Branagan Downpatrick’s hero

Branagan Downpatrick’s hero

31 October 2018

THERE may not have been many fireworks on display, but loads of enterprise and composure as Downpatrick recorded their first win of the season.

It may have taken a while, but there was no hiding the delight on Tony McShane and Paul Moore’s faces on the final whistle as their charges made it four points from their last two games.

Both sides are in transitional periods, but Downpatrick looked the more inventive and threatening from the outset and stormed into an eighth minute lead.

Jarlath Branagan’s long throw from the right wasn’t cleared and Andrew McCoubrey was perfectly placed at the back post to steer his side into a deserved lead.

Branagan was running the show for Downpatrick and his combination play with the impressive Conor McGrady and Peter Telford was an undoubted feature of the game. 

Downpatrick doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Adrian McCoubrey, a real rottweiler alongside Matt McGarritty in the middle of the park, released the willing McGrady down the right flank.

The mean, lean machine, who was amazingly playing in his first full game of soccer, then dovetailed perfectly with Branagan who beat Chris Rice all ends up with a clinical finish. Little was seen of Ards attack in the first half, but with 20 minutes gone Nathan McShane had to be alert to head an in-swinging corner from Brian Cabraley off the line.

McGrady, Branagan and Telford continued to give the Ards defence plenty to think about and with 35 minutes gone Downpatrick made it 3-0. Branagan worked his way into a good position on the right and fired over a tempting cross that flew into the top left hand corner of the net, giving the visiting goalkeeper no chance.

Downpatrick went in at the break, worthy of their three-goal advantage, but they were unable to kick on from there in the second half.

Ards were the more aggressive after the break and Downpatrick were put under a certain amount of pressure, but Anthony Doherty, Conor Moore, Nathan McShane and Caolan Logue all defended superbly and provided resolute cover to captain Kieran Gordon in goal.

Gordon was only beaten once and that was in the 68th minute when McCleary tucked away a cross from Dunlop in a clever move.

Ards continued to push and probe, but a hard-working Downpatrick side refused to give way and thoroughly deserved their first three points of the season.

Downpatrick FC: K Gordon, C Logue, N McShane, C Moore, A Doherty, J Branagan, C McGrady, Adrian McCoubrey, M McGarritty, Andrew McCoubrey, P Telford. Subs: E Rooney, K McKeever, D Barnes.

Ards Rangers: C Rice, B McQuillan, T Ritchie, R Henderson, G Watson, J Esgoimin, T McGreevy, A Dunlop, B Cabraley, P Doherty, S McCleary. Subs: J Kerr, N Crenshaw, R Brown.

Downpatrick FC 3

Ards Rangers 1

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