2 v 6 
Whitehall RgrsVideo
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 July 2022 | 2:00 pm | FAI Women's Intermediate Cup | 2022 |
Match Report
Whitehall Rangers win first ever Intermediate Cup
Whitehall Rangers AFC hit Douglas Hall for six as they blew the Cork side away to secure their first ever FAI Women's Intermediate Cup title with a 6-2 victory at Turner's Cross.
Former Shelbourne midfielder Rebecca Creagh was the main playmaker for the Dubliners although it was a fantastic team performance which saw them emerge with the cup at the end of an entertaining 90 minutes in Turner's Cross.
The lively Alison O'Connell who came into the encounter with 6 goals in the competition so far would add a couple more to her tally but would find herself on the losing side.
Stacey Paul-O'Regan and Maggie Duncliffe, two experienced WNL campaigners, provided a solid base for her pace and attacking threat.
The Dubliner's blasted into an early three goal lead with strikes from Rachel McLoughlin, Charlie Graham and Rebecca Creagh putting the game beyond doubt before the game reached the twenty minute mark.
The impressive Alison O'Connell broke through the well marshalled Whitehall offside trap a few times before a Stacey Paul-O'Regan cross evaded the defence and fell at the feet of the young striker who found the back of the net to pull one back for the local side and extend her lead at the top of the goalscoring charts for the competition.
McLoughlin would restore the three goal cushion for Rangers just before tha half hour mark when she met a pull back to send the ball past Tracey Kiely from the edge of the box.
Erika Browne got in on the goalscoring act just before half time to leave the score at 5-1 at the break.
She added the sixth with 20 minutes left on the clock to wrap up the contest although O'Connell would pull a final consolation goal back for the Cork side with a quarter hour left.
Timeline
Ground
| Turner's Cross |
|---|
| Beaufort Park, Turner\'s Cross C, Cork, County Cork, Munster, T12 E3H5, Ireland |
Final Whistle
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A few changes on either side late on as Whitehall replace keeper McAuley Ryan with Alysson McGrath.
Sharon Ring replaces ciara Desmond for the cork side for the last 15 minutes or so.
Alison O'Connell applies an excellent close range finish to a lovely move from Douglas Hall. Scant consolation at this stage but the Cork side haven't let the heads drop once.
Her second, but her team's sixth arrives for Erika Browne as she latches onto a long ball from Emma Boyle to slot the ball past Kiely. That's going to kill the contest if it wasn't already on life support.
Douglas Hall's Claire Cooney and Tracey Kiely have combined to stop a certain second goal for Rebecca Creagh. A touch from Kiely at the feet of the Whitehall playmaker slowed the ball down enough for the defender to clear the ball as it rolled onto the goal line and save a certain goal.
Annmarie Keeegan enters the fray for Whitehall, she replaces Helen Cooney for the visitors.
Paul-O'Regan and O'Connell almost combine again but a great challenge from a Whitehall defender cuts out the danger. Douglas Hall having another purple patch at the moment.
Maggie Duncliffe gets her name in the referee's book as she overstretches to stop a Whitehall breakaway.
It's all go here as Kiely produces another fantastic save at the feet of Browne as Burnett can't keep her long range follow up on target. The Douglas Hall keeper has made a number of decent stops today.
Aoibhe Noonan hits the woodwork from the deflected freekick on the edge of the box. Looked like Grace McAuley Ryan got a touch to force it onto the crossbar before Whitehall cleared the danger.
Great work from Amy McCarthy draws a foul and the first yellow card of the game for Aisling Dunbar of Whitehall Rangers.
We're watching an exhibition of midfield players here with the experienced trio of Stacey Paul O'Regan, Maggie Duncliffe of Douglas and Ranger's Rebecca Creagh showing lovely touches and fantastic distribution for their respective sides.
McLoughlin rattles the crossbar from distance but stays out as play continues. Within inches of securing her hat-trick early in the second half.
And we are back for the second half as Douglas Hall prepare to drag themselves back into the game here.
Half Time, a five star performance from Whitehall Rangers sees them lead 5-1 at the interval at Turner's Cross. There's been enough bright sparks from the creativity of Stacey Paul-O'Regan and the pace of Alison O'Connell to give Douglas Hall a chance in the second half though. Plenty of action to come in an entertaining game so far.
Two additional minutes to be played here. Half time can't come quick enough for Douglas Hall.
Alison O'Connell chases another through ball and collides with McAuley Ryan in the Whitehall box. The keeper comes of worst but manages to keep the ball out of the net to protect the four goal lead.
Erika Browne adds her name to the scoresheet after Tracey Kiely produced a great save only for Browne to gather the rebound and stroke it home at the second attempt. Douglas Hall will be eager to get to half time now with just two minutes left on the clock.
Whitehall have the ball in the net but the score won't count. Assistant referee had flagged for an offside in the build up.
Douglas Hall looking to release O'Connell every opportunity but Whitehall are very effective in their defence to keep the Cork speedster the wrong side of the offside trap.
The referee is receiving some feedback from the crowd after a number of over zealous challenges from Whitehall fail to draw a free kick for the Cork side. Two Douglas Hall players getting attention at the moment.
Great move from Whitehall Rangers falls at the feet of Helen Cooney who can't keep her effort on goal down. The game has settled down somewhat after a frenetic patch. Whitehall are beginning to really play the ball around nicely.
Rachel McLoughlin's second goal, a well placed effort from the edge of the box restores the 3 goal advantage for Whitehall. This could have plenty of goals for both teams yet in an open free flowing game.
Douglas Hall keeper Tracey Kiely's long punt sends Alison O'Connell clear showing the threat they possess on the counter attack. Meanwhile Rebecca Creagh is giving a ball control class in the middle of the field for Whitehall.
O'Connell's pace has been proving problematic for the leader\'s defence with to deal with and she gets on the end of a Stacey Paul O'Regan cross with the defence at sixes and sevens, O\'Connell gets her 7th goal of the campaign to get the Cork side on the scoreboard. Game On!
A questionable offside decision not given hands Douglas Hall an opportunity to get one back, Alison O'Connell gets to the ball ahead of the stranded McAuley Ryan but can\\\'t get her effort on target. Whitehall clear the danger.
Creagh turns provider for Graham moments later but her effort goes over the Douglas Hall bar from close range. Douglas Hall will breathe a sigh of relief for the rest.
And Creagh makes it three. An excellent corner delivery from Charlie Graham is met by the head of former Shels star Rebecca Creagh who's looping header drops over the outstretched arm of Kiely in goals for Douglas Hall. The Dublin side totally in control here.
Disaster strikes for Douglas Hall as they find themselves 2-0 almost instantly. A long range effort evades Kiely before bouncing over the line off the crossbar. Referee instantly awards the goal. Douglas Hall have a mountain to climb now to get back into this cup tie.
Douglas Hall clear the corner but a header back into the area from Debbie Burnett falls to Rachel McLoughlin who drills the ball over Kiely to send the visiting fans into raptures.
A lively game so far with opportunities at either end. Whitehall have started the brighter and in the 10th minutes have secured the first corner of the game.
Great opportunity for Whitehall Rangers to draw first blood as Erika Browne forces a save from Kiely but the assistant's flag was up, it wouldn't have counted anyway. Whitehall decent shout for a foul in the build up.
And we are up and running in the FAI Women's Intermediate Cup Final from Turner's Cross between Douglas Hall and Whitehall Rangers.