Mount Leinster Rangers stand firm to keep Robert Emmetts at bay

MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS became the first team from Carlow to reach the All-Ireland Club IHC final after a titanic struggle with Robert Emmets of London in Parnell Park yesterday.

The Exiles began with a stiff breeze and created some good openings but were left ruing 12 first-half wides which ultimately cost them their place in Croke Park next month. The marksmanship of Denis Murphy kept the Carlow men in touch in a fiercely contested game and they trailed 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval.

Inside 15 minutes of the second-half Eoin Doyle had helped the Carlow men turn their deficit into a three-point lead.

But Tipp native Aidan Fitzgerald and Kilkenny man Eddie Brennan had the Londoners level with nine minutes to go.

Mount Leinster stood firm though in a terrific finish marked by heroic defending from Karol Lawlor and Edward Coady and decorated by sublime scores from Derek Byrne and Hugh Paddy O’Byrne.

In a frantic finish sub Damien McCormack stole inside the Rangers defence but kicked a glorious goal chance wide.

Scorers for MLR: D Murphy 0-7 (6fs), J Coady, HP O’Byrne 0-2 each, D Byrne, E Doyle 0-1 each.

Scorers for Robert Emmets: K Bolger, A Fitzgerald, P Atkinson (1f), M Callanan (2fs) 0-2 each, E Brennan, N Healy, M Walsh 0-1 each.

MLR: F Foley; G Kelly, B Nolan, K Lawlor; J Hickey, R Coady, E Coady; P Nolan, D Byrne; J Coady, E Byrne, D Phelan; HP O’Byrne, D Murphy, E Doyle.

Subs: C Byrne for D Phelan (54).

ROBERT EMMETS: N Higgins; J Anderson, E Walsh, B Healy; N Healy, P Horkan, G Hill; M Walsh, K Bolger; S Ryan, A Fitzgerald, B Ennis; P Atkinson, E Brennan, M Callanan.

Subs: J Cody for Horkan (blood), D McCormack for S Ryan (45), K McMullan for Callanan (52), J Cody for Anderson (inj) 55.

Referee: Garrett Duffy (Antrim).