Derby delight for Killough

Derby delight for Killough

22 October 2025

KILLOUGH secured bragging rights and a place in the last four of the Bobby Dalzell Cup with victory over rivals Ardglass in a match befitting of a derby.

The two sides went blow-for-blow throughout the first half, but it was Killough who came out on top, against an Ardglass team which was depleted by the village’s Down Junior Football Championship triumph the night before.

Gareth George got the scoring underway for the visitors and although the home side responded to lead through Michael Magee and John Beattie, Connor Kelly and Cillian Burns ensured the travelling supporters went home with grins on their faces.

Killough got off to a fast start, stunning their hosts when Burns’ long-range effort cannoned off the back of George and fell kindly to Jack McLaughlin in the box.

The winger lobbed goalkeeper Gareth Rice and George arrived to ensure the ball got over the line, opening the scoring with a diving header.

The makeshift Ardglass team were slow to get going and while they were unable to create an instant response, their opponents showed no signs of relieving the pressure.

Tony McIlhone intercepted James Telford’s free-kick in the middle of the park and sent George through on goal with a silky pass, but the striker’s powerful effort was crucially blocked by Jordan Deegans.

Ardglass’ first opportunity arrived around the 17-minute mark, when Steven Deegan played a fantastic through ball towards willing runner Ryan McKinney.

Goalkeeper Marty Murphy was out like a shot, throwing himself on the ball to deny, and while that chance went abegging for the hosts, it would not be long before they levelled matters.

Beattie found himself with space in the box and sent a low, driven pass across the face of goal. Marty Murphy got down to meet it, but he spilled the ball and Magee made no mistake from two yards out.

Last season’s treble winners only needed a further two minutes to completely reverse the scoring, gaining the upper hand as Magee flicked Aidan Watson’s cross into the six-yard box and Beattie applied the finish.

Still, despite having nothing to show for their rip-roaring start, Killough were not to be discouraged, taking the game to the home side once more.

Lee Murphy produced the pass of the game, collecting possession in midfield and arrowing over the top to find Burns in the box. 

Burns launched himself at the delivery and sent a diving header crashing off the upright, before the grateful Ardglass defence scrambled to clear.

Both teams continued to create goal scoring opportunities, with McKinney sending a shot inches wide of the post and Jack McLaughlin only stopped by a terrific, sliding challenge from Rice.

However, it was Killough who made the first half’s closing stages count, bagging two goals in a six-minute period and claiming the advantage at the mid-way point.

The first arrived after the Ardglass backline failed to deal with a long throw-in and Burns’ ferocious volley forced Deegans to head off the line, before Kelly headed home from the resulting corner.

They doubled their advantage when George held of challenges from a pair of home defenders, swivelled in the box and found the head of Burns at the back post.

The second half was certainly less eventful than the first, but there only ever looked like being one winner, with the lion’s share of the chances falling the way of the visitors.

Ardglass avoided conceding by the skin of their teeth from the restart, as Deegans was outmuscled by George and showed his resolve to recover and make a last-ditch tackle.

Jack McLaughlin latched on to a defence-splitting pass from substitute Daire McLaughlin and dinked ‘keeper Rice, who got a minor touch to send it behind.

Lee Murphy continued to impress with his passing in the second period, and he almost created an insurance goal with another delivery, but Rice made a dazzling double save to deny Burns and Daire McLaughlin.

To their frustration, as they endeavoured to make amends for last year’s Bobby Dalzell semi-final exit, Ardglass never truly looked like scoring after going behind, despite Killough’s Jack McLaughlin, Ruairi Sharvin and George wasted opportunities of their own late on.

Killough controlled the game in the closing stages, dictating the tempo and taking full advantage of Ardglass’ depleted team to go to within one step of the final.

Ardglass: G Rice, M Crangle, J Telford, J Deegans, M Rooney, R McKinney, A Watson, S-P Halpin, M Magee (captain), J Beattie, S Deegan. Subs: J Finnegan, S Carr, B Crangle, C Rogan, C Mahon.

Killough: M Murphy, L Murphy, C Kelly, S Og Burns, M McKiernan, A McGarrity, T McIlhone, C Burns (captain), G George, J McLaughlin, J McIlhone. Subs: B McLaughlin, G Ward, J Tumelty, R Sharvin, D McLaughlin.