Rangers' dreams crushed by clinical Crokes
Chris Nolan is consoled by his partner Laura Murphy after Mount Leinster Rangers lost to Kilmacud Crokes
A short spell in the final quarter where they outscored their opponents by six points without reply was key for the Dublin champions as Kilmacud Crokes finally saw off the challenge of Mount Leinster Rangers in the quarter-final of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
There was little between the teams in the opening half as the visitors went ahead with points from Dara Purcell and Caolan Conway. Mount Leinster Rangers replied with a Chris Nolan free and from there the game ebbed and flowed.
Kevin McDonald and Fiachra Fitzpatrick led the Rangers defence and at the other end the home side depended largely on Nolan who was deadly accurate from placed balls.
In contrast, four of the starting Crokes forwards all scored from play in the first half while Ronan Hayes converted three frees.
The only goal of the half came on 28 minutes when Rangers’ Donagh Murphy was fouled inside the big square and Nolan duly found the net. Hayes third free saw the visitors take a 0-12 to 1-8 lead into the second half.
Two Nolan frees edged Rangers back in front but the lead didn’t last as Brian Hayes levelled and Ronan Hayes also raised a white flag. A brilliant fetch and execute for a point by Nolan brought the home support to their feet while Rangers pressure saw brothers Donagh and Ruairi Murphy also raise a white flag each.
From there Crokes enjoyed their purple patch with Ronan Hayes leading the way while Brendan McKenna and Alex Considine also knocked over a point each.
Points for Fiachra Fitzpatrick and Ruairi Murphy left only three between them with five minutes of injury-time to be played. Rangers had one last attack but they were repulsed by a defence who had been consistent throughout. The eventual winners deserved to go through but they will have been mightily relieved to have come through after a huge effort from the Carlow champions.
R Hayes 0-9 (8fs), B Hayes 0-3, D Purcell, A Considine 0-2 each, F Donohoe, C O’Riain, O O’Rorke, S Purcell, B Kenny, C Conway 0-1 each.
C Nolan 1-9 (1-0 pen, 7fs), D Murphy 0-2, R Murphy 0-2 (1f) each, F Fitzpatrick, E Byrne, K McDonald 0-1 each.
Eddie Gibbons, Brian Sheehy, Padhraic Linehan, Benn Lynch; Conal O Riain, Mark Grogan, Cian Ó Cathasaigh; Brian Hayes, Caolan Conway; Fergal Whitely, Ronan Hayes, Finnian Donohoe; Oisin O’Rorke, Alex Considine, Dara Purcell.
Subs: Ger Veale for Donohoe (h/t), Sean Purcell for O’Rorke (45), Brendan Kenny for Conway (53), Brendan Scanlon for Considine (61).
Dean Grennan; Michael Doyle, Evan Kealy, Conaill Fitzpatrick; Diarmuid Byrne, Kevin McDonald, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Richard Coady, Joe Dundon; Donagh Murphy, Tim Brennan, Paul Coady; Chris Nolan, Ted Joyce, Eddie Byrne.
Subs: Ruari Murphy for P Coady (39), Jon Nolan for T Joyce (45), Jamie Nolan for R Coady (49), Dean Tobin for Dundon (55).
Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).
