Huge weekend of hurling finals in store
Players from Mount Leinster Rangers and St Mullins are set for that familar pre-match parade around Netwatch Cullen Park ahead of another Senior Hurling Final Photo: Pat Ahern
The general consensus is that a classic beckons. Yet on re-examining recent results of finals between the sides, it hasn’t been that way. When St Mullins beat Mount Leinster Rangers in the 2019 final by 2-17 to 1-19 they deprived the Borris based side a second three-in-a-row. The picture of Marty Kavanagh being carried shoulder high at the final whistle told its own story. Apart from when Rangers won their first final in 2006 has a result ever been celebrated as much as this one was?
St Mullins would go on and record their own three-in-a-row beating Naomh Eoin 0-9 to 0-7 in 2014 and followed up with comprehensive enough victories over Rangers in the next two years.
Since that 2019 decider there has always been at least six points between the sides when they met in finals. That is except for in 2024 when St Mullins won a replay and even then there was six points between them the second day out.
So trying to predict a winner on Sunday is fraught with danger. What is certain is that some of the greatest players who have ever played the game in Carlow will be on show on Saturday night. Even though there is a worry about the effect of moving the final from Sunday to the previous day, it has to be a positive that TG 4 are bringing Carlow hurling into the homes of people around the country.
In many ways it has been a less than inspiring championship with results going much as expected. Possibly Ballinkillen beating St Mullins in the opening game gave followers a sense of unpredictability but by the time the semi-finals came along it was the same old story.
Bagenalstown Gaels did threaten Rangers for three-quarters of the semi-final but Chris Nolan’s wizardry, where he conjured up two goals in the final quarter, kept Rangers on track to retain their title. St Mullins made no mistake against a compliant Ballinkillen side and so it is back to what hurling followers know best.
Marty Kavanagh and Chris Nolan, the leading scorers in recent Carlow championships were not available for their respective club in the opening games of the group stages. Yet on their arrival home, Nolan was quickly back into the fold and has scored 5-23 in the matches he has played.
On the other hand, St Mullins didn’t hand back the free-taking duties to Kavanagh and up to now the “Mouse” has only scored three points in the championship. That doesn’t mean he is not playing well. He is and his work-rate and ability to play a team game is as important to the St Mullins cause as his scoring ability ever was.
Results in recent years have revealed that predicting a winner is not easy. One can’t help but feel St Mullins began to gather momentum sometime after their heavy defeat to Rangers. If ever a side got a reminder then that was it. The sight of James Doyle in full-flow this year has been something to behold. Barring injury, he will be hard to stop on Saturday.
On the other hand, the champions got away from Bagenalstown Gaels because of Nolan’s brilliance. Rangers were sluggish and underperformed that day. That has to be a worry for them.
St Mullins.
This final between two ambitious clubs has a mouth-watering feel about it. Both sides know that apart from winning silverware, the prize is huge. Burren Rangers and Carlow Town want to play senior hurling next season. Both are looking to progress themselves and test themselves against the best in the county. Carlow Town were hugely impressive in the group stages and won all their six games. There was only a goal between themselves and Burren Rangers when they met in Oak Park.
Yet the challenge the clubs had in the semi-final was at opposite ends to what they would have been hoping for.
Carlow Town walloped last year’s junior winners, Bagenalstown Gaels. 1-7 behind early on and the Gaels were only playing for pride. For the Carlow Town Club, the experienced Karol English annexed ten points with nine coming from placed balls. A young Alex Delaney secured 2-4 out of a total of 2-25 with only one point coming from a free.
At the back, Conor Lawlor leads the Carlow Town defence. His experience in county finals both in football and hurling has to count for a lot. The Palatine man’s nickname, Horse, didn’t come without good reason.
Burren Rangers had to do it the hard way in the semi-final. Mount Leinster Rangers provided the ultimate test. After a close start, Mount Leinster scored a goal and by the break, the game was finely balanced with Burren ahead by 0-12 to 1-7.
While Dylan Townsend contributed seven points out of their total of 0-22 (v 2-13), Billy Nolan, Lorcan Doyle and Cathal Healy chipped in with three points each. It is good when there is a spread of scores and Burren had this when it was needed.
It won’t have done them any harm that they had to withstand a late Mount Leinster rally who tried tooth and nail to get back into it when trailing by four points with time running out.
The big question. Were Carlow Town absolutely brilliant against Bagenalstown Gaels or were the opposition just downright poor? On the other hand, Burren got the acid test in their semi-final and survived. It is this which could stand to them on Sunday.
Burren Rangers
There can be no doubt about it but the two teams who are in the final took the hard road and in some way came through a door of low expectancy. Look at Carlow Town. They had won all their seven games and were hurling really well during the season. In the semi-final, Ballinkillen, with three defeats behind them, were surely there to be taken. That is not how it turned out as Tom Huff scored 1-4 for the perceived outsiders that night in Netwatch Cullen Park. Paddy Kavanagh also nailed five points in a 1-17 to 1-11 victory. In defence, the experienced Lauren Kinsella, led his side well.
On the other side of the draw, St Mullins had lost two games in the group stages so they would have been vulnerable when it came to their showdown with Mount Leinster Rangers. Yet the Green and Whites prevailed by 3-9 to 1-9.
The old dogs, John Walsh, Michael Fenlon and Darren Whelan carved out a goal a-piece and tacking on another few points were worthy winners.
Goalkeeper, Mark Ryan pulled off some fabulous saves and Chris Kavanagh showed his recent senior experience with a solid performance.
Predicting a winner is not easy. In a nutshell, Ballinkillen will have to run themselves ragged to prevail here. St Mullins will know they will have to contain some of the pace of their opponents. Perhaps this is where wile, that extra experience and craft will win out.
St Mullins.
Here are two sides who are operating in the lower regions of Carlow hurling. Yet there is a passion in both squads who also want to improve and progress their lot. It is still worrying that in fifteen years since their arrival on the Carlow scene, Setanta have not made an impact. They are still relatively unseen.
For Burren Rangers second side, to qualify for the final and have a game at Carlow GAA headquarters is part of their progress. They were founded back in 2009 two years before their opponents came on the scene.
The difference in the rate of progress and development between the two clubs is stark. Burren Rangers play a county intermediate final this year. They are on the verge of going senior.
Two sets of brothers are prominent in this Burren squad. Seamus and Moling English Hayden and Evan and Jack Dunphy. They are giving their all and very much part of the ethos of what the club stands for. With Dylan Townsend on the frees for the intermediate side, James Bergin is keeping the Rangers juniors ticking over with his placed ball accuracy.
Burren won three games out of seven in the group. Setanta one less with Naomh Bríd and Naomh Eoin in the last two places.
For Setanta, the two Kenny’s, Padraic in goal and Liam in the half back line have been impressive this year. Danny Curry plays wing back. Brian Mulhall captains the team and Wynne and Eoghan Stafford are lively corner forwards. Senan Murphy, George Cassidy and Cathal Brady are staunch GAA and play football outside Setanta.
One can’t help but think Burren Ranger’s tactical and hurling nous will prevail.
Burren Rangers
