Carlow make flying start to McDonagh Cup
Conor Kehoe celebrates scoring a great second half goal for Carlow against Laois
Carlow got their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign off to the perfect start when they accounted for their neighbours, Laois, at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
Playing against the slight breeze, the home side matched their opponents with a point each from Jon Nolan and Conor Kehoe cancelling out two from Aaron Dunphy. After Dunphy and David Dooley raised white flags, the visitors looked set to take over but Carlow took route one to goal. When the Laois defence failed to deal with the dropping ball, James Doyle pounced for a goal.
The home team built on their lead with Nolan adding another point and Marty Kavanagh also on the mark from placed balls.
Ben Conroy scored two points for Laois but just before the half-time break, Carlow struck for a second three-pointer when Chris Nolan found Fiachra Fitzpatrick lurking on the 20 metre line and he drilled a low shot to the right-hand corner of the net at the scoreboard end of the ground.
At the interval, Carlow led 2-9 to 0-8.
Laois came out for the second half full of intent. Conroy scored a 38th minute goal and by the 45th minute the sides were level. The visitors were now in prime position to go on and take the victory. Incredibly, they would only score five more points with Stephen Maher raising four white flags when introduced at half-time. It was never going to be enough as Carlow took over.
A brilliantly executed side-line cut by Chris Nolan set the wheels in motion and two Kavanagh frees extended the Carlow lead. With fifteen minutes to go, Nolan ran at the visiting defence and planted the ball into the back of the net.
The home side were winning the majority of the exchanges and they were rewarded when Conor Kehoe scored a fourth goal.
That was game, set and match as the eventual winners comfortably dealt with what Laois had which on this occasion was never going to be enough.
M Kavanagh 0-9 (fs), C Nolan 1-2 (1-sl), J Doyle 1-1, F Fitzpatrick 1-1, C Kehoe 1-1, J Nolan 0-2, J Treacy 0-1.
A Dunphy 0-9 (7fs), B Conroy 1-2, S Maher 0-4 (1f), J Kelly 0-1, D Dooley 0-1.
Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Dion Wall, Jack McCullagh; Fiach O’Toole, Kevin McDonald, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Ciaran Whelan; Jack Treacy, Marty Kavanagh, James Doyle; Donagh Murphy, Conor Kehoe, Chris Nolan.
Subs: Paddy Boland for Murphy (44), John Michael Nolan for Kehoe (59), Colm Beck for Kavanagh (70), Richard Coady for J Nolan (72), Ted Joyce for Treacy (73).
Cathal Dunne; Ian Shanahan, Lee Cleere, Diarmuid Conway; Ciaran McEvoy, Padraig Delaney, Fiachra C Fennell; David Dooley, Aidan Corby; Aaron Dunphy, Jack Kelly, Ryan Mullaney; Ben Conroy, Martin Phelan, Tomas Keyes.
Subs: Stephen Maher for Phelan (h/t), James Keyes for Cleere (h/t), Gearoid Lynch for Kelly (55), Cillian Dunne for Corby (59), Mark Dowling for Conroy (72).
Niall Malone (Clare).
