Nolan brothers to the fore as Rangers run riot against St Mullins
The Nolan brothers, Kyle, Jon, Chris and Jamie, were outstanding on Saturday in Mount Leinster Rangers' dominant victory over St Mullins. Photo: Pat Ahern.
With three wins from three, Mount Leinster Rangers came into Round 4 as the only unbeaten team left in this year's JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship.
St Mullins came into the weekend in second place as one of three sides on four points, but they now find themselves four points off top spot after Rangers ran out comfortable winners on Saturday night in Netwatch Cullen Park.
Niall Bergin's side had four points on the board inside the first five minutes - two from Jamie Nolan and one each from Chris Nolan (free) and Paul Coady, who opened the scoring.
James Doyle got St Mullins up and running and when Conor Kehoe (free) and Chris Nolan swapped scores there were three points in the difference after ten minutes.
The sides swapped two scores apiece, with John Doyle and Michael Walsh on target for St Mullins, while Donagh Murphy Jon Doyle scored for Rangers. But the three-point gap became six midway through the first half thanks to a sublime finish from Chris Nolan, rippling the net of Seamus Murphy.
Chris Nolan (65) and Conor Kehoe swapped scores before Kyle Nolan pointed in the 20th minute to put Rangers seven points up, with all four Nolan brothers now on the scoresheet.
The brothers combined then for a second Rangers goal when Chris played in Jamie, who made no mistake from close range.
It was back-and-forth then, as Kehoe and Chris Nolan swapped scores and then Paddy Boland and Paul Coady swapped scores; but a third Rangers goal came in the 30th minutes courtesy of Chris Nolan, who's shot deflected over Seamus Murphy and into the corner of the net.
Nolan added one final score in stoppage time, with two frees from Conor Kehoe at the other end leaving St Mullins 12 points adrift at the interval, with Mount Leinster Rangers up 3-12 to 0-9.
James Doyle struck immediately after the restart for St Mullins, but Rangers re-established dominance just 90 seconds in when Kyle Nolan took advantage of a mistake in front of goal to turn the ball into the roof of the net.
Rangers added another three scores in the third quarter, including one each from Chris Nolan and Fiachra Fitzpatrick and a sensational sideline from Kevin McDonald.
There were another four scores from St Mullins in that period - one each from Michael Walsh, James Doyle, John Doyle and Conor Kehoe (65) - but they were still ten points behind with 15 minutes remaining.
The final quarter was target practice for Rangers, adding a massive 1-9 to to their tally, including a fifth goal courtesy of Chris Nolan who completed his hat-trick in the process.
C Kehoe 0-8 (6f, 1'65), James Doyle 0-3, M Walsh 0-2, P Boland and John Doyle 0-1 each.
C Nolan 3-6 (0-1f, 0-1'65), Jamie Nolan 1-3, K Nolan 1-2, P Coady 0-3, D Murphy, F Fitzpatrick and J Dundon 0-2 each, Jon Nolan, K McDonald (s), T Joyce and R Coady 0-1 each.
Seamus Murphy; Laurence Brennan, Paul Doyle, Ciaran Harris; Paidi O'Shea; Paudie Kehoe, Ger Coady; Michael Walsh, Sean Doyle; Eamonn O'Shea, John Doyle, Conor Kehoe; James Doyle, Paddy Boland, Jack Kavanagh.
Andy Ralph for P O'Shea (17), Eddie Doyle and Sean Grennan for S Doyle and Boland (both 46), Gary Bennett for James Doyle (53), Fearghal Doyle for John Doyle (59).
Dean Grennan; Michael Doyle, Evan Kealy, Sean Joyce; Kevin McDonald, Richard Coady, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Joe Dundon, Jon Nolan; Jamie Nolan, Donagh Murphy, Paul Coady; Chris Nolan, Ted Joyce, Kyle Nolan.
Paddy Stafford for S Joyce (43), Tim Brennan for T Joyce (46).
Patrick Murphy.
