A late Dean Tobin point rescued a draw for MLR against a much improved Ballinkillen side.
Carlow Senior Hurling Championship Round 2
Mount Leinster Rangers 0-20, Ballinkillen 1-17
For the second week in a row Mount Leinster Rangers conceded 1-17; for the second week in a row the Ballymurphy/Rathanna/Borris brigade matched that 20 point tally to share the SHC points.
Last weekend v St Mullins the Rangers racked up 2-14 (caught by an injury time goal), on Saturday evening in Netwatch Cullen Park the reigning champion failed to raise a green flag but racked up 0-20, the last of which, from the stick of Dean Tobin, came as late as stoppage time in the four minutes stoppage time played by former inter-county referee Paud O’Dwyer.
Brave, brave Ballinkillen, beaten by Myshall the previous Saturday, were virtually playing for their championship lives, another defeat leaving their last four chances virtually non-existent. With Sean Murphy back in the ranks and making an immediate impact operating from centre half forward, with elegant Ciaran Whelan marksmanship from placed balls turning colleagues industry into invaluable scores, with Dion Wall (so assured on the ball) and veteran David English (one magnificent ground flick to himself to deny the Rangers a goal chance) anchoring the blue and gold defence, Ballinkillen came so, so close to a famous victory over their fancied neighbours.
A wet squally Saturday had finally cleared and the sun was shining on the County Grounds as Ciaran Whelan pointed a 53rd minute free. Ballinkillen 1-16, Mount Leinster Rangers 0-16. The goal that separated the sides had come in the 21st minute of the first half when Ciaran Whelan attempted to point a free from the half-line, dead centre of the field. He had the accuracy but his shot dropped just short of the crossbar but eluded defender and goalkeeper to lodge itself in the back of the net.
That goal helped Ballinkillen to a 1-9 to 0-10 interval advantage, was still the difference at that 1-16 to 0-16 juncture with Sean Murphy having hit the upright high up to deny ‘Choo Choo’ an inspirational 52nd minute point. Ballinkillen were still three up with a minute of normal time to go but then inch by inch the Rangers reeled them in, Kevin McDonald long range point (49th minute), Jon Nolan (a trademark point, 61st minute), Kevin Mac again (62nd minute, long range free). The sides were level. A draw?
Wait, four minutes ‘timed added on’ had been indicated … Ballinkillen attack the scoreboard end goal, Craig Wall displays dextrous stick work to control a high ball that looked to have got away from him and having won possession won the free. 30 yards out, in front of the posts, the scoreboard clock was showing 63 minutes 43 seconds when Ciaran Whelan bent, lift and struck the lead point.
Rangers, surprisingly, didn’t go with a long, long puck out from the goalkeeper, Dean Grennan instead going short to his full-back who passed to a colleague who drove a long ball across to left wing where Dean Tobin, scorer of four fabulous points previously, makes it five with a sweet strike from close to the 45m line. A draw? Yes!
A fair result? The scores on the board are always the final arbiter so, yes. But Ballinkillen will rue the loss of a SHC point the more. Still, on this form neither Bagenalstown Gaels or St Mullins can take things for granted and it could be argued that next weekend’s match with the Gaels could be a kind-of quarter-final.
The Rangers have yet to win a game, have a bye next weekend, then play Bagenalstown Gaels and Naomh Eoin so will still be expected to make the last four when county men Chris Nolan and Fiachra Fitzpartrick are back from their US sojourn. Of those keeping the ‘home fires burning’ Dean Tobin has been the highest flame, a lovely hurler with an eye for a score, those scores were central to the red and black brigades two draws. Teddy Joyce too has helped keep the scoreboard ticking over, Donagh Murphy contributed a brace on this occasion as did veteran Richie Coady while the Joyce’s, Kevin Mac and Tony Lawlor defended well.
Apart Ciaran Whelan (1-9 from placed balls), all-action Sean Murphy, the cultured Dion Wall and David English, Ballinkillen had useful operators in Sean Brenan, Kevin Kavanagh (one lovely point), Jack Treacy (a superb first half point from the stand sideline), Eric English and Shane Kelly (two sweet points to back his U-21 inter-county form)
– MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS –
1. Dean Grennan
2. Michael Doyle
3. Michael Joyce
4. Sean Joyce
5. Tony Lawlor
6. Kevin McDonald (Capt) 0-2 1f
7. Richie Coady 0-1
8. Conaill Fitzpatrick
9. Tim Brennan
10. Dean Tobin 0-5
11. Teddy Joyce 0-4 2f
12. Evan Kealy
13. Jon Nolan 0-3
14. Donagh Murphy 0-2
15. Ciaran Kavanagh 0-3
Subs: Tadgh Doran for E Kealy (h-t)
Eddie Byrne for C Kavanagh (53)
– BALLINKILLEN –
1. Tommy Dowling
2. Ciarán Dowling
3. David English
4. Sean Brenan
5. Kevin Kavanagh 0-1
6. Dion Wall
7. Jamie Wall
8. Cormac Lomax 0-1
9. Eric English
10. Ciaran Whelan 1-9 1-9f
11. Sean Murphy 0-2
12. Sean Cummins
13. Craig Wall 0-1
14. Jack Treacy 0-1
15. Shane Kelly 0-2
Subs: Patrick Kavanagh for S Cummins (47)
Conor Treacy for D Wall (51)
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer
