Ardglass come out on top in a cracking final

Ardglass come out on top in a cracking final

22 October 2025

ARDGLASS claimed the Down Junior Football Championship title with a hard-fought victory over local rivals Kilclief Ben Dearg at Páirc Esler on Friday night.

They entered the final unbeaten, further boosted by the confidence from their group stage victory over the same opponents, and they claimed a one-point advantage at the mid-way point, aided by a goal from Pabhraig O’Shea.

Kilclief kept the margin to a minimum for much of the second half, but Ardglass capitalised on their haul of wides, securing a four-point win and championship glory.

Ben Dearg captain Aaron McCann won possession from the throw-in and while his side created the first two chances of the game, they were halted by wides.

Instead, it was Ardglass who first worked the scoreboard, with captain Caolain O’Shea meeting a long ball, cutting inside and sending a dipping shot over the bar.

However, they breached the three-men-up rule and allowed Eoin King to level the scoring from a gift of a free.

Ardglass, intent on redeeming their rookie error, came back firing with a pair of scores from Jamie McDarby, but Kilclief turned the tables to reel off four unanswered points, courtesy of Conall Magee, Eoin Kelly, David Shields and a sensational Callum Shields two-pointer.

The Ben Dearg further solidified their position when Nathan McMullan made a heroic interception, preventing Jack O’Shea from threading a pass to Mick Magee in front of goal.

The Seasiders were encouraged by a stellar defensive contribution of their own however, with Liam Kearney making a diving block to deny Conall Magee a major, and they quickly made their move at the other end.

McDarby launched a counter-attack, sailing past an array of challenged, and although his shot ped short, Pabhraig O’Shea was there to flick it into the back of the net, squaring the game.

Caolain O’Shea restored the Ardglass lead for the first time in 12 minutes, splitting the posts on the end of a gliding move from Dara O’Shea, but again, Kilclief and King responded with a levelling point.

Kilclief had a golden opportunity to snatch a first-half lead, from a free, but Conall Magee took the wrong option in playing it short, and Caolain O’Shea fired Ardglass in front instead.

Fionn McFall and Kelly each had opportunities to get Kilclief up and running after the restart, yet both chances went amiss.

In contrast, Ardglass skipper Caolain O’Shea made no mistake, stretching the lead with a two-point free, but the contest was far from over.

King got his side back to scoring ways with their first point of the second half, after Kelly beat several men with a jinking run, and followed up with a free, cutting the deficit to a minimum.

Ardglass substitute Sean Carr swapped scores with McFall, before McDarby produced an unstoppable solo point and John Polley put one hand on the trophy with a free.

Kilclief simply ran out of juice, as well as time, in the dying moments, while their opponents refused to relent and sealed title glory with a second Polley free.

Ardglass: D Murphy, L Kearney, M Crangle, A O’Shea, C Mahon, D O’Shea, S Teggart, J O’Shea, c O’Shea (captain), J Crangle, M Magee, S Dorrian, P O’Shea, J Polley, G O’Shea.

Kilclief: G Holland, E Watterson, T Fitzsimons, N McMullan, C Shields, A McCann (captain), J Shields, P Donnelly, L McMullan, D Shields, E King, E Kelly, F McFall, C Magee, R Shields.