Rangers round off group stages with easy win

JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship Round 5

Mount Leinster Rangers 5-26 Bagenalstown Gaels 0-6 

Mount Leinster Rangers strolled to victory in this senior hurling championship round five game at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday. It was a dead rubber from the start and for a fleeting moment when JP Treacy floated the sliotar over the bar it appeared Bagenalstown were up for it.

It took Rangers about ten minutes to get going. Chris Nolan registered a number of wides but then his colleagues upped the pace. All around the field, Rangers players fought for every ball as if their semi-final place was in doubt.

Scores followed with TJ Joyce starting the rout on 13 minutes. Jon Nolan, Joyce again and Donagh Murphy all added three-pointers while Chris Nolan saw his penalty fly right and wide at the scoreboard end of the ground.

Jake Doyle landed a free and converted a side-line cut to leave Rangers 4-10 to 0-3 ahead at the interval.

While the rate of scoring waned in the second half this was more a case of Rangers being satisfied with what they had while the Gaels struggled to even show an interest in what they were doing.

Ruairi Murphy scored an early goal in the second half for Rangers and after that they shot over a succession of points. Joe Dundon and Eoin Doyle came into the action and both of them raised white flags. It was all too easy. Rangers will know that too.

Scorers:

Mount Leinster Rangers:

T Joyce 2-4 (1f), J Nolan 1-4, R Murphy 1-4 (1f), C Nolan 0-4 (3fs), D Murphy 1-1, F Fitzpatrick 0-3, E Kealy 0-2, M Malone, J Dundon, E Doyle, K McDonald (f), 0-1 each 

Bagenalstown Gaels: J Doyle 0-4 (sl 3fs), JP Treacy, R O’Neill 0-1, JP Treacy 0-1 each 

MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS: Frank Foley; Michael Doyle, Michael Malone, Sean Joyce; Conaill Fitzpatrick, Kevin McDonald, Richard Coady; Tim Brennan, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Ruairi Murphy, Donagh Murphy; Chris Nolan, Eddie Byrne, Ted Joyce. Subs: Evan Kealy for Brennan (22), Gary Lawlor for McDonald (h/t), Eoin Doyle for Murphy (h/t), Michael Joyce for Lawlor (38), Joe Dundon for C Nolan (43).

BAGENALSTOWN GAELS: Andrew Townsend; Sean Wall, Andrew Casey, Alan Wall; Cian Doyle, Darragh Nolan, Patrick Kelly; Ross O’Neill; Mark McDonald; JP Treacy, Billy Fitzpatrick, Danny Doyle; TJ Darcy, Jamie Clarke, Jake Doyle. Subs: Jason Wall for Fitzpatrick (h/t), Darren Crooks for O’Neill (45).

Referee: Sean McCormack (Carlow Town)