Rangers up and running with six point win
James Kelly from Mount Leinster Rangers pulls one handed ahead of Naomh Eoin's Eoin Redmond Photo: Pat Ahern
Mount Leinster Rangers got their J.J. Kavanagh & Sons intermediate hurling championship off to good start with a six point win over Naomh Eoin at sun drenched Borris on Saturday evening.
In a good lively game of hurling it was the home side that domineered the opening thirty minutes building up a commanding 3-11 to 2-7 lead at the interval. James Kelly at full forward had the ball in the Naomh Eoin net in the second minute. Points from Dean Slye two and Eoin Redmond brought Naomh Eoin back in to the game and it was Slye that levelled the sides at 0-4 to 1-1 after nine minutes, Kyle Nolan sending over a Mount Leinster Rangers point. A minute later slack marking by the Naomh Eoin defence saw Joe Dundon travel and sew up goal number two. Even Steven for the next couple of minutes and then Rangers found their form and great room to hit over points as they added eight to Naomh Eoin's one courtesy of Ruairi Murphy, Joe Dundon, Jack Griffith, Rob Stafford and James Kelly.
Six minutes before the break a combination of work from Martin Clowry and Adam Kenny saw Kenny tap the ball home for Naomh Eoin's first goal. From the puck out the Rangers men attacked fast as Joe Dalton cut through for goal number in less than a minute. Dalton and Rob Stafford tacked on two further points before Naomh Eoin reduced the lead to seven, with points from Adam Kenny, Eanna Kavanagh and a goal from Andy Jordan as referee Sean McCormack called half time.
On the restart Kyle Nolan and Andy Jordan traded points and then a turning point as Mount Leinster Rangers won a penalty with Ruari Murphy converting for his side’s fourth goal after eight minutes. Naomh Eoin battled hard and outscored their opponents by a point in the last period 0-9 to 1-5.
However it was the cushion Mount Leinster Rangers had built up in the first half plus the penalty that stood them in good stead. With Andy Jordan hitting over four points from long range and Dean Slye accurate frees from way out it was Eoin Colman in goal that denied the Naomh Eoin men another goal or two. The Rangers full back line were in top form policing the Naomh Eoin forwards well particularly Jack Griffith, Michael Malone and Mark Dundon, Jack Ryan and Tadgh Doran in the half line. Rob Stafford with four points from play from midfield was well tuned in along with Joe Dalton. Up front Ruari Murphy led the attack with good support from Kyle Nolan and Joe Dundon.
Kyle Foley in goal along with the evergreen Shane Kavanagh at full back Paddy Hogan, Ciaran Kavanagh and Michael Mullins defended with all their might, Eoin Redmond at mid field. Up front Andy Jordan led the attack all through along with Dean Slye and Adam Kenny. It’s been a good few years since either side won the Pat Foley Memorial Cup, it’s a long way off still but each side has huge capabilities of improving and finishing in the inner sanctum.
Eoin Colman, Jack Griffith (0-1), Michael Malone, Mark Dundon (0-1), Luke Kavanagh, Jack Ryan, Tadgh Doran, Joe Dalton (1-2), Rob Stafford (0-4), Brad Bolger, Joe Dundon (1-1), Ruari Murphy (1-4), Kyle Nolan (0-2), James Kelly (1-1), Ciaran Joyce.
Kyle Foley, Paddy Hogan, Shane Kavanagh, Ciaran Kavanagh, Joe Phelan, Michael Mullins, Ben Nolan, Eoin Redmond (0-1), Cian Kelly, Eanna Kavanagh (0-1), Andy Jordan (1-4), Jack Kelly, Adam Kenny (1-1), Martin Clowry, Dean Slye (0-8). Subs: Kevin Foley for E Kavanagh, Eoin Kavanagh for Hogan, Keith Slye (0-1) for C Kelly, Sean Tracey for J Kelly, Fiach Nolan for Phelan.
Referee: Sean McCormack (Carlow Town)
