Ardglass advance to Bobby Dalzell final

29 November 2023

ARDGLASS booked their place in this year’s Boxing Day NFU Mutual Bobby Dalzell Cup final in the most dramatic circumstances as they overcame Celtic Bhoys Academy in a titanic tussle on Friday night.

Nail-biting drama was the theme of this clash as both teams put on a show to the large crowd who made the trip to Ballyhornan to show their support for their beloved sides.

Ardglass went behind, in front, behind and, finally, in front again as Jamie McDarby’s sweetly struck left-footed strike ended Celtic’s courageous effort in what proved to be a chaotic affair.

Celtic, who were billed as underdogs before the tie, found themselves in the driving seat after just seven minutes as Shaun Megahey’s pinpoint delivery found team-mate Conaill Kerr, who directed his header beyond outstretched Ardglass goalkeeper James Crangle.

This seemed to stun a section of the Ardglass contingent but a quick regroup was crucial and that is exactly what transpired.

Ardglass replied in sharpish fashion when Jamie McDarby’s corner delivery was flicked on by the head of Mick Magee to team-mate John Beattie, who then headed back across goal to find Jordan Finnegan to – you guessed it – head the ball into the net.

Despite this fast paced start, there was a notable absence of football on the ground being played as both teams resorted to the route one option of launching high aerial balls from one side to the other.

But, there was some method to this madness; Ardglass striker Magee stands well over six feet tall and is clearly a presence in the air and at the other end, Celtic’s Sean Ferris highlighted throughout his ability to pluck the ball under his control from great heights.

And although this punting forward of the ball was a regular occurrence, no one in attendance could have predicted that Ardglass player Michael Clarke would see his effort – which effectively was a clearance from his own half – evade the entire opposition before nestling in the net for a bizarre goal to take the lead.

However, this euphoria was short-lived as within 60 seconds Celtic tied the contest as Christopher Mullan’s rebounded effort glided effortlessly past grounded Ardglass ‘keeper Crangle.

Continuing the unpredictable frenzy, Celtic regained the advantage just minutes before half-time as striker Ferris converted an unmissable tap in from close range.

Any thoughts that the action would disappear after the break were promptly squashed as Ferris doubled his personal tally three minutes into the restart when he latched onto another high ball pumped up the pitch and delicately chipped his shot over the onrushing Crangle.

Despite his best efforts, Crangle could only manage to swat the ball into the inside of his net.

It was 4-2 now and Ardglass knew they simply had to get the next goal otherwise their chance at glory was surely gone.

Thankfully for them, it wouldn’t take long for strike partners Mick Magee and John Beattie to bring their side level as they both benefitted from their close range headers.

This left 30 minutes on the clock but finally the pace of the game had got to both sets of players and the match took on a laboured outlook as Celtic and Ardglass huffed and puffed their way around the Ballyhornan playing surface.

With extra-time looming, Ardglass fired one last attack forward as Mick Magee was released through on goal.

He was initially fantastically denied by Celtic ‘keeper Moore but the Hoops failed to get rid of the danger following a sequence of attempts and eventually the ball ped into the path of Jamie McDarby, who kept his eye on the prize and connected with a perfect left-footed strike to secure the victory and send Ardglass into pandemonium.

After the full-time whistle, match winner McDarby reflected on the semi-final as a whole.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” he said.

“I was absolutely busted there at the end and I was nearly going to come off, especially if it went to extra-time, but thankfully I didn’t do that.

“I definitely didn’t expect the game to go like that. I saw Celtic Bhoys warming up beforehand and thought they had a few good players with them, so I knew it was going to be hard,” he continued.

“We were very poor in the first half, we couldn’t get the ball down so at half-time the management just told us to relax and play our own game because we hadn’t been.”

He added: “For the final we have no preference, we will take anyone because we don’t fear anyone.”

Celtic: S Moore; S Megahey, M McKee, D Ennis, P Brady; P Ferris (capt), C Mullan, C Doherty, C Kerr; M Burns, S Ferris.

Subs: J McStravick, S McMahon, A Connolly, C McDowell, J-D McCreesh.

Ardglass: J Crangle; M Crangle, J Telford, C O’Shea (capt), R Deegan; J Finnegan, M Clarke, J McDarby, A Watson; M Magee, J Beattie.

Subs: M Rooney, M Halpin, S Dorrian, J Deegans, O Curran.

Referee: Colm Gribben.

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