Carlow slump to disappointing McDonagh Cup loss
Carlow’s Chris Nolan gets a shot away Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
Kildare built on an impressive win last time out against Westmeath when they put an off-colour home team to the sword in this third round game at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
Marty Kavanagh may have given Carlow an early lead with two converted frees but the home side soon found themselves on the back-foot as the half progressed.
David Qualter landed four frees for the visitors while Gerry Keegan and James Burke scored three and two points respectively from play. James Sheridan netted the only goal of the half when he took a pass from Cathal Dowling and fired home.
Carlow dug deep to stay contention with Kavanagh scoring six points but the visitors led 1-12 to 0-11 at half-time.
Seconds into the second half, Kildare struck for a Cathal Dowling goal and Keegan added a point to stretch their advantage. A brilliant Chris Nolan point lifted the home side and they earned a penalty when Rian Boran was adjudged to have fouled James Doyle on the edge of the large parallelogram. The full-back was black-carded and Kavanagh found the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Carlow enjoyed a spell of dominance but when Kildare eventually got Boran back, they scored six unanswered points and easily held out for a vital win.
D Qualter 0-7 (fs), J Burke 0-5, C Dowling 1-1, G Keegan 0-4 (1f), each, J Sheridan 1-0, J Travers, D Melville 0-2 each, D Guerin, C McCabe 0-1 each.
M Kavanagh 1-7 (1-0 pen, 5fs), James Doyle 0-4, C Nolan 0-3, C Kehoe, J Nolan 0-2 each, C Whelan, P Boland 0-1 each.
Paddy McKenna; Richy Hogan, Rian Boran, Daniel O’Meara; Paul Dolan, Simon Leacy, Cian Boran; Daire Guerin, James Burke; David Qualter, Cathal McCabe, Gerry Keegan; Jack Sheridan, Cathal Dowling, Jack Travers. Subs: Darragh Melville for Dolan (58), Muiris Curtin for Guerin (63), Conn Kehoe for Keegan (72), Killian Harrington for Qualter (73).
Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Dion Wall, Paidi O’Shea; Evan Kealy, Kevin McDonald, Jack McCullagh; James Doyle, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Conor Kehoe, Ciaran Whelan; Chris Nolan, Marty Kavanagh, Paddy Boland. Subs: Tony Lawlor for O’Shea (43), Donagh Murphy for Boland (55), Ted Joyce for Kavanagh (66), Jack Treacy for J Nolan (72).
Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).
