Six-goal thriller as Eire Og edge out Rangers
Mount Leinster Rangers captain Brad Bolger and Eire Og captain Liam Ryan with referee Patrick Murphy.
Eire Og picked up a vital win on Sunday afternoon that saw them finish top of Group 1 at the expense of home side Mount Leinster Rangers.
The game was played in dreadful conditions, yet both sets of players endeavoured to produce a scintillating game of end-to-end football that delivered a total of 6-27 scored - a fine tally even in the nicest of weather, let alone in the wind and rain that howled around the Kilcoltrim Grounds.
Both sides came into this fixture with one game under their belt against the group's only other team, Michael Davitts. Rangers beat Davitts by 13 points last week which meant they came into this game in the driving seat as Eire Og had been held to a stalemate in the opening round.
The game was all square heading into the final quarter, but the visitors finished strong and came away with the win that sees them into the semi-finals as Group 1 winners, while Rangers were made to settle for the runners-up spot.
Ronan Quinlan kicked Eire Og into the lead with a couple of early scores, but Rangers were in front moments later thanks to a free and a great score from outside the arc from Conaill Fitzpatrick.
Eire Og replied with three brilliant scores in a row, two from Quinlan and the third from Liam Ryan, before a score from Eoin Doyle at the other end left the hosts a point behind after ten minutes.
Quinlan extended Eire Og's lead but points from Joey Dalton and Donagh Murphy brought Rangers level midway through the first half.
The visitors then raised a green flag in the 19th minute when Jamie Coakley played a lovely ball inside to Kieran Nolan who curled his shot beautifully beyond Tomas Joyce and into the bottom corner.
Kyle Nolan pointed in return for Rangers, but further scores from Eoin Myers and Josh Brady put the visitors four points in front approaching the break.
Rangers turned things around in the closing stages with Murphy and Nolan each landing a two-pointer from play to leave the sides level at half time, 0-11 to 1-8.
Eire Og started the second half with a bang as Coakley and Dermot Lawlor pointed before Quinlan won a penalty in the 38th minute. Josh Brady took the responsibility and made no nistake as the visitors went five points up.
Rangers came roaring back with a point from Murphy before Brad Bolger released Eoin Doyle who raised a first green flag for the hosts.
A two-pointer from Kieran Nolan had Eire Og three up, but the sides were level midway through the half when Kyle Nolan smashed the ball past Ben McCarron and into the net.
But the visitors finished in style, with 2-2 in the final quarter. Quinlan and Coakley each pointed before an incredible goal came when Eire Og won the ball in front of their own goal and went the length of the field through sublime passing and support running culminating in a second goal for Brady.
Murphy landed a score at the other end but with Rangers desperate for a goal they were caught on the counterattack and coughed up a fourth goal right at the death when substitute Cathal Brady made sure of the win for Eire Og.
Kyle Nolan 1-3 (tp), Donagh Murphy 0-5 (1tp), Eoin Doyle 1-1, Conaill Fitzpatrick 0-3 (tp), Joey Dalton 0-1.
Josh Brady 2-1 (1-0 pen), Ronan Quinlan 0-6 (1f), Kieran Nolan 1-2 (tp), Cathal Brady 1-0, Jamie Coakley 0-2, Liam Ryan, Dermot Lawlor and Eoin Myers 0-1 each.
Tomas Joyce; Edward Fenlon, Jamie Nolan, Gavin Murphy; Jack Griffin, Tim Brennan, Ruairi Murphy; Patrick Stafford, Brad Bolger; Kyle Nolan, Conaill Fitzpatrick, Eoin Doyle; Joey Dalton, Donagh Murphy, Eoin Coleman.
Mark Dundon for J Nolan (10), Luke Kavanagh for B Bolger (54), Darragh Coleman for Griffin (57), Michael Joyce for D Coleman (inj, 59).
Ben McCarron; Alex Donnelly-Finn, Aaron Bolger, Ryan Donnelly-Finn; Ryan Fitzgerald, Alex Delaney, Cillian McGrath; Kieran Nolan, Eoin Myers; Jacob Curran, Jamie Coakley, Liam Ryan; Dermot Lawlor, Ronan Quinlan, Josh Brady.
Subs: Shane Gurhy for Lawlor (inj, 36), Cathal Brdy for Curran (55).
Patrick Murphy
