Abbey Rangers Under 16s Start the League with a Win

Post date: Feb 2, 2019 11:46:23 PM

KWETB Under 16 League Division 4

Round One (2/2/19): Abbey Rangers V Rheban

Our under 16’s got the League off to a winning start with a comprehensive win away to Rheban on Saturday afternoon.

Early scores from Stephen Whyte and Daragh Byrne settled us into the game quickly as Rheban struggled to get the ball out of their own half. Thomas Browne and Ciaran Byrne were solid at the heart of the Rangers defence and provided the platform for several attacks as we kept the pressure on the home side.

A Rory McGrath point stretched our lead before Rheban got in for their first and only score of the half with a well taken point. Cian Murtagh then put Stephen Whyte in for our second goal before the same player slapped in a third goal after the Rheban keeper had parried a goal bound shot from Rory McGrath. The half time whistle sounded with Abbey Rangers leading 3.3 to 0.1

Rheban put it up to us early in the second half and knocked over a couple of points to reduce the deficit. A Jack Curran point got our scoreboard ticking again and Daragh Byrne then pointed a free following a foul on Oisin Irvin. But Rheban came at us again and found the net at the third attempt after Sean Fitzgerald had made a superb double save. But Jack Curran put the game beyond doubt in the closing stages with two well taken goals.

Rheban had one last scoring opportunity in the final minute when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by goalkeeper Sean Fitzgerald on the Rheban full forward. The penalty was struck low to the corner but Fitz got down brilliantly to smother the shot and clear before the game ended with an Abbey Rangers win on a score line of 5.5 to 1.3.

Well done to all the players who played some superb football and worked hard throughout the game. Our next game is at home to Castlemitchell in two weeks time.

Abbey Rangers

Sean Fitzgerald, Cole Grattan, Thomas Browne, Joe Broughall, John Kelly, Ciaran Byrne, Eoin Callan, Russell Grattan, Daragh Byrne, Cian Murtagh, Jack Curran, Cormac Finnegan, Stephen Whyte, Rory McGrath, Oisin Irvin, Stephen Murtagh, Danny Holohan

Report by Declan McGrath