Naomh Brid have made an instant return to Senior Hurling in Carlow.
They defeated favourites Mount Leinster Rangers by a point at Netwatch Cullen Park last night.
Goals from Eanna Holland, Alan Brennan and Mikey Bambrick resulted in a 3-7 to 15 points scoreline.
Mount Leinster Rangers were by far the better team in the first half and possibly could have been further ahead but crucially Naomh Brid went in just four points down (0-9 to 1-2) with Holland’s goal keeping them in the game.
There were harsh words in the Naomh Brid dressing room at half time but it clearly worked as the winners began to win more breaking ball, but nevertheless MLR kept plucking away with Jon Nolan picking off some great scores from both placed balls and open play.
Alan Brennan’s goal early in the second half brought Naomh Brid back level but John Coady scored at the far end and Hugh Paddy O’Byrne forced a scoreable free.
Another goal chance fell the direction of Naomh Brid just approaching the final 15 minutes and Mikey Bambrick made no mistake with the finish with the tide beginning to turn.
Luke Roche responded with a long range point for MLR and they didn’t disappear at any stage and late on Eoin Fenlon’s rasper just flew over the bar.
An Aaron Amond point and a huge effort from Mark Brennan gave Naomh Brid the impetus approaching Full time and at the tail end Jon Nolan had a chance to level the game but his effort just went the wrong side of the post, but he is set to feature prominently for club and county over the next 10 or 15 years.
This victory was exactly what Naomh Brid needed as a club going forward and who knows what could happen over the coming weeks and months, but there’s no time to dwell with a Leinster Junior Championship game against Arklow to play on Saturday.
Click the link below to listen to the post match interviews with Adam Dunne, Darren Kavanagh, Aaron Amond and Alan Brennan.