Celtic and Rangers battle it out in rowdy Emo derby

The CCFL had its very own Old Firm derby on Sunday as Emo’s answer to Celtic and Rangers wrote the latest chapter in their young rivalry. Emo Rangers gave their best performance of the season yet still came up short against their local rivals. Goals from Jack Owens and Darren Strong were enough to give Emo Celtic all three points and perhaps more importantly with this fixture, the bragging rights. 

Jack Owens gave Celtic the dream start when he got on the end of a simple ball over the top of the defence and hit great right-footed volley into the net in just the third minute. Rangers goalkeeper, Ray Davis caught cold.

Emo Celtic 2

Emo Rangers 0 

There was a lot of niggle from the start as both sides were putting in some heavy challenges. Celtic midfielder, Niall Wheeler laid down a marker with some crunching tackles in the opening exchanges and the rest followed suit. 

Celtic had a chance to go two up in the 11th minute, when Jack Owens and Nigel Murphy found themselves alone in the Rangers box with Ray Davis, but the pair got in each other’s way and Rangers cleared their lines.

Joe Gilligan had the ball in the back of the Emo net on 15 minutes but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside. Gilligan had another massive opportunity moments later, but this time the ball ghosted just wide of Niall Gorman’s right post. 

Rangers were very compact and prevented Celtic from finding their rhythm. But Celtic were still creating chances. Long balls over the top of the Rangers defence were causing problems, but the men in black held their ground. 1-0 at half time.

It was Rangers’ best 45 minutes of the season and despite the result, the performance will give them a solid platform on which to build. 

It was a lacklustre second half as the physicality of the game seemed to dissipate. Both sides were rudderless in the opening quarter of an hour, creating very little. 

Darren Strong had an off day by his high standards, but he nevertheless sealed victory in the 65th minute, as he bagged yet another goal in what has been a remarkable season for the striker. The goal came from the penalty spot, after Steven Murphy brough down Stephen McNally inside the box.

Celtic came alive after the second goal. The game opened up with Rangers chasing a goal of their own, leaving space for the Celtic players to run into. But Rangers created some good chances of their own, Joe Gilligan and substitute, Corey Kenna coming closest. 

Things became disjointed in the last ten minutes as heavy rain and a raft of substitutions on either side completely disrupted the game’s flow. This suited Celtic down to the ground as it allowed them to see out the game without being under any considerable pressure. 

With Cloneygowan’s game against Rosenallis B called off, the win moves Emo Celtic back to the summit of Division 3A. Emo Rangers, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the table, six points adrift of Mountmellick United B. 

Emo Celtic

Goals: Jack Owens, Darren Strong (Pen)

Team: Niall Gorman, Shane Murphy, Paddy Dunne, Dylan Langford, Stephen McNally, Nigel Murphy, Niall Wheeler, Steven Norton, Jack Owens, Darren Strong, Craig Langford Subs: Ross Meredith (49 mins for N. Wheeler), Liam Kitchen (75 mins for J. Owens), Nathan Dunne (83 mins for N. Murphy), Chris Gleeson (83 mins for C. Langford), Diarmuid Owens (85 mins for D. Strong)

Emo Rangers

Team: Raymond Davis, Liam Allen, Alex Ennis, Jason Bree, Daniel Allen, Steven Murphy, Hayden Kemmy, Joe Gilligan, Darragh Foley, Jamie Kearns, Frank Collins Subs: Corey Kenna (39 mins for L. Allen), Diarmuid McNally (72 mins for S. Murphy), Sean O’Neill (81 mins for D. Foley), Owen Garry (81 mins for F. Collins), Darragh Hosey (89 mins for J. Gilligan)