Rangers make short work of Bagenalstown
Conaill Fitzpatrick drives out of defence for Mount Leinster Rangers as Cian Doyle and Jake Doyle give chase
Reigning champions, Mount Leinster Rangers, made it two wins on the trot in this Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 game at Netwatch Cullen Park on Friday.
This was always going to be a difficult task for the challengers. They started and finished without the experienced Darragh Nolan and Jack McCullagh but an early Jake Doyle free nudged Bagenalstown Gaels ahead.
Rangers came roaring back with Donagh Murphy finding the scoreboard end posts with two long range efforts. Kyle Nolan followed up with another point while the Coady brothers, Richard and Paul, both raised white flags.
Their opponents found their feet as TJ Darcy knocked over a side-line cut out on the right. Doyle added two more points which were supplemented by points from Darcy, Paddy McDonnell and Paddy Abbey.
Rangers still kept the first half scoreboard ticking over and led 0-16 to 0-8 at the break.
A minute had hardly gone in the second half when Donagh Murphy flashed over another point and this was followed up by further scores from the Coady brothers.
Bagenalstown lived on scraps from there to the end. Possibly the margin at the final whistle was harsh on them. Jamie Clarke had a great goal chance in the second half but under pressure, he pulled his effort left and wide of the upright.
The Rangers goal came from a long delivery with Ted Joyce the beneficiary. It was all too easy at the end.
P Coady 0-8 (7fs), T Joyce 1-3, Jon Nolan, D Murphy, R Coady, K McDonald 0-3 each, Jamie Nolan 0-1, T Brennan, K Nolan, D Byrne, D Tobin, J Dundon 0-1 each.
J Doyle 0-6 (5fs), TJ Darcy (2-sl), P McDonnell 0-3 each, P Abbey 0-1.
Dean Grennan; Michael Doyle, Sean Joyce, Conaill, Fitzpatrick; Kevin McDonald, Diarmuid Byrne, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Richard Coady, Tim Brennan; Joe Dundon, Donagh Murphy, Paul Coady; Kyle Nolan, Jamie Nolan, Ted Joyce. Subs: Jon Nolan for Brennan (43), Dean Tobin for K Nolan (48), Paddy Stafford for Byrne (49), Evan Kealy for Dundon (49).
Andrew Townsend; Alan Wall, Niall Bolger, Paddy Abbey; Cian Doyle, Ross O’Neill, Sean Wall, Eoghan Dowling, Danny Doyle; Jason Wall, Jamie Clarke, Billy Fitzpatrick; TJ Darcy, Jake Doyle, Paddy McDonnell. Subs: James Doyle for Fitzpatrick (h/t), John Lillis for Darcy (54).
David Hickey (Fenagh).
