Nolan hat-trick fires Rangers to 13th title
Chris Nolan scored 3-6 as Mount Leinster Rangers retained the Carlow Senior Hurling Championship title Photo: ©INPHO/James Lawlor
Chris Nolan's superb haul of 3-6 inspired Mount Leinster Rangers to their 13th Carlow Senior Hurling Championship title as they held off a stirring St Mullins comeback in a thrilling final.
Rangers appeared well on their way to retaining the title when they opened up a six-point lead heading into the final quarter, but St Mullins produced a remarkable response. Six unanswered points brought them level by the 58th minute and had their supporters dreaming of an unlikely comeback victory.
When Rangers needed leadership, however, veteran midfielder Richard Coady stepped forward. A member of the club's first county title-winning side in 2006, Coady landed a crucial point to swing momentum back in his side's favour and help steer them over the line.
Rangers made the perfect start with a goal from a penalty after eight minutes. A thundering shoulder from Kevin McDonald on Ger Coady in front of the Tom Lennon Stand won possession and a long delivery subsequently caught out the St Mullins defence. Paudie Kehoe was left with little option but to foul Ted Joyce as he raced through on goal.
Nolan made no mistake from the spot before adding his second goal in the 20th minute. Taking a pass from Ruairí Murphy, he embarked on a mazy run before drilling a low finish into the bottom-left corner of Seamus Murphy's net.
That score helped Rangers into a 2-7 to 0-8 half-time lead, with all of St Mullins' scores in the opening 30 minutes coming from placed balls, seven of them from Conor Kehoe.
Donagh Murphy opened the second-half scoring before Marty Kavanagh registered St Mullins' first point from play in the 33rd minute. A minute later, Kavanagh found the net to cut the deficit to just two points.
Any momentum St Mullins had gained was quickly halted. From the next Rangers attack, Nolan completed his hat-trick when a speculative delivery from the left flank deceived Murphy and dropped over his head and into the net to leave Rangers 3-8 to 1-9 ahead.
Dean Grennan then produced a magnificent save to deny Kavanagh a second goal and, when Rangers claimed three of the next four points to move six clear, the contest appeared all but over.
St Mullins had other ideas.
A blistering run of six consecutive points brought the sides level and set up a grandstand finish. Coady's vital score restored Rangers' advantage before Nolan added another point to ease the pressure.
Three minutes of injury time were signalled and St Mullins were presented with one final opportunity. Kehoe got a sight of goal but elected to strike first-time from the ground and failed to get the necessary connection when he may have had more time than he realised.
Rangers made certain of victory when brothers Chris and Jamie Nolan landed late points and, at the final whistle, celebrated a successful title defence with all the passion and enthusiasm of first-time champions.
Dean Grennan; Michael Doyle, Evan Kealy, Conaill Fitzpatrick, Kevin McDonald, Diarmuid Byrne, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Richard Coady 0-2, Joe Dundon 0-2; Donagh Murphy 0-2, Jon Nolan, Paul Coady, Chris Nolan 3-6 (1-0 pen, 3f), Ted Joyce 0-2, Ruairí Murphy 0-1 (f). Subs: Edward Byrne for J Nolan (h/t); Jamie Nolan 0-1 for P Coady (41); Dean Tobin for R Murphy (51); Kyle Nolan for Joyce (58).
Seamus Murphy; Laurence Brennan, Paudie Kehoe, Ciaran Harris, Paul Doyle, Michael Walsh, Ger Coady; Jack Kavanagh, Eamonn O'Shea; James Doyle 0-1, Marty Kavanagh 0-4 (3f), John Doyle 0-1, Conor Kehoe 1-10 (9f), Paddy Boland 0-2, Colm Kavanagh. Sub: Paidí O'Shea for Coady (h/t).
Sean McCormack.
