McDonagh Cup fixtures confirmed
Paul Doyle lifts the McDonagh Cup for Carlow back in 2023, their path to this year's final has been laid out with the fixtures for this year's competition confirmed. Photo: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Although Carlow’s hurlers suffered the disappointment of relegation from Division 1B of the National Hurling League earlier this year, attentions now turn to winning the Joe McDonagh Cup for the first time since 2023.
Fixtures for the competition have been confirmed and this year’s Championship will start as last year’s finished, with a home tie against neighbours Laois, on Saturday 18 April.
That game will bring back memories of last year’s clash when Carlow were just seconds away from confirming their place in the Croke Park decider until James Duggan scored an equalising goal deep into injury time.
Much has changed for Carlow since that game with Pat Bennett stepping into the manager’s role after Tom Mullally's departure and a tie against a side who won this year's National League Division 2 is a tough way to start.
Carlow are then on the road for a game against a Westmeath side who only missed out on promotion from Division 2 on scoring difference, and then they make the long trip north to Ballycran to take on a Down side who were also relegated from Division 1B this year.
Carlow are back at home on 16 May to face last year’s Christy Ring Cup champions London and then finish off with another trip north to take on Antrim, the highest ranked team in the competition based on finishing places in this year’s National League.
It was a defeat away to Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim that was the key loss and ultimately sent Carlow down in this year’s league and that final round game on 24 May is once again likely to play a significant role in the success, or otherwise, of Carlow’s season.
Antrim v Down, TBC, 1.30pm
Carlow v Laois, Netwatch Cullen Park, 6pm
London v Westmeath, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm
Down v London, McKenna Park, Ballycran, 1pm
Laois v Antrim, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 4pm
Westmeath v Carlow, TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, 4pm
Down v Carlow, McKenna Park, Ballycran, TBC
Westmeath v Laois, TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, TBC
London v Antrim, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm
Carlow v London, Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow, 1pm
Antrim v Westmeath, Corrigan Park (TBC), TBC
Laois v Down, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, TBC
Antrim v Carlow, Corrigan Park (TBC), 1pm
Down v Westmeath, McKenna Park, Ballycran, 1pm
London v Laois, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm
