St. Mullins has once again etched their name into the annals of Carlow hurling history, securing their 29th Carlow Senior Hurling Championship title with a resounding victory over Mount Leinster Rangers in a dramatic replay at Netwatch Cullen Park.
The final scoreline read St. Mullins 2-25, Mount Leinster Rangers 3-16, as they avenged last year’s heart-wrenching defeat in the final at the hands of the same opponents.
The much-anticipated replay followed a tense and hard-fought draw just a week prior, where both teams had left it all on the pitch but failed to be separated after 60 minutes. This time around, however, St. Mullins were determined to leave no doubt, coming out of the gates with an intensity that stunned their opponents.
From the outset, St. Mullins dominated the game, with Marty Kavanagh and Jason O’Neill both finding the back of the net, giving their side a commanding 13-point lead by halftime. Their blistering first-half performance was a stark contrast to their opening 30 minutes in the initial encounter, where they had struggled to assert their dominance. The game was heavily influenced by an early turning point when Mount Leinster Rangers were reduced to 14 men after Dean Tobin was shown a red card just eight minutes into the match. This setback left Rangers on the back foot, unable to cope with St. Mullins’ relentless pressure.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Mount Leinster Rangers showed their mettle in the second half, clawing back with three goals of their own, but it was too little too late. St. Mullins, with the confidence of seasoned champions, kept the scoreboard ticking over with a barrage of points, ensuring that the outcome was never truly in doubt.
This victory not only adds another chapter to St. Mullins’ storied legacy in Carlow hurling but also serves as sweet revenge for last year’s final, where Mount Leinster Rangers emerged victorious. The triumph was particularly special for St. Mullins’ manager, Tommy Buggy, who savored the moment two decades after his first county title win with the club back in 2002. The Castlecomer native, who began his managerial career with St. Mullins, was visibly emotional as he reflected on the achievement.
Speaking to KCLR after the game, Buggy said, “Like 22 years ago I was in the club and I won the county title. I see a lot of the ex-team from that time, and one or two guys’ sons are on this team. It’s an unbelievable feeling to do what we did today and to do it for those people. Hurling means as much to them as it does to anyone else in the world, and St. Mullins is an unbelievable club.”