Defending champions Mount Leinster Rangers clinched their place in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Carlow Senior Hurling Final on Saturday with a commanding 2-19 to 1-15 victory over Ballinkillen.
The final is set for August 11th, but Mount Leinster Rangers must await the replay winner between St. Mullins and Bagenalstown Gaels.
St. Mullins and Bagenalstown Gaels ended their match in a thrilling 4-14 draw, necessitating a replay on August 3rd at 6 PM in Netwatch Cullen Park. This decisive match will be completed on the day, with extra time consisting of two 10-minute halves, followed by penalties if the score remains level.
Despite their previous league form and a challenging encounter with St. Mullins, Bagenalstown Gaels displayed remarkable resilience. Craig Doyle, a player for Bagenalstown Gaels, acknowledged the low expectations but highlighted the team’s determination;
“No one gave us a chance, really. Even the people of Bagenalstown probably didn’t give us much of a chance. And rightly so, given the performance over the last few weeks. We’re kind of building there in the last few years. We’re not just a bad team overnight, so we were due a good performance. We had a really strong first half. You could see, we didn’t hold them off for the first 20 minutes in the second half. And then we kind of left ourselves in an uphill battle. And look, we got there in the end, we dragged it back. Happy with the performance, disappointed with the result, given where we were at half time.”
The stage is now set for a compelling final, with Mount Leinster Rangers eager to defend their title against the upcoming victor of the St. Mullins and Bagenalstown Gaels showdown.
