St Mary’s take the points at Bann Road as The Town struggles
The NAFL Division 1C,
Venue: Bann Road, 20th December 2025,
Final Score: Castlewellan Town 2 5 St Mary’s FC.
Castlewellan Town were on the wrong side of a second-half goalfest when they welcomed title challengers St Mary’s to the Bann Road Playing Fields.
After a goalless opening 45 minutes, it was the Town who got their noses in front, courtesy of captain Ruairi Croskery, but the Saints snatched the lead through Conor Kearney and Niall McDaid.
Croskery’s second momentarily restored parity, only for a Harry Griffin double and a strike from Fintan McDaid to ensure the visitors claimed the all-important three points.
The match got off to a battling start, with Castlewellan edging the early duels and probing the opposition defence, searching for an opening that just did not present itself.
St Mary’s, on the other hand, were happy to soak up the pressure and play counter-attacking football – a plan that almost paid dividends when Kearney cut the ball back to Fintan McDaid, who forced a save from Rory Burns at close range.
The hosts looked dangerous from set-pieces all afternoon, and Matthew Carvill came closest, meeting Croskery’s delivery and heading towards the top corner, with goalkeeper Jonah Magill reacting to deny.
Clear-cut chances were at a premium as the first half drew to a close, but there was still time for both sides to threaten once more.
The Saints’ Niall McDaid was first to try his luck, unleashing a ferocious half-volley, one which brought a dazzling save from Burns, while Croskery latched on to a goal kick and attempted to lift over the head of Magill, denied only by the fingertips of the away shot-stopper.
The first period may have failed to breed goals, with the two teams entering the break locked together at 0-0, but Town only needed 10 minutes to open the scoring after the interval.
Carvill whipped a dangerous free-kick into the heart of the box and skipper Croskery produced a clever, backwards header to find the bottom corner.
They came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage just four minutes later, when Danny McKay clipped the ball into the box and Carvill’s bouncing volley called Magill into action once more.
Instead, the visitors found a reply in spectacular fashion, with captain Kearney trying his luck from around 30 yards out and catching Burns off-guard with a goal of the season contender.
The floodgates opened from there, as Niall McDaid fired the saints in front for the first time, reacting to smash home from a loose ball, and Croskery got his head to McKay’s flick-on, levelling from two yards out.
While the net would bulge a further three times in the final 20 minutes, the entirety of the scoring exploits belonged to the travelling side.
Centre-half Griffin bagged a 15-minute brace, heading home from a pair of corners, while Fintan McDaid gave Burns no chance with an unstoppable curling effort from the edge of the box.
The defeat, a third from five games, means Castlewellan will remain in third place at Christmas, trailing St Mary’s and Bloomfield by four and five points respectively.
