thursday 2nd May 2024.
Final Score: Ardglass FC 3 0 Killough FC.
It was the final showdown of the season in the Newcastle and District Amateur Football League as Ardglass FC faced their neighbours Killough FC in a match to decide who was going to lift the Premier League cup writes Jim Masson.
Ardglass had a win in the NFU Bobby Dalzell Cup last December and have completed a double in cup victories this season.
Ardglass had played well all season and won all their matches except drawing two. Killough were on their tails and needed a win to stay in contention for the league, while Ardglass just needed a draw to get over the line.
The evening in the Meadow in Ardglass was cool, sunny, and with a light breeze. The pitch was in reasonable condition given the rain in recent months, and it was game on.
The play started off with Ardglass pressing on their home pitch but Killough were quick to find their feet and pushed back.
Ardglass winger Ryan McKinney was proving to be hot t o handle for the Killough defence with his rapid sprints up the pitch creating openings.
Killough won a corner on 5 minutes and it was headed clear by Malachy Crangle. The Ardglass back line looked solid and well disciplined but Killough were well capable of scoring with their talented front line.
Then on 10 minutes Ryan McKinney struck a blow to Killough after they gave a way a free kick on the half way line. Killough battled back quickly and Cilian Burns came close to scoring but his kick was blocked.
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Jamie McDarby took the kick and fired it into the pack in front of the Killough goal. It was punched out by the keeper McCarthy but McKinney got possession quickly and lashed a low volley at the goal hitting the back of the net.
Then Ardglass midfielder Michael Clarke rushed the Killough goal on a solo but McCarthy read it and came out quickly to narrow his angle down in the nick of time before he could get his shot off
Killough broke quickly again and Conor Kelly came close to scoring but keeper Crangle also came out and blocked his shot. As the match progressed, Killough were digging into Ardglass and won another corner keeping up the pressure.
But Ardglass recomposed themselves and started to play with more confidence and authority.
But Cilain Burns found space to hit a sound volley on target but it was held buy Crangle well.
Michael Magee made an excellent pass to John Beattie but Killough’s Ruairi Sharvin managed to intervene stymie-ing his goal chance.
Ardglass were managing to keep Killough well away from their mets most of the time.
Magee got close to scoring again by Killough right back Sean Og Burns managed to block the shot sending it past the other side of the post.
McKinney made a good save at the Ardglass goal as Killough’s Eamon Gargan headed in the box at the Ardglass goal.
Killough were getting closer to scoring that crucial equaliser to keep them in the game, then their luck changed when Conor Kelly struck a lovely cvolley but it reverbrated off the top post.
Then Sharvin cross the ball from the left side of the pitch to to Riain Burns at the Ardglass goal and forced keeper Crangle to finger the ball out for a corner.
The match kicked off for the second half and overall at the final whistle Killough had clocked up six yellow cards and Ardglass had only received one. Killough were more under pressure and certainly played a more physical game.
In the 61st minute Jordan Finnegan was substituted by Matt Rooney and after receiving a number of knocks, Magee was substituted by Shea Dorrian.
But just seven minutes into the second half, Corey Mahon broke through the Killough back line and received a pass from McDarby and headed it well into the Killough goal to the back post for Ardglass’ second goal.
`Play resumed and McKinney was fouled as he ran to score insid ethe box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Up steppe dMichael Magee who nailed the ball to the back of the net putting Ardglass three goals ahead in what was initially thought to be a close match.
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Ardglass confidence was boosted by this goal and they pressed against Killough again.
But Killough came back rattlling and Riain Burns just missed a cross in front of goal that could have kept Killough in contention. Then he made a cross to Conor Kelly who shot at the ardglass goal but at the last second the kick was blocked by Malachy Crangle having a good game in defence.
There were a number of substitution made and with increasing fouls teh game became a bit ragged towards teh end as teh conclusion looked fairly obvious who was going to win. Killough started to look as though they’d lost their guiding star.
The clock was ticking and Kelly again made an effort with a snap volley but it bounced of a cluster of Ardglass defenders.
Then Looney made a charge at the Ardglass goal and struck the ball which rolled loose and almost went over the goal line were it not for a quick save from Crangle.
Both teams looked as though they had been through the ringer. It had been a hard season for them both and this match itself was the culmination of these matches and a weariness started to show towards the final whistle and players were cramping up.
The league cup was presented to a delighted Ardglass captain Caolain O’Shea by Darryl Madine, official from the Newcastle and District Amateur Football League.
Ardglass FC went into celebratory and Killough, the league champions for 2022-23, had to settle on this occasion for second best.
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Ardglass FC: James Crangle (GK) 2 Corey Mahon 3 Malachy Crangle 4 Caolain O’Shea (C) 5 Jordan Deegans 6 Michael Clarke 7 Ryan McKinney 8 Jordan Finnegan 9 Michael Magee 10 John Beattie 11 Jamie McDarby. Subs: 12 Owen Curran 15 Matthew Rooney 16 Shea Dorian.
Killough FC: 1 Pearce McCarthy (GK) 2 Sean Og Burns 3 Declan Burns 4 Caoimhin Groves 5 Eamon Gargan 6 Gareth George (C) 7 Riain Burns 8 Cilian Burns 9 Declan Looney 10 Conor Kelly 11 Ruairi Sharvin. Subs: 14 Terry Rooney 15 Lee Murphy 16 Ben McLaughlin.
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