Manulla punish misfiring Rangers
16-year-old Patrick McHale (centre) made his Super League debut for Manulla against Conn Rangers as a substitute. Also pictured is Patrick's brother Gary (left) and cousin Colm Murphy (right). Picture: Manulla FC.
Manulla returned to winning ways with a two goal victory in Mount Falcon against the previously unbeaten Conn Rangers on a wet Sunday afternoon.
The only Super League game of the weekend did not lack for action at both ends of the pitch and many in attendance will wonder how there was only two goals in this action packed game.
The visitors settled quickly into the contest with Ruairi Henry heading over the bar on four minutes and Aiden Dunleavy causing enough havoc in the Rangers defence that Tuan O’Horo and Brian McMahon almost conspired to put the ball into their own net after six minutes.
Despite their early dominance it was the home side who should have taken the lead after 13 minutes. A low cross from Liam Durkan on the left wing found Eoin Prendergast in the Manulla penalty area and just as he was about to slot the ball to the net Ruairi Henry came in to take it off his toes.
Prendergast had another chance on 19 minutes when Durkan again played him in on goal and this time the striker got his shot away only to see Jack Livingstone brilliantly save with his foot and deflect the ball off the post and away.
Durkan and Conor Flynn had further chances to open the scoring but on 29 minutes it was the visitors who found the net.
Dunleavy won a free on the edge of the penalty area, beside the end line, and whipped it in himself to find Padraig Beirne’s head with a pin perfect cross. The winger only had to deflect the ball goalwards leaving Murphy with no chance.
Sean Holmes almost equalised with a worldie into the top corner on 36 minutes only to see it drift just wide of the post before Manulla took control ahead of the half-time break.
Gary McHale had a chance to double the lead on 38 minutes but a brilliant last ditch tackle from Owen McNamara put the ball out for a corner when a goal looked certain.
Two minutes later McHale again found himself in possession inside the box and this time it as Murphy who thwarted his effort. Aiden Dunleavy should have doubled the lead on the rebound but lost his footing in the slippy conditions and the chance disappeared.
The visitors did double their lead on the stroke of half-time with a bit of luck after Livingstone’s long clearance bounced all the way through to Murphy but the keeper found himself stretching to gather the ball and he dropped it against the chest of the oncoming Dunleavy and the ball rebounded into the net.
The home side dominated proceedings in the second-half as they looked to get back into the game. PJ Gilmartin hit the post on 54 minutes while Cian McHale saw two chances cleared off the line.
The Manulla defence, marshalled well by Ruairi Henry, stood firm throughout and didn’t cough up any clear cut chances to their hosts, generally limiting them to long range efforts.
The closest Rangers came was in the 87th minute when McHale found himself in possession in front of goal but substitute Tadhg McGinty appeared from behind to dispossess the striker and the resultant corner was cleared.
Manulla were full value for their victory, having learned their lessons from the recent defeat to Castlebar Celtic in which they lost after taking an early lead. Aiden Dunleavy’s men now find themselves right in the title mix heading into the Easter break.
