Rangers 3
Donegal Schools 2
Report by Joel Bell
Rangers got the game underway on this dry, cloudy afternoon at the Coleraine Showgrounds. They had the first early chance when Max Cameron seen his cross caught by Fintan James in the Donegal Schools goal. On the six minute mark, Donegal Schools had a chance of their own but it was quickly ruled offside. At the other end Luca Rankin, hit a shot towards goal which was palmed away by the goalkeeper, the follow up was fired low into the net by Luke Moore but referee Matty Gillian was quick to rule it out for offside. 11 minutes into the game Lewis Cunnea had to be helped off the pitch due to injury, he was replaced by Blake Meredith.
Shortly after the substitution, Rangers centre back, Conor Owen made a costly mistake by presenting the ball to Finn Nolan who took it round the remaining defenders and smashed it towards goal. The ball hit off the bar and bounced off the ground and into the goal.
When sixteen minutes hit Donegal played the ball into the box. Joshua Carson couldn’t connect with the ball and Drew Dowds took the opportunity to shoot, however, this was saved by Sam Reid, the Rangers goalkeeper.
Rangers were given a corner after Lewis Smith’s cross was blocked and the subsequent corner was taken short to Joshua Carson on the edge of the box who hit his shot. However, Donegal were quick to react it was blocked and cleared. At the other end, Meredith played the ball to Dowds, but he couldn’t control it and it was cleared by Conor Owen. Just before the break Aiden Crilly broke through the Donegal defence. He took a shot towards goal, and it slipped through the hands of James and into the net, to make it one all.
Just after halftime, on the thirty-seventh minute, Finn Nolan carried the ball into the box on the right-hand side and comfortably slotted the ball into the net. Donegal Schools could’ve had a third not long after when Nolan beat Owen, but he couldn’t finish it off.
Rangers began knocking on the door to get a goal of their own back. Max Cameron, on the edge of the 6-yard-box, smashed his effort well over the bar. It was the battle of the 6’s, when Kyle Glasgow was fouled on the edge of the box by Odhran Boyle but in the end nothing came from the freekick. In the fifty-first minute, Kyle Glasgow played a long ball down the right-hand side which found Max Cameron who coolly slots it past James. This same goal nearly happened again when Cameron was sent running down the right-hand side with ball, however, goalkeeper Fintan James had this one covered comfortably.
Both teams were pushing to find that all important winner. It eventually did come in the sixty-sixth minute when Glasgow crossed the ball to find Ewan Gray waiting patiently at the back post. He headed the ball into the net to win the game for Rangers and claim a valuable opening three points.