Ardglass lifted the Harry Clarke trophy at Meadowvale on Easter Monday following a convincing 4-1 win over Downpatrick. It was a superb victory for an Ardglass team that was missing key players in Jamie McDarby and Caolan O’Shea.
It was Downpatrick who started the better of the two teams, but Ardglass took the lead against the run of play in the 16th minute, with Michael Magee following up on an Aidan Watson volley to tap home the opening goal of the game. The men in green were back in it just six minutes later. Shea Holland’s header from a floated free kick into the box was well saved by Ardglass stopper James Crangle, but the ball dropped perfectly for William Taggart to fire Downpatrick level.
Ardglass then regained the lead on 35 minutes as Magee’s flicked header from a Malachy Crangle free kick found Pabhraig O’Shea in front of goal, and the midfielder finished from close range. As referee Barry Mullan’s whistle blew for halftime, Ardglass had their noses in front, while Downpatrick, who probably edged the play in the first half, went into the changing rooms disappointed to find themselves 2-1 down.
Aaron Beattie’s Ardglass side certainly upped their game in the second period, although it wasn’t until the 75th minute, when Michael Magee grabbed his second goal of the game, that they felt comfortable. Taylor Beattie, Downpatrick’s 17-year-old goalkeeper and son of Ardglass manager Aaron, did well to punch a dangerous cross into the box clear, but the ball fell to frontman Magee, who smashed the villagers into a two-goal lead.
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