Saturday 4th October – NADAFL Division 1
Ardglass Swifts 1 v’s Downpatrick FC 2nds 4
Downpatrick travelled out to Ardglass to play the current league leaders, and they came home with all three points in what turned out to be an excellent performance. Downpatrick elected to play up the hill at the Meadow and this decision proved decisive with Downpatrick going in at half time 1 – 0 up.
The Downpatrick goal came via the penalty spot after winger Conaill Kerr was fouled in the Ardglass box. Top goal scorer Sean McMahon dispatched the penalty with great confidence, firing the ball into the bottom corner to give the Ardglass keeper no chance.
Robbie Hagan in the Downpatrick nets and the defensive line of Chris Curran, Blaine Connolly, Matthew Carson and Paul O’Reilly withstood everything that Ardglass through at them to ensure the ‘Greens’ went in at half time winning.
Half Time: Ardglass Swifts 0 v’s Downpatrick FC 2nds 1
Downpatrick went in front just after the hour mark thanks to ace marksman McMahon who got his and Downpatricks second of the game. Robbie Hagan played a long ball out of defence which bounced over the Ardglass defenders and there was McMahon to run onto the ball and calmly score past the Ardglass keeper.
Ardglass gave themselves a lifeline 5 minutes after when they scored, a long clearance out of defence wasn’t dealt with by the Downpatrick defence and the Ardglass striker gave Hagan no chance. Substitute Feargal Ward restored Downpatrick’s two goal advantage soon after when got on the end of a free kick by Blaine Connolly and Ward went round the home side’s keeper to tap in to an empty net.
Downpatrick secured all three points with ten minutes remaining in the game. Damien Turley who had been a constant thorn in the Ardglass side got his rewards when the big striker got his head onto another Connolly free kick to score Downpatrick’s fourth.
Downpatrick: 1) R Hagan 2) C Curran 3) B Connolly 4) M Carson 5) P O’Reilly 6) A McCoubrey 7) T Bell 8) N Cunningham 9) S McMahon 10) D Turley 11) C Kerr 12) F Ward 14) C Curran 15) P Donnelly