Mount Leinster Rangers 0-17
Naomh Eoin 0-07
County champions Mount Leinster Rangers have advanced to the final of the Carlow SHC where they will meet old rivals St. Mullins after they comfortably disposed of Naomh Eoin in Sunday’s semi-final at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Denis Murphy opened the scoring for Mount Leinster Rangers with two early frees that were quickly responded to by 18-year-old Dean Sly who pointed a free and scored another from play.
That was as good as it would get for a Naomh Eoin team who could net get up to the pace of the game from early on against an experienced and talented Mount Leinster Rangers side.
Chris Nolan got the score of the game from 55 metres out right on the sideline as Rangers restored a lead that they would not relinquish again. Fellow Carlow panellist Kevin McDonald added another just before the water break as Mount Leinster Rangers finished the first quarter the stronger of the two teams. The scoreboard suggested likewise, 0-04 to 0-02.
Naomh Eoin failed to score for the remainder of the opening period as Murphy added three frees, Chris Nolan got his second and Edward Byrne opened his account to give Mount Leinster Rangers what turned out to be an unassailable 0-09 to 0-02 lead at half time.
It was more of the same during a stale and flat second half. Murphy scored three unanswered frees to bring his tally to eight points. Despite the best efforts of Naomh Eoin, who reduced the deficit to seven points with the aid of scores from substitute Dwayne Kavanagh (2) and James Smithers midway through the second period.
Ciarán Kavanagh (2), Chris Nolan and Gary Kelly rounded up the scoring for the imperious Mount Leinster Rangers as their safe passage to the decider was never seriously threatened by a disappointing Naomh Eoin side.
Rangers will now take on St. Mullins in the final after they defeated Bagenalstown Gaels in the earlier semi-final.
It will see a repeat of the 2019 final and will be the sixth time in the last decade that the two teams will meet in the final.
