By Daniel Noble
Boyle sports championship
Ards 1
Loughgall 2
ARDS unbeaten start to the season came to an end with a league defeat at home to nine-men Loughgall at Clandeboye Park on Saturday.
Loughgall forward Kirk McLaughlin opened the scoring with the first chance of the game and while Ards had to wait for an equaliser, they levelled through a Jamie Browne penalty on the stroke of half-time.
The visitors needed just 14 minutes to regain the lead after the restart and although they suffered two dismissals late on, Ards failed to make their most of their numerical advantage.
The game got off to an intense start, with both sides attempting to play fast-paced football, but a lot of passes went astray in the opening stages.
The first clear-cut chance of the game bred success however, as Loughgall were awarded a contentious free-kick, which was delivered by Reece Glendinning and flicked home by the head of McLaughlin.
Ards had chances to hit back within minutes, with Fiontan O’Boyle heading wide from a well-worked corner routine and captain Eamon Scannell found the gloves of Ross Glendinning from range.
The Red and Blues thought they had a golden chance to level when Connor Maxwell’s pass split the away defence on the counter and found O’Boyle, but the flag went up.
Loughgall did not threaten again until the 33rd minute, when Jon Graham cut inside, beat his man and curled inches away from the top corner.
Just two minutes later, after O’Boyle directed another header wide, on the end of a pinpoint delivery from Browne, the visitors were almost gifted a goal.
A miscue from Ards, around the half-way line, allowed Darragh Stewart to latch on to a wayward pass and stroll through on goal, but a heavy touch afforded goalkeeper Marc Matthews the chance to close him down and make a crucial tackle.
That let-off reignited the home side, who were given a route back into the match in the 45th minute, when Robbie Norton handled the ball in the box and referee Ben Shepherd pointed to the spot.
Browne stepped up and kept his composure to stroke the ball into the bottom corner, giving `keeper Glendinning no chance and restoring parity at the interval.
The opening encounters of the second half were scrappy to say the least. Sloppy passing was a feature for Ards, and they were eventually punished by the away side.
In the 59th minute, McLaughlin slipped Graham through on goal and although Matthews made a stop at his near post, the resultant corner saw Harry Norton launch Loughgall back in front with a free header.
McLaughlin could have made it a brace when his free-kick whistled over the crossbar 17 minutes from time, but, just two minutes later, he saw red for a late challenge on Ryan Arthur.
Overzealous protests from the travelling players resulted in a second sending off, with first-half substitute Scott McCann sent for an early bath.
Using their superior manpower to force their opponents to set up camp on the edge of their own box, Ards ramped up the pressure, searching for an equaliser, and possibly a winner.
However, `keeper Glendinning stepped up when the visiting team needed him most, dispelling the efforts of Eamon Scannell and Ethan Simpson late on, but, most notably, stopping Jaydyn Withers’ diving header with a point-blank save.
The final whistle brought with it Ards’ first defeat of the 2026/27 season, following two wins and a draw in their opening three games.
The Red and Blues do not have a simple task as they look to bounce back either, facing a Queen’s University side which has also collected seven points so far.
Ards: M Matthews, C Scannell, C Maxwell, K Wilson, R Arthur, E Scannell (captain), P Cafolla, J Browne, G Tipton, F O’Boyle, M Brammeld. Subs: E Simpson, J Withers, J Smith, R Bailie.
Loughgall: Ross Glendinning, O Skelton, B Murdock (captain), D Wilson, R Norton, Reece Glendinning, D Stewart, J Graham, H Norton, R Jordan, K McLaughlin. Subs: S McCann, M Carson, C Murphy, N Lovrekovic.
Red cards: K McLaughlin (Loughgall), S McCann (Loughgall)..”
