IT Carlow 1-8

IT Tralee 0-9

By Kieran Murphy

IT Carlow earned themselves a home Sigerson Cup quarter-final last Wednesday thanks to a Chris Healy goal at the start of the second quarter. The
three-pointer was the significant strike of a somewhat low key game as Carlow led 1-2 to 0-3 at the interval.
Immediately after the restart Tralee’s Conor Keane and Paul O’Donoghue pointed as Anthony Dever’s effort kept the home side ahead. Carlow survived a scary period when they lost Mark Russell to a black card and Tralee could have had a goal when a combination of passes involving Vincent Horan and Damien Somers put in Conor Keane. The full-forward shot wide.
Carlow’s introduction of Ray Cahill’s added a new dimension and he made his mark when he nudged Carlow back in front.
He saw plenty of the ball in the final quarter while the direct running of Kevin Ryan and Chris Healy stretched the visiting defence. Hesitancy in front of goal hampered Carlow but at least they did convert a number of point chances which propelled them into a four-point lead with only nine minutes left.
In contrast to the home side, Tralee were guilty of careless shooting while over the hour they registered 13 wides. The last one will haunt them.
In the third minute of injury time, and with only two points in it, Tralee were awarded a 40m free. The ball was delivered long which fell kindly for Damien Somers on the unguarded right-hand post. To his horror he ballooned wide. That was the final act of the contest.
IT Carlow take on UCC this Wednesday (IT Carlow, 6pm) for a place in the Sigerson semi-finals.
IT Carlow: Robert Samson (Louth); James Mitchell (Leitrim), Thomas O’Connell (Kildare), Jack Casey (Roscommon); Eoin Buggie (0-1, Laois), Caolan Ward (0-1, Donegal), Niall Kane (Meath); Shane Maughan (Kildare), Mark Russell (Tipperary); Ronan Ryan (Meath), Anthony Dever (0-1, Mayo), Will Young (Laois); Kevin Ryan (0-2, Meath), Luke Flynn (Kildare), Chris Healy (1-1 0-1 free, Kildare). Subs: Ray Cahill (0-2, Kildare) for Russell (black card 40 mins), Daniel O’Sullivan (Kildare) for Young (46 mins), Jonathan Logue (Donegal) for Maughan (56 mins), Conor O’Toole (Carlow) for Dever (61 mins).
IT Tralee: Barry Galvin; Darragh Kennedy, Gavin Crowley, Cillian Cromwell; Vincent Horan, Denis McElligott, Shane Guthrie; Damien Somers, Liam Kearney; Conor O’Driscoll, Gavin O’Shea, Paul O’Donoghue (0-3fs); Daniel O’Keeffe, Conor Keane (0-2), Sean Cournane (0-3). Subs: Padraig Quille for O’Shea (28 mins), Conor Lowney for O’Driscoll (h/t), Sean Flynn for Kennedy (43 mins), Owen Roche for O’Keeffe (44 mins).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)