Former Cliftonville and Linfield youth product looking to deliver Boxing Day cup final success for boyhood club

The 20-year-old was part of a Linfield academy that included the likes of current Rangers star Ross McCausland, Northern Ireland international Dale Taylor and West Ham United’s teenage goalscoring ace Callum Marshall.

In his first season, he won a league title and was named man of the match as the Blues U16s defeated Ards 6-0 in their cup final with McDarby contributing a goal and three assists.

The talented youngster left for Championship outfit Knockbreda in February 2022, but with travel taking its toll, McDarby decided it was time to return home and signed back for County Down club Ardglass, who he had last played for at U11 level, prior to the start of last season.

He hasn’t looked back since, scoring seven goals in his first two matches, and has netted five times in eight appearances so far this campaign, including the decisive 90th minute winner in a 5-4 semi-final success against Celtic Bhoys Academy which set up Tuesday’s showpiece decider with Downpatrick.

"I wasn't enjoying my football when I was up in Belfast because of the travelling and I couldn't drive,” he reflected. “I had to make the decision for myself to start enjoying it again so I came back to Ardglass and haven't looked back since.

"I'm loving my football again playing with my mates and it means so much playing for the club.

"It was brilliant (playing at Linfield). Everyone around the club was amazing with me from the management, backroom staff, physios and everyone else. When I first joined Linfield, boys like Dale Taylor, Ross McCausland, Charlie Allen, Cameron Stewart and Lewis MacKinnon were there and all they all went across the water.

"We had some team. I played with Callum as well. You could tell they were special. Every time they got the ball they were doing something.”

Linking up with the Ardglass management team of Aaron Beattie, Peter O’Shea and Christopher Deegan has helped bring the best out of McDarby once again and, after scoring such a memorable goal, he wants to deliver more success for his local club at Meadowvale (1:30pm kick-off).

"This is my home club and I've lived here my whole life,” he added. “It 100% makes occasions like Tuesday more special. It means more being from here.

"The whole village is buzzing. It will be packed. The semi-final was packed too, so with this being the final I'd say there will be even more at it.

"When I hit it (in the semi-final) I didn't even look to see if it was going in, I just knew from the second it left my foot that it was.

"The whole crowd were buzzing and I can barely remember the goal because I was in such shock so it was unbelievable.

"We definitely have what it takes to win the final.”