Dee Rangers 4-13 Saint Patricks 1-8

Saint Patricks travelled to Drumconrath on Sunday evening to take on Dee Rangers in the third round of the Junior E championship. 

Both teams came into the game undefeated so it promised to be an interesting encounter. 

Dee Rangers got off to the brighter start; midfielder Hannah Carolan giving an inviting pass over the head and into the path of corner forward Megan Malone who fisted the ball over the bar. 

Dee Rangers centre half back Emma Carry overturned the subsequent St Pats attack, Carry passed the ball off to Megan O’Rourke who found Jodie Loughran on the full forward line. Loughran passed inside to Megan Malone who was denied a goal by the crossbar, her rebound shot was saved by keeper Erin Reilly but it was third time lucky when Jodie Loughran struck the ball into the back of the net. Dee Rangers kept applying pressure and Grace Carry was fouled on the 45, she converted the free, extending Dee Rangers lead to 1–2 to 0-0. 

Hannah Carolan working hard in the middle of the field again fed a lovely ball into the full forward line, Jodie Loughran was on the end of it and hit the ball low and hard recording her second goal of the day. 

St Pats struck their first score of the evening on the ten minute mark, Tori Foster with a fine solo run up the field found Emma Murphy who laid it off to full forward Amy Lambert who popped the ball over the bar. 

Molly O’ Rourke won the Dee Ranger kick out and found Jodie Loughran out in front, Loughran slipped the ball off to the incoming Áine Balfe who was happy to take her point. 

St Pats were beginning to find their groove but were finding it difficult to penetrate the Dee Ranger defence, with the Carolan and Carry sisters doubling up when tackling to force St Pats backwards. Tori Foster eventually broke the line of defence and scored an excellent point from play. 

The St Pats midfield due of Ella Thompson and Lauren Coogan combined to record the next score of the match a great point from play by Coogan. 

A stray Dee Ranger kick out was pounced on by Abaigh Bracken and left the Dee Ranger defence on the back foot, Bracken gave a quick ball in to Amy Lambert who attempted to lob the keeper, Dee Rangers number 1 Aoife Dillon had her wits about her and read it well, coolly clearing her line. Eimear McCluskey recorded her first point of the game from play after she was slipped a nice ball from teammate Sarah Duff. 

The pressure from Dee Rangers was relentless and they turned over the next St Pats kick out. Eimear McCluskey spotted the ever goal hungry Jodi Loughran and just as she was about to pull the trigger she was fouled in the penalty area. McCluskey stepped up and calmly rolled the ball into the St Pats net. 

Hannah Carolan recorded her first score of the day, a great point from play just on the stroke of half time. The score board reading 3-5 to 0-3 in favour of the home side. 

St Pats recorded the first score of the second half a pointed free from Ella Thompson to keep the score board ticking over for her side. 

Thompson converted another free for the Pats and McCluskey converted one for Dee Rangers at the other end of the pitch. 

St Patrick’s midfielder Lauren Coogan hit a purple patch recording 1-3 from play in the next few minutes.

Megan Malone steadied things for the Dee Rangers with a well taken goal and point from play.   

Dee Rangers emptied their bench and showed the quality and depth of their squad with substitutes Ava Curran and Kellie Mooney Gorman recording 6 points between them. 

The game ended on a score line of Dee Rangers 4-13 Saint Patricks 1-08. 

Dee Rangers have secured home advantage for the semi-final. Well done to both sides on an entertaining game of football. 

Dee Ranger team: Aoife Dillon, Ella Martin, Molly O’Rourke, Amy Byrne, Aoibhin Carolan, Emma Carry, Sarah Duff, Hannah Carolan (0-1), Eimear Clare, Grace Carry (0-1), Eimear McCluskey (1-2), Megan O’Rourke, Megan Malone (1-2), Jodie Loughran (2-0), Áine Balfe (0-1). Subs: Kellie Mooney Gorman (0-2), Ava Curran (0-4). 

St Patricks team: Erin Reilly, Ella McCarthy, Megan Gifford, Zara Achtar, Ashling Burke, Tori Foster (0-1), Anne Marie Dowling, Ella Thompson (0-2), Lauren Coogan (1-5), Emma Murphy, Abaigh Bracken, Amy Brennan, Gwen O’ Brien, Amy Lambert (0-1), Eimear Stanley. 

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