O'Loughlin Gaels lay down a marker with impressive win
HIGH AND MIGHTY: Jordan Molloy of O'Loughlin Gaels in action against Chris Nolan of Mount Leinster Rangers at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Leinster club SHC favourites O'Loughlin Gaels laid down an early provincial marker in Carlow, powering to a nine-point win over the hosts to set up a semi-final clash with Kilcormac-Killoughey.
Brian Hogan's side finally broke Ballyhale Shamrocks' stranglehold over the Kilkenny championship last month and, in doing so, were immediately installed as hot tips for the provincial title.
They took advantage of the fact that Carlow champions Mount Leinster Rangers hadn't played a competitive game in 13 weeks as they roared into an early 1-3 to 0-1 lead and were always in control from there on.
Owen Wall scored the early O'Loughlin Gaels goal and while their nine-point lead was whittled down to just four following a strong third quarter display by MLR, that was as close as the underdogs came to an upset.
The 11-times Carlow champions were undermined by the 53rd minute dismissal of substitute Diarmuid Byrne following a second yellow. Controversially, his first booking appeared to come in the 41st minute after entering the field of play too soon as a sub.
O'Loughlin Gaels took full advantage in the closing minutes, outscoring the 2013 Leinster champions by 1-4 to 0-2 after the sending off to win at their ease, Luke Hogan blasting in their second goal in the 56th minute.
A giant question mark hung over the Carlow representatives and how they would fare following three months without a competitive game as their county final win over St Mullins was way back on August 13.
Boss Paul O'Brien said beforehand that he was confident they'd ticked all the boxes in terms of preparation and that they'd played a series of useful challenge games.
But they were powerless to prevent Brian Hogan's Gaels from roaring into a 1-10 to 0-4 half-time lead, virtually killing the contest at that early stage.
In truth, Mount Leinster Rangers weren't so much off the pace as unable to take the scoring opportunities that came their way in that opening half with nine wides in the first 30 minutes undermining their challenge.
All poor Mount Leinster Rangers could manage in the opening half from open play was two points, from Jon and Chris Nolan, with the latter accounting for their other two points from placed balls.
O'Loughlins, in turn, were boosted by that early Wall goal following a clever dribble and there were further scores from the visitors in that opening half in the form of points from Jack Nolan, county defender Mikey Butler, Mark Bergin and Cian Loy.
Mount Leinster Rangers required a big second-half performance and, for a while at least, they looked like they might pull themselves right back into it.
Brothers Chris and Jon Nolan sniped a series of points between them, eight in total, to leave the overall scoreline reading 1-13 to 0-12.
Then came the Byrne dismissal though and O'Loughlin Gaels took full advantage with a strong last 10 minutes or so.
Hogan burst beyond wing-back Jack Murphy before beating the 'keeper with a low shot from a tight angle on the right for the second Gaels goal in the 56th minute.
Conor Heary and Bergin added further points to seal a nine-point win for the two-time Leinster champions and 2011 All-Ireland finalists.
Mark Bergin (0-8, 4 frees, 1 65); Owen Wall, Luke Hogan (1-0), Jack Nolan (0-3), Conor Heary (0-2), Paddy Butler, Mikey Butler, Cian Loy (0-1).
Chris Nolan (0-9, 6f, 1 65), Jon Nolan (0-3), Dean Tobin (0-1).
Stephen Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Anthony Forrestal; David Fogarty, Paddy Deegan, Jordan Molloy; Jack Nolan, Cian Loy; Conor Heary, Mark Bergin, Eoin O'Shea; Owen Wall, Paddy Butler, Seanie Bolger.
Subs: Luke Hogan for O'Shea (38), Jamie Ryan for Loy (45-f/t blood), Conor Kelly for Paddy Butler (51), Kevin Murphy for Jack Nolan (58).
Dean Grennan; Sean Joyce, Jack Murphy, Michael Doyle; Tony Lawlor, Kevin McDonald, Richard Coady; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Evan Kealy; Ted Joyce, Donagh Murphy, Jon Nolan; Ciarain Kavanagh, Edward Byrne, Chris Nolan.
Subs: Paul Coady for Ted Joyce (h/t), Diarmuid Byrne for Lawlor (41), Dean Tobin for Edward Byrne (51), Tim Brennan for Kavanagh (57), Michael Malone for Kealy (61).
: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).
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