Rangers make no mistake in first Championship game under new manager 

JJ KAVNAGH & SONS SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 

MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS 5-22 NAOMH BRÍD 2-6 

After going behind to an early goal, the Carlow senior hurling champions pulled away as they began life after Paul O'Brien, and under Niall Bergin, with an easy first round championship win at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.

From the off, Naomh Bríd showed scant regard for the reputation of the Borris side as Aaron Amond slipped a pass to Mikey Bambrick and he found the net at the scoreboard end of the ground.

Paul Coady and Jamie Nolan raised white flags for Rangers but it wasn’t until the start of the second quarter that they scored their first goal. That was thanks to Ted Joyce who latched onto a long delivery from Diarmuid Byrne who found the net via the butt of the left-hand post.

Further goals from Jamie Nolan and Donagh Murphy ensured the Naomh Bríd resistance was curtailed as the holders led 3-8 to 1-2 at the break. It was easy after that for Rangers. Their opponents remained game opponents but Naomh Bríd are at a different stage of their development than their ambitious and always hungry opponents.

Paul Coady continued to knock over the frees for Rangers. Jamie Nolan and Fiachra Fitzpatrick added further three-pointers and it wasn’t until the final minutes that Naomh Bríd didn’t find themselves under the cosh. James Kehoe scored a point from play and two from placed balls to go with an earlier Thomas Donovan goal.

Rangers still continued to keep their end of the scoreboard ticking over as they got their defence of their Carlow crown off to a perfect start.

Scorers:

Mount Leinster Rangers: J Nolan 2-3, P Coady 0-7 (6fs), F Fitzpatrick, D Murphy, T Joyce 1-1 each, D Byrne, K Nolan 0-3 each, J Dundon 0-2, R Coady 0-1 

Naomh Bríd: M Bambrick, T Donovan 1-0 each, J Kehoe 0-3 (1f 65), C Twomey, F O’Toole, T O’Neill 0-1 each 

 MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS: Dean Grennan; Michael Doyle, Sean Joyce, Michael Joyce; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Diarmuid Byrne, Conaill Fitzpatrick; Richard Coady, Tim Brennan; Joe Dundon, Donagh Murphy, Paul Coady; Kyle Nolan, Jamie Nolan, Ted Joyce. Subs: Paddy Stafford for M Joyce (11).

NAOMH BRÍD: Oisin McNally; Shane Kirwan, Adam Dunne, Niall Roche; Tadhg O’Neill, Fiach O’Toole, Bobby Daly; Eanna Holland, Mikey Bambrick; Ruarc O’Neill, John Murphy, Mark Fitzgerald, Jack Connolly, Aaron Amond, Conor Twomey. Subs: Jamie Doyle for Twomey (h/t), James Kehoe for Connolly (h/t), Thomas O’Donovan for Holland (42), James Maher for R O’Neill (54)

Referee: Conor Daly (Tinryland).