Rangers plunged into relegation final as Grange march into SFC quarter-finals
John Murphy scored six points as Grange surged to a priceless Michael Lyng Motor Senor Football Championship win over Mount Leinster Rangers Photo: Pat Ahern
Grange defied the odds and qualified for the quarter-finals of the Senior Football Championship after an excellent performance at Netwatch Cullen Park on Thursday. In the process they consigned Mount Leinster Rangers to the relegation final against Fenagh.
The eventual winners posted early points from Aidan Burrows and Henry Hegarty but the rate of scoring remained slow in the first quarter. Gary Kelly got Rangers off the mark and the Borris side could very well have scored two goals but Fiachra Fitzpatrick was wide and the crossbar saved Grange when Donagh Murphy shot from close range. Kelly also had another outside chance but his low shot from a difficult angle on the left was blocked by Grange keeper, Seamus Hegarty.
Grange came to life and Paddy Hickey was on hand with a low shot which beat Tomas Joyce all ends up. The Killerig Crossroads side piled on the pressure and John Murphy ended the half with four points which included a two-point free. Also on target was Pat Murphy who added a point to his goal. Both Aidan and Darragh Burrows divided three points between them.
For Rangers they had a two-pointer from Jon Nolan and two Fiachra Fitzpatrick frees saw them trail at the break by 1-9 to 0-5. They dominated for a spell after the interval.
Fitzpatrick got his side off the mark with a 33rd minute free but Henry Hegarty landed an excellent two-pointer from play for Grange. Rangers failed to turn their possession into badly needed scores. Fitzpatrick did convert two frees but from the time he missed an easy free, Grange reasserted themselves. John Murphy landed a 54th minute free to put his side six clear. The opposition all but capitulated from there and Grange took advantage scoring four points in a row through Tadhg Walsh, Darragh Burrows, John Murphy and Ned Pender.
It was easy in the end but that lax period in the third quarter where, if Rangers had scored a goal, could have been a game changer. They didn’t and Grange lived to tell the tale.
J Murphy 0-6 (1-2pf 3fs), P Murphy 1-1, H Hegarty 0-3 (1-2p), D Burrows 0-2, A Burrows 0-2, T Walsh, N Pender 0-1 each.
F Fitzpatrick 0-5 (3fs), J Nolan 0-2 (1-2p), G Kelly, R Stafford, D Murphy, E Doyle 0-1 each.
Seamus Hegarty; Paddy Nolan, Matthew Bird, Tom Dillon; Vijay Egharevba, Henry Hegarty, Pat Murphy; Paddy Hickey, Cillian Murphy; Aidan Burrows, Ned Pender, Conor Nolan; Tadgh Walsh, John Murphy, Darragh Burrows. Subs: Jack Byrne for P Murphy (52), James Hickey for A Burrows (55), Noah Mulligan for N Pender (59), Aidan Burrows for Walsh (59), Diarmaid Burrows for Nolan (62).
Tomas Joyce; Kyle Nolan, Sean Joyce, Jamie Nolan; Jack Griffith, Evan Kealy, Tim Brennan; Jon Nolan, Patrick Stafford; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Conaill Fitzpatrick, James Bible; Donagh Murphy, Gary Kelly, Rob Stafford. Subs: Chris Nolan for Bible (h/t), Conor Fenlon for K Nolan (h/t), Eoin Doyle for P Stafford (42), MJ Doran for Brennan (58).
Marion Hayden (Éire Óg).
