Impressive Ardglass in command at the top

Impressive Ardglass in command at the top

4 December 2024

ARDGLASS maintained their perfect league record and made light work of Newcastle Town Swifts to consolidate their position at the top of the Newcastle League’s Premier Division table . 

It may have been an incredibly windy afternoon, but it was the home side that proved to be the dominant force, breezing past the visitors to claim their sixth win of the campaign.

Corey Mahon, Shea Dorrian and Dara O’Shea were on target for Ardglass on a day when they really could have made it a cricket score.

The hosts started as they meant to go on, opening their account through Mahon after just two minutes of play.

The towering right-back was perhaps an unlikely goal scorer when he reacted first to pick up a loose ball in the box and fire into the bottom corner on the half-volley.

Newcastle failed to get going, despite having the wind in their favour, and Ardglass could smell blood.

They came close to doubling their lead just three minutes after their opener and with the visitors riding their luck, a last-ditch block was enough to divert O’Shea’s venomous strike over the crossbar.

Ardglass were in the ascendancy and were inches away from a second goal when Jamie Cusack’s curling effort bounced off the top of the bar.

Ryan McKinney was making superb runs down the left wing and it was soon his turn to try his luck at goal.

He latched on to a fantastic long ball from Dorrian, left the defenders in his dust and in a one-on-one situation was denied by the outstretched leg of Newcastle goalkeeper Oran Sloan.

Newcastle eventually began to find some time on the ball, with Daniel Cunningham battling through the midfield and drifting into the box, only to be stopped in his tracks by a 

well-timed sliding challenge from Ardglass ‘keeper James Crangle.

McKinney looked to be in on goal once again when he was played in by Michael Magee, but Oisin Kelly’s superb tackle put paid to his efforts.

Aaron Beattie’s men were unable to find that all-important second goal before half-time but their dominant first half display was encouragement for the second period.

With momentum at their backs, they doubled their lead just two minutes after the restart.

Magee rolled his man and picked out Dorrian, who unleashed a powerful and precise strike to find the bottom corner from distance.

Ardglass were not finished and regained control from kick off, aiming to put Newcastle to the sword.

Jamie McDarby would have been forgiven for thinking he had scored but to his frustration his long-range effort, which looked destined for the top corner, was stopped by an astonishing, diving save from Sloan.

There was a scare for Ardglass soon after and their lead looked certain to be cut in half when Crangle gifted the ball to Ben Ogle.

The Newcastle winger pounced upon the ‘keeper’s scuffed clearance and with an open goal staring him in the face, he fired wide.

The home side knew if they did not put the game to bed, they could be left to rue the chances that had gone amiss.

Cusack was very nearly the man to do just that but as he met Magee’s knockdown and rifled past Sloan, he could only find the post.

Nonetheless, Ardglass were finally awarded for their dominance in the closing stages.

Magee chipped the ball over the top of the defence and found O’Shea, who calmly slotted home to put the icing on the cake for the hosts.

Ardglass will aim to keep their winning streak running when they welcome Ballynagross to The Meadow next time out, while Newcastle will hope to get back on track at home to Castlewellan Forest.

Ardglass: J Crangle, C Mahon, M Crangle, J Deegans, C O’Shea, D O’Shea, J Cusack, R McKinney, M Magee (captain), S Dorrian, J McDarby. Subs: J Beattie, M Clarke, P O’Shea.

Newcastle: O Sloan, T Sexton, M Flanagan, O Kelly, M Young (captain), J Jennings, D Rooney, L Ward, Z Trainor, D Cunningham, B Ogle. Subs: C McAleer, M Curran, H Keenan.

Ardglass 3

Newcastle Town Swifts 0

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