St Mullins dethrone 14-man Mount Leinster Rangers to take Carlow ...
This Carlow senior hurling final replay at Netwatch Cullen Park was all but over by half-time. Mount Leinster Rangers, the reigning champions, had been reduced to 14 when Dean Tobin was red-carded.
Their opponents, who had started well anyway, turned the screw and goals from Marty Kavanagh and Jason O’Neill helped the challengers into a 2-17 to 0-10 lead.
Rangers could have no complaints in that opening half. Their arch rivals started well but three wides threatened to derail the momentum they were building.
Then came the dismissal and St Mullins went for broke with four of their starting forwards all scoring from play in the opening half.
With the wind behind them in the second half, the holders didn’t give up their title easily but it took them a while to get going. In the opening minutes of the second period, Kavanagh nailed two St Mullins points and Jason O’Neill added another. Ted Joyce converted a Rangers free.
After that the attempted comeback began in earnest. Chris Nolan rifled in a goal on 38 minutes and at the start of the quarter he was on the mark again with another goal. Kavanagh replied with a converted free which helped steady St Mullins nerves.
Rangers chased down what was an impossible deficit. A late Kevin McDonald free dropped under the crossbar for Rangers third three-pointer. It came all to late and St Mullins regained the title which they won two years ago.
Scorers – St Mullins: M Kavanagh 1-10 (3-65s 5fs), P Boland 0-6, J O’Neill 1-3 (1-sl), James Doyle 0-3 (1f), C Kehoe 0-2, J Kavanagh 0-1. Mount Leinster Rangers: C Nolan 2-5, T Joyce 0-6 (fs), K McDonald 1-3 (all fs), Jon Nolan, D Murphy 0-1 each.
ST MULLINS: K Kehoe; P O’Shea, P Doyle, E O’Shea; G Coady, M Walsh, P Kehoe; C Kehoe, C Harris; J Kavanagh, James Doyle, P Boland; M Kavanagh, John Doyle, J O’Neill. Subs: J Doran for Harris (57), O Ryan for M Kavanagh (58),
MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS: D Grennan; M Doyle, M Joyce, S Joyce; E Kealy, K McDonald, T Lawlor; R Coady, Jon Nolan; D Tobin, T Joyce, D Murphy; Jamie Nolan, E Byrne, C Nolan. Subs: P Coady for Jamie Nolan (h/t), D Byrne for M Joyce (h/t), C Kavanagh for Kealy (57), E Doyle for Murphy (57),
Ref: P Murphy (Ballinkillen)
