High flying Rangers outfit stretch lead at top of table

Mervue United  2

Corrib Rangers   3

Mike Rafferty

UNBEATEN Corrib Rangers increased their advantage at the top of the Premier Division with a late David Smith winner on the all weather at Fahy’s Field on Saturday.

The meeting of the top two was always going to be a competitive affair and so it turned out as an Owen Concannon header put the home side ahead on 13 minutes, before Gerry Dolan nipped in at the near post to level matters from close range. Ger Bane then got a touch to a long throw in to give the visitors a 2-1 interval advantage.

While Mervue enjoyed the majority of possession on the resumption, they struggled to break down a Rangers defence in which Eric Browne excelled. A smart breakaway by the visitors on the hour mark saw Dolan through with just goalkeeper John Egan to beat, but when the custodian cleaned him out – a red card was the outcome, and Mervue were down to ten men.

There were calls from the home side for the dismissal of new Rangers signing Nicky Curran shortly afterwards, for after collecting a yellow card, he added another foul to his name shortly afterwards.

Conor Sweeney was excelling in the visitors goal as he clawed away an Alex Lee free kick before gathering the ball at the feet of Alex Franc. However, there was little the custodian could do about the equaliser when an Alex Lee shot took a deflection off Ger Bane to tie up matters.

With nine minutes left, the visitors struck for the winner when David Smith pounced to finish from close range after substitute goalkeeper Peter Healy had punched away a Brian Connolly cross from the right.

Mervue continued to threaten at the other end, but Aaron Finnerty was just wide with a header, before a terrific full length save by Sweeney kept out a Keith McHugh header. Rangers also had a late opportunity to goal, but John O’Brien failed to get the better of Healy in a one on one situation.

Corrib Rangers face a huge test this Sunday morning when they travel to Abbeyknockmoy to face third placed St Bernard’s, while Mervue United should have matters much more comfortable against a struggling Tuam Celtic.

Mervue United: Egan, Connolly, Concannon (Peter Healy 63mins), Paul Healy (McWalter 36 mins), Walsh, Larkin, Finnerty, Lee, McHugh, Franc (Daragh Kelly 85 mins), Ryan.

Corrib Rangers: C Sweeney, Curran (Ludden 78mins), Ridge, Browne, Bane, R Sweeney (O’Brien 85mins), P Smith (Burke 54mins), Kirk, Smith, Dolan, Connolly.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.