U20 hurlers one win away from Tier 2 final 

FULFIL LEINSTER TIER 2 U20 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP - ROUND 4 

 CARLOW 4-27 DOWN 0-11

Carlow will play Antrim at home for a place in the final of this Tier 2 under 20 hurling championship. The date has still to be confirmed but Carlow confidence is bound to be high after this excellent display.

Two Ruairi Murphy points from placed balls got the home side off the mark and they slowly but surely built on their lead. A couple of Colm Kavanagh points kept Carlow on the front foot before Down’s Cahal Colemen got his side off the mark with his first of three first half points.

The only goal of the first half came in the first quarter when Kavanagh’s shot came off the upright and Thomas Sheehan picked up the loose ball and found the net.

The Mourne Men didn’t hang their heads and a brace of points from Ben Teggert from his centre-half back position were both well taken from distance. It still didn’t prevent Carlow taking a 1-15 to 0-6 lead at the interval.

From the restart, Carlow brought the game to the opposition and put 2-8 on the scoreboard without reply with Jake Nolan and Kyle Nolan both raising white flags.

Down relied heavily on Coleman for their inspiration up front and the centre forward finished the game with six points. Carlow kept on the pressure and John Lillis scored the fourth goal in the final quarter which embellished their performance.

Scorers: 

Carlow: R Murphy 0-9 (2fs 65), T Sheehan 1-4, C Kavanagh 0-6, K Nolan 1-2, J Nolan 1-1, J Lillis 1-0, , P Lynch 0-2, E Doyle, J Brennan, J Dalton 0-1 each.

Down: C Coleman 0-6, B Teggert 0-2, J Dougan, R Og Scanlon, S McCarthy 0-1 each.

CARLOW: Oisin McNally; Gavin Murphy, Alan Wall, Martin Carroll; Seanie McMahon, Aodhan Kehoe, Ciaran O’Neill; James Brennan, Peter Lynch; Colm Kavanagh, Jake Nolan, Ruairi Murphy; Thomas Sheehan, Kyle Nolan, Daniel Bolger.

Subs: Joey Dalton for O’Neill, Eoin Doyle for Brennan, Jack Foley for Nolan (all 44), John Lillis for Kavanagh (47), Jack Kelly for Murphy (48).

DOWN: Cian Clarke; Sean McCollum, Leigh Morgan, Connaire Monan; Patrick McGarry, Ben Teggart, Cillian Ennis; Sean McCarthy, Frankie Ferguson; John Dougan, Cahal Colemen, Manus Gilmore; Dara Rogers, Conor O’Neill, Matthew Dorrian.

Subs: Ruairi Og Scallan for Morgan (h/t), Oran McAnarney for Gilmore, Caomhán McAnarney for O’Neill, Shea Connolly for Teggart (all 49), Gilmore for Monan (57).

Referee: Ger Cullen (Wexford).