St Mullins 2-25; Mount Leinster Rangers 3-16
St Mullins came back from the dead the previous week with a late Marty Kavanagh goal - this time the resurrection took place in the first half when they laid the foundation for their 29th Carlow title by blitzing an opposition which had dominated most of the drawn game in Netwatch Cullen Park.
Holders Mt Leinster Rangers had one hand on the cup the previous Sunday and will be left with the long winter nights to rue how they let this title slip through their hands against their deadliest rivals.
It didn’t help their cause that they lost Dean Tobin to a straight red card after only seven minutes and with the likes of Kavanagh, Paddy Boland and James Doyle knocking over points for sports, the new champions had a stranglehold lead of six points with 12 mins left in the half.
Rangers were already in deep trouble and by the interval they were dead if not entirely buried as goals from the effervescent Marty and Jason O’Neill put them into a commanding 13-points, 2-17 to 0-10, lead.
Rangers were on the backfoot and only Chris Nolan’s defiance by shooting five points from play and Ted Joyce trio from placed balls kept them in the contest, albeit more in theory than practice.
Although against the wind on the changeover, Kavanagh struck two more nails into the losers' coffin while Jason O’Neill added another with Joyce converting a Rangers free in response.
In fairness. the vanquished never gave up, particularly Nolan, who scored a goal after eight minutes to raise faint hopes.
When he got in for another half way through the half, it looked like he might single-handedly haul his troops back into the battle thanks to his personal tally of 2-5.
Kavanagh converted a free to ease the tension for St Mullins and with their defense in fine fettle, getting back into the game proved beyond the Rangers outfit on the day.
Kevin McDonald late free dropped under the crossbar for Rangers third goal - a score which restored pride but didn’t affect the outcome.
St Mullins: K Kehoe; P O’Shea, P Doyle, E O’Shea; G Coady, M Walsh, P Kehoe; Cr Kehoe (0-2), C Harris; J Kavanagh (0-1), J Doyle (0-3, 0-1f)), P Boland (0-6); M Kavanagh (1-10 (0-3 65s 0-5f)), J Doyle, J O'Neill (1-3 (0-1 sl)) 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 (1-3f), T Lawlor; R Coady, J Nolan (0-1); D Tobin, T Joyce (0-6f), D Murphy (0-1); J Nolan, E Byrne, C Nolan (2-5) Subs: P Coady for J Nolan (h/t), D Byrne for M Joyce (h/t), C Kavanagh for Kealy (57), E Doyle for Murphy (57).
Ref: P Murphy (Ballinkillen).
Lucan Sarsfields 0-23; St Brigid’s 2-15
This turned into a gripping encounter at O’Toole Park on Saturday as St Brigid’s mounted a fierce comeback but ultimately fell short against a stubborn Lucan Sarsfields who held on for a two-point win in the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship Group 1 encounter.
The West County side looked home and hosed when eight points to the good and only a few minutes left to play but two late goals from a rejuvenated Brigid’s outfit put the game back into the melting pot until the blast of Mark Ryan’s long whistle.
Those late green flags from Donnacha Ryan and Jonathan McGuirk ultimately came too late and had the Blanch outfit got their act together even five minutes earlier, the result could easily have turned out differently.
With the wind at their backs, early points from Matt McCaffrey and Ben Coffey helped settle Lucan with Lorcan Doolin opening the St Brigid’s account by the 4th minute.
Ahead by 0-11 to 0-6 at half-time, Lucan built on their advantage with points from Colm Walsh and Ciaran Dowling, the latter of whom should have goaled to put the game beyond doubt even at that stage, but instead shot over.
Brigid’s kept in touch largely due to placed ball scores from Jonathan McGuirk before they turned the screw with the two late goals which ultimately made the scoreline more respectable but proved too little, too late.
Lucan Sarsfields: S McClelland; S Coffey, P Rigney, L Walsh; C Crummey, J Bellew, M McCaffrey (0-3); K Fitzgerald (0-1), C Walsh (0-2); R Smith, B Coffey (0-9, (0-5f), J Behan; C Dowling (0-4), P Crummey, C Keher (0-3) Subs: D Flannery for Behan (half-time), C Kennedy for Fitzgerald (54), M Coogan for Smith (56), D Lyons (0-1) for Dowling (60).
St Brigid’s: K O’Sullivan; B O’Sullivan, C Doyle, J O’Neill; B Moran, R McLoughlin, A Dunphy (0-3); M Kavanagh, L Doolin (0-1); D McLoughlin (0-2), D Ryan (1-2), J O’Connell; J McGuirk (1-6, 0-5f), M Fraine, T Mohan (0-1) Subs: L Ryan for Fraine (36).
Ref: M Ryan (St Patrick’s, Palmerstown).
Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-27; Whitehall Colmcille 0-15
Ballyboden St Enda’s had something huffed and puffed at times but by the final strait had too much power and possession to record their first victory in Group 2 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship when overcoming a disappointing Whitehall Colmcille outfit by 15-points at O’Toole Park on Saturday afternoon.
Except for a brief spell before half-time Boden looked the likelier in this tie with the missing Eoghan O’Donnell a big loss for the losers.
Although playing against the wind, the Southsiders found scoring infinitely easier than their opponents and finished the first half 0-12 to 0-10 in front though in truth accuracy was neither sides’ forte on the day.
Niall McMorrow’s double early after the changeover gave his side a four-point lead which Niall O’Connor and Jamie Raftery cut back with fine scores.
Although dominating possession, the winners’ forward division were profligate with the sliotar in hand and shot several wides before defenders Paddy Dunleavy and Stephen O’Connor steadied the ship with two fine scores.
With their forwards struggling throughout in terms of their marksmanship, it was up to Ballyboden’s defenders to lead the way as Paddy Dunleavy and O’Connor clipped over impressive points.
This example was followed by a spate of fine scores for Boden as Dunleavy again, Niall Ryan, Sean McDonnell and Luke McDwyer found the range as did the excellent O’Connor with a further brace.
Colmcille faded in the last quarter, allowing the faster and more efficient Ballyboden boys to kick on for an impressive victory.
Ballyboden St Enda’s: C O’Donoghue; L Mulligan Lynch (0-1), L Corcoran, S O’Connor (0-4); P Dunleavy (0-2), C Dooley (0-1 65), J Lambert; S McDonnell (0-1), J Madden (0-2); L McDwyer (0-2), N McMorrow (0-4), N Ryan (0-2); R Twomey (0-1), K Desmond (0-2), D Gleeson (0-2) Subs: P Christie for Twomey (40), D Kenny (0-3, 0-1f) for Desmond (45), C Kirwin (1-0) for McMorrow (57), E Behan for McDonnell (58), J McGuire for Lambert (58).
Whitehall Colmcille: R Murray; J Thorp, C Murphy, S Kellett; E Moran (0-1), D Gray (0-2), L McCarthy; C Cummins, M Noonan (0-2); A McDermott, N O’Connor (0-1), Enda O’Donnell (0-2); C Sheedy, P Spellacy (0-6, 0-4f, 0-2 65s), J Raftery (0-1) Subs: S Cassidy for Sheedy (38), J Barry for O’Connor (48), D Noonan for Murphy (52), S Thorp for J Thorp (59), S O’Leary for McCarthy (60).
Ref: J Buckley (Setanta).
