Brilliant Rowan strike wins the day for Carlow at Kennedy Cup
Carlow & District Juveniles League squad that beat Sligo/Leitrim at the Kennedy Cup at the UL.
Adam Rowan struck for the only goal as the Carlow & District Juveniles League got over the disappointment of defeat to Donegal with a 1-0 win over the Sligo/Leitrim Schoolboy League in their second group game of the SFAI Subway Kennedy Cup.
The number 11 scored a stunning left-footed goal as early as the sixth minute as David O’Connor’s side withstood the challenge posed by their opponents to claim a first win of the tournament.
After Tristan Cotter blazed over the crossbar from a decent position on two minutes, the victors had another chance soon afterwards when Frankie Doyle set up Aidan Fitzharris inside the area, but he couldn’t hit the target.
The lone goal came four minutes later when Doyle’s ball found Adam Rowan on the top of the penalty area, and he arrowed an unstoppable left-footed shot beyond the despairing dive of keeper Oisin Keenehan.
A big chance fell to Sligo/Leitrim to level on 11 minutes when Domantas Bernatavicius turned provider for Calvin Grimes on the right-side of the penalty area, but keeper Darragh Maher made a fine save.
Fergal McDonald had another chance for Sligo/Leitrim five minutes later only to fire wide from a good position, before Tristan Cotter put the ball on the head of Conor Whelan on 19 minutes, but his close-range header crashed off the crossbar.
The second-half saw Frankie Doyle have a shot turned around the posts by keeper Keenahan within seconds of the restart before Darragh Maher was forced off the goal through injury with his replacement Jamie Maher denying Bernatavicius on 48 minutes.
Carlow defended superbly in the second-half to keep Sligo/Leitrim at bay with defender Conor Whelan mopping up all the promising attacks that came his way. The final group game against Wicklow will determine Carlow’s position for the rest of the tournament.
