Mount Leinster Rangers pulled off a seismic shock in the Carlow Senior Football Championship Quarter Final’s yesterday by dispatching the raging hot favourites Eire Og at Netwatch Cullen Park.
A Two man inside Full Forward line of the Byrne brothers Diarmuid and Eddie caused havoc for the the Eire Og rearguard in the opening half with Eddie’s goal giving MLR an early 1-5 to 0-2 lead.
Cormac Mullins hit back with a major for Eire Og and despite not playing particularly well they only trailed by 1-6 to 1-4 at the break.
The YI’s began to dominate the midfield sector after the interval with Murtough Ware having a telling influence.
Rangers took a gamble by bringing Eddie Byrne out to the middle and it paid off as Chris Nolan moved in closer to goal and knocked over a fine score.
A Free from Niall Quinlan narrowed the gap to the minimum in stoppage time and things got fairly heated in those ten additional minutes but MLR held on to book a semi final meeting with Palatine.
In the second quarter final Old Leighlin just held out for a one point win over Tinryland with a late Seamus Kinsella free sending them through to a semi final meeting with old foes Rathvilly.
While in the opening game of the day Kilbride booked their place in the Intermediate Football Semi Finals with a comfortable win over the Fighting Cocks.
They now face St Andrews in next weekends Semi Finals while Naomh Eoin clash with Clonmore
