Stiff challenge in store for Rangers as Dublin champs come to town
Richard Coady in action for Mount Leinster Rangers during this year's JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Championship win over St Mullins Photo: ©INPHO/James Lawlor
Carlow champions, Mount Leinster Rangers, take on Dublin representatives in the quarter-final of the Leinster Senior Hurling Club Championship in Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
Since beating Oulart the Ballagh to claim a famous Leinster title in 2013, the Borris side have found it difficult to even win a game at this level. Captain, Richard Coady, is only too well aware how difficult it is.
“First and foremost you want to win your own championship but every hurler aspires to get into Leinster and this is where it really takes off. Players dream getting to a final and we have a little bit of a tradition in this competition.
"Unfortunately of late it hasn’t been good to us or we haven’t been good to it but we would hoping to right that on Sunday,” he said.
Kilmacud Crokes deprived Cuala of a Dublin senior football and hurling championship double when lifting the hurling title by 2-17 to 0-12. Ronan Hayes scored 1-3 that night. The Stillorgan based club last appeared in a provincial final back in 2022 where they lost to Ballyhale Shamrocks by 2-22 to 2-19. In fact, Carlow referee, Paud O’Dwyer was taking charge of his second Leinster final that day. It is hard to believe that Kilmacud Crokes have never won a hurling senior Leinster title.
“I think they are looking further down the road. They have bigger ambitions than just next Sunday. It is a big obstacle ahead of us but we are relishing the challenge,” reasons Coady who will not be bowing the knee here.
“Against Cuala they were impressive. They have plenty of strings to their bow but we would be hoping we have plenty of strings to our bow. We would be hoping to impose our game on them,” he says.
Rangers have one definite worry. Jon Nolan had to retire midway through the county final against St Mullins.
“He got a sore injury, A shoulder. He is fighting against time but knowing Jon, he is a warrior and he will do everything he can to get on to the pitch. He is working hard with physio so he will do what he can.”
Rangers received a home draw in last year's Leinster Championship at the same stage but bowed out to Kildare champions Naas. They'll be hoping to go at least one step further this year but know they will have to be at their very best to have any chance against the Dublin champions.
