Nolan's double helps Rangers cause huge shock
Chris Nolan scored two goals for Mount Leinster Rangers in their famous win over Éire Óg
Two second half goals from Chris Nolan went a long way to causing the shock of the senior football championship at Netwatch Cullen Park when the underdogs deservedly beat Éire Og in this group 3 third round game on Saturday.
The heavy rain which fell just before the throw-in made life all but unbearable for both players and match officials. They coped manfully with the conditions.
It was until the 16th minute when either side managed to score and that came from a Tim Brennan two-pointer on the left at the O’Hanrahan end of the ground.
Rangers continually got players behind the ball and spoiled the Éire Óg attack who were unable to find a way through. All the Reds had to show for their first half endeavours were two Niall Quinlan points from frees. Eoin Doyle scored the only other Rangers point in the half to put his side into a 0-3 to 0-2 interval lead.
One minute into the second half, Rangers attacked down the right and when the ball came across in front of goal, Nolan punched home. Six minutes later, the Éire Óg keeper was picking the ball out of the net again as Nolan latched onto an Eddie Byrne free and without taking possession he guided the ball over the line. Diarmuid Ruth was the only Éire Óg scorer in the third quarter.
A shell-shocked Teach Asca side stood watching. Rangers could have had at least another two goals. It was only in the final minutes that the YIs came alive with Adam McCarron, Sean Gannon, Chris Blake, Colm Hulton and Quinlan all raising white flags.
Rangers skilfully sucked the energy out of their rivals who scored a late, late Chris Blake goal right at the end of the four minutes extra-time. It was too late. Rangers are through to the knock-out stages and they won’t fear anyone now while Éire Óg will have to battle for their senior status in the relegation final.
C Nolan 2-2, T Brennan 0-2 (1-2p), E Doyle 0-1, J Nolan, F Fitzpatrick 0-1.
C Blake 1-1, N Quinlan 0-3 (fs), C Hulton, S Gannon, D Ruth, A McCarron 0-1 each.
Dean Grennan; Jack Griffith, Michael Joyce, Jamie Nolan; Richard Coady, Jon Nolan, Sean Joyce; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Eddie Byrne; Tim Brennan, Conaill Fitzpatrick, Evan Kealy; Donagh Murphy, Eoin Doyle, Chris Nolan. Subs: Ruairi Murphy for Murphy (56), Joe Dundon for Kealy (62), Robert Stafford for F Fitzpatrick.
Johnny Furey; Cathal Kelly, Mark Furey, Lee Moore; Shane Buggy, Eoin Myers, Adam Nolan; Eoghan Ruth, Sean Gannon; Diarmuid Ruth, Colm Hulton, Reece Denieffe; Darragh O’Brien, Niall Quinlan, Josh Brady. Subs: Benny Kavanagh for E Ruth (28), Chris Blake for O’Brien (h/t), Adam McCarron for Denieffe (36), Alex Delaney for Nolan (40), Paul McElligott for Brady (51).
Referee: Sean McCormack (Fighting Cocks).
