Kildare minor hurlers crash out to Carlow

Kildare Robbie Byrne strikes the ball on the run during the Leinster Gaa Minor Hurling Tier 2 Group 2 Round 3 game as Carlow Niall Power gives chase. Photo: Sean Brilly

placeholder image — Kildare Robbie Byrne strikes the ball on the run during the Leinster Gaa Minor Hurling Tier 2 Group 2 Round 3 game as Carlow Niall Power gives chase. Photo: Sean Brilly

Two goals just before half-time for the visitors decisive

Kildare's involvement in the Leinster MHC came to an end this afternoon at Cedral St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, following a comprehensive ten point defeat at the hands of Carlow, a win the visitors thoroughly deserved.

There was little between the sides in the opening half, the teams level five times in total and locked together with just a minute to go before the break but then Carlow put down a big marker finding the Kildare net twice inside a minute; the first from Ciaran Kavanagh while his team mate Peter Lynch added the second, a fine individual effort.

Kildare responded with a point before the break, an excellent long ranger from Callum Durnin, leaving the half-time score reading Carlow 2-7 Kildare 0-8.

The first four points of the second were shared equally before Ciaran Kavanagh extended the lead for Carlow and while Kildare reduced it with two white flags, a straight red card for Kildare's Robbie Byrne followed by a cracking goal from Ciaran Kavanagh, his second of the game, and two frees from Thomas Sheehan saw Carlow advance on a final score line of Carlow 3-13 Kildare 0-12.

Scorers: Carlow, Ciaran Kavanagh 2-2, Thomas Sheehan 0-5 (4 frees), Peter Lynch 1-0, Ben Kelly 0-3, John Lillis 0-1 (free), Adam Joyce 0-1, James Brennan 0-1.

Kildare, Callum Durnin 0-3 (1 free), Ben Short 0-2 (1 free), Oisin McAfee 0-1, Conor Lawless 0-1, Robbie Byrne 0-1, Bobby Gallagher 0-1, Eoghan Lyons 0-1, Sean Maher 0-1, Luke Cahill 0-1 (65).

CARLOW: Daragh Coleman; Michael Shanahan, Aodhán Kehoe, Niall Power; Seanie McMahon, Alex Doyle, Kieran Donald; John Lillis, Peter Lynch; Thomas Sheehan, James Brennan, Ciaran Kavanagh; Eoghan Treacy, Ben Kelly, Adam Joyce. Subs: James Bergin for Eoghan Treacy (38 minutes); Harry Delaney for John Lillis (46 minutes); Liam Murphy for Ben Kelly (59 minutes);

KILDARE: Jack O’Dea Clane); Cian O'Sullivan (Celbridge), Tom Wright (Celbridge), Rian Cramer (Éire Óg Corra Choill); Jack Cahill (Broadford), Eoghan Lyons (Leixlip), Cian Ward (Maynoooth); Oisin McAfee (Éire Óg Corra Choill), Callum Durnin (Clane); Sean Quigley (Confey), Ben Short (Coill Dubh), Conor Lawless (Sarsfields); Robbie Byrne (Round Towers), Bobby Gallagher (Kilcock), Ben Angland (Sallins). Subs: Colm Walsh (Ardclough) for Bobby Gallagher (31 minutes); Sean Maher (Confey) for Ben Short (34 minutes); Luke Cahill (Broadford) for Conor Lawless (46 minutes); Dylan McBride (Clane) for Ben Angland (46 minutes); Oisin Dwane (Éire Óg Chorra Choill) for Sean Quigley (62 minutes);

REFEREE: James McGrath.