Match Report - Kilbarry Rangers 6-2 St Pauls.

We hosted St Pauls on Saturday in the RSC which was our first game in over a month. Our match sponsor for this game was once again ex player Joe Fitzpatrick, thanks again for your support Joe!

We started slow and it took the lads a while to start getting into the game with match sharpness low after a long month without games. There was some flashes of good play but it did not result in anything and shortly later Pauls took the lead with a great strike for distance.

We had a real spell of dominance then and created some chances but again it came to nothing and for this we got punished as Pauls then doubled their advantage after a cross into the box was met with a fine header for 2-0.

With the situation looking bleak all of a sudden Daniel Mihalache gave us a lifeline on the stroke of half time with a terrific strike that flew like a bullet from the edge of the box and into the bottom corner for 2-1.

Coming into the second half then that crucial goal by Danny before the interval gave a real momentum shift in our favour and on the 50th minute it would be that man again with a strike on the edge of the box that took a deflection and then creeped into the bottom corner for 2-2.

Then came the crucial lead goal, a brilliant move saw Jamie Robinson run down the right wing, he composed himself as the full back stood him up and he swiveled an inch of space for himself before delivering a great ball into the box where sub Ben Peacock left it and gave a brilliant dummy to leave the ball fall to Ben Hogan at the back post who had all the time in the world to calmly tuck it away for 3-2.

We pushed onto to kill the game and Ben Hogan not long later did just that when some good play found him again and he made no mistake with another calm finish for 4-2.

Ben would claim his hat-trick on the 80th minute when a shot from the edge of the box somehow squirmed through the legs of the Pauls keeper for 5-2. A first hat-trick for Ben in Kilbarry colours!

Of course it would not be your average Kilbarry matchday without a goal from the man himself Conor Houlihan! With the last kick of the game Houly found himself free from a corner and he scored a bullet header to make it 6-2.

Great result for the lads against a team 4th in the table going into the game. At half time all the players shown great leadership to hold their hands up and admit we need to be better and that is the best thing about this squad, the environment we have in this club there are no egos and everyone is respectful of each other and the opponent. To come from behind and win with such an emphatic scoreline not only shows the ability the lads have but also the passion they have for Kilbarry Rangers because their was moments they had to dig in deep.

Full focus now shifts to our next game, we play Rathgormack this Saturday at the RSC once again with a 2pm kick off. Rathgormack will be a very difficult opponent and find themselves unlucky not to be further up the table so the lads will have to be on it from the start. All support welcome, it was great to see such a healthy crowd cheering on the lads vs Pauls and we are very thankful.

This will likely be one of our last games before the Christmas break on the weekend of the 13th of December. The League resumes on the weekend of the 7th of January so get out and support the lads!