Oliver Plunketts prove too strong for Carlow Town
Carlow Town's Peter Lynch heads straight for the St Oliver Plunkett's goal with Mike Weir and Tomas Turks giving chase. Photo: Pat Ahern
Carlow Town made their Leinster Intermediate Hurling Championship exit when the Westmeath champions proved too good at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday. Both sides finished with thirteen players but it was far from a dirty game.
The visitors started well with Paddy Lynam raising a white flag on two minutes. Padraig Casey added another point and Karol English replied for Carlow Town with an eighth minute free.
A minute later, a long delivery from the home side was collected by Peter Lynch who drew a penalty award. The experienced English made no mistake rifling the sliotar to the top right-hand corner at the O’Hanrahan end of the ground.
On 14 minutes St Oliver Plunketts lost Aaron Craig to a straight red card and while Carlow Town added another point through an English free the Westmeath side enjoyed the better of the second quarter exchanges. As well as registering six second half wides they still added four more points to lead 0-6 to 1-2 at the break.
Six minutes into the second half two Casey frees and a point from Thomas Meehan eased St Oliver Plunketts clear. The home side lost Conor Lawler to a straight red card and with the game stagnating they also lost Lazzy Meaney to a second yellow. The Westmeath goal came from a Casey 20 metre free when he shot low to the left hand corner on 40 minutes.
With time running out, Paddy Lynam also picked up a second yellow for the visitors. The second Carlow Town goal put a better look on the scoreboard after Matthew English Hayden clipped the ball over the line after Greg Davin, the Westmeath goalkeeper, after he had saved well from English.
P Casey 1-9 (1-7f, 0-1'65), P Lynam 0-2, T Meehan, C Craig, S Hayes 0-1 each.
K English 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-4f), M E Hayden 1-0, B Cassidy, P Lynch 0-1 each.
Greg Gavin; Mike Weir, Zach Aherne, Tomas Turks; Aaron Craig, Sean Hayes, Liam Casey; Paddy Lynam, Donnacha Maguire; Eoin Meehan, Padraig Casey, Nathan Cornally; Thomas Meehan, Rory O’Brien, Brian Farrell.
David Gavin for Farrell (36), Cathal Craig for Cornally (46), Críostair Ormsby for O’Brien (48), John Fry for Carey (58).
Sean Buggy; Conall McGuire, Conor Lawlor, Dylan De Burca; Matthew English Hayden, Adam Nolan, Harry Delaney; Brandon Cassidy, Lazzy Meaney; Alex Delaney, Karol English, Shane McCarthy; James Ingram, Cathal Ryan, Peter Lynch.
Ruairi Dunbar for McCarthy (38), Dylan McGrath for Ryan (46).
Kevin McDonnell (Dublin).
