Abbey Rangers V Moorefield Minor Match Report

Post date: Mar 20, 2017 8:17:08 PM

MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE

19TH March 2017

Abbey Rangers made it two wins from three with a hard fought win over Moorefield at a wet and windy Kildangan on Sunday morning.

The opening quarter saw two Robert McGrath points come one each side of a Moorefield point. A Rangers attack up the right wing was then intercepted and a sweeping Moorfield move ended with a cracking goal into the top corner to put them 1.1 to 0.2 ahead. A second Moorefield goal chance was deftly snuffed out by a combination of Daniel Cawley and Cian Stafford-the move ended with a fine point at the other end from Brian Day to leave the Newbridge side one ahead.

With MJ Prendergast and Jack Smyth dominating in midfield, Rangers got a grip on the game and pushed hard and the scores followed. A Robert McGrath equaliser was quickly followed by a lead score from Daniel Gilbert.

A quick move involving Dara Lovern, Mikey Delahunt and Alan O’Connell ended with Robert McGrath smashing the ball to the Moorefield net and the same player had a second goal shot brilliantly saved just moments later.

The visitors tried hard in the last few minutes of the half but Aaron O’Connor and Eoin O’Fearghail were in fine form in the Rangers defence. The whistle sounded at 1.5 to 1.1 in favour of Abbey Rangers.

We struggled facing the strong wind in the early stages of the second half and Moorefield took full advantage, scoring three early points to leave just the minimum between us. A fifteen minute stalemate followed with the game in the balance before Daniel Gilbert finished a winding run with a low shot to the bottom corner of the net putting Rangers to restore the Rangers four point advantage.

MJ Prendergast and Oisin Hyland combined to put Mikey Delahunt through for a superb long range point against the wind, as we took a grip on the game again.

However Moorefield weren’t done and they brought a superb double save from Paddy Nicholls in the Rangers goal before finally getting through for a goal moments later, leaving just two in it with three minutes to play. The battle continued but with no further scores Rangers ran out two point winners at 2.6 to 2.4.

It was a great game between two hard working teams that could have gone any way. Our lads were excellent throughout and deserved the win some great individual performances.

ABBEY RANGERS

Paddy Nicholls, Aaron O’Connor, Alex Fogarty, Daniel Cawley, Dara Lovern, Cian Stafford, Eoin O’Fearghaill, MJ Prendergast, Jack Smyth, Daniel Gilbert, Brian Day, Mikey Delahunt, Oisin Hyland, Robert McGrath, Alan O’Connell. Subs: Paul Morgan for Alan O’Connell. Mentors Declan MCGrath and John Lawlor

Match Report Declan McGrath.