Mullally braced for enormous Oulart test

Mount Leinster Rangers manager Tommy Mullally believes Oulart-the-Ballagh’s poor Leinster final record will ensure the Wexford champions will take little for granted in Sunday’s provincial hurling final.

“If you stack up the experience, the games played, finals that teams have been in, Oulart’s would stack up. Outside of our own group there’s no doubt that very, very few people would be giving us a chance and that’s an understandable viewpoint to take.”

Mullally appreciates the headlines and feelgood factor generated by his team’s victory over Ballyboden St Enda’s in the last four will help them — but he also knows exactly how the upset was caused. “There’s a semi-final won against a very good team in Ballyboden but we did catch them after they had played their county final so we don’t really know where we are.

“The final will tell us what level we’re at. We’re coming up against one of the best teams in the province for the last couple of years.”

Mullally has great insight into the Oulart-the-Ballagh set-up having been a selector during Colm Bonnar’s time as Wexford manager.

He also helped out Mick Purcell this year in guiding Clara to a Kilkenny senior crown just a year after they were playing intermediate hurling.

Most would have thought they were his best opportunity of reaching a Leinster final but he’s aware of just how much the standard is rising in Carlow.

“It’d be a smaller operation but I think the signs are there that it’s improving and has been for the last five or six years.”

And there’s little doubt that Mount Leinster Rangers are the kingpins in the county, with their underage teams claiming county titles also winning.

“Year on year we’re just trying to improve and introduce younger players to it while holding on to the older players. I won’t call them old, but the experienced players we have.