The 2023 JJKavanagh & Co Senior Hurling Club Championship started in Netwatch Cullen Park last night with a tie between St. Mullins & Ballinkillen.
The defending county champions game away with a 3-18 to 1-11 victory to open the championship how they left last year, with a win.
The other two games are going ahead Friday night with Naomh Eoin meeting Mount Leinster Rangers in Netwatch Cullen Park and Bagenalstown Gaels clashing with Naomh Brid in Netwatch Training Centre in Fenagh.
For Bagenalstown, this marks the Gael’s fourth year in the Carlow Club Championship after Erins Own, St. Andrews and Muinebheag CLG amalgamated in 2019. This season they have brought in former Kilkenny Junior Championship-winning manager with Blacks and Whites, Eddie Scally. This move has already provided them with some silverware in the form of the Bolger Cup, and in the footballing ranks too, where Scally is also the manager. Now the hope is they can progress to the next step after reaching the county final last year.
Two crucial 2nd Half Goals was enough to see @BtownGaels win over @NaomhMoling in tonight's Bolger Cup Final for 2023 pic.twitter.com/Ub42nceYbg
— Carlow GAA (@Carlow_GAA) May 25, 2023
See also: Champions: Bagenalstown Gaels claim Division 3 All-Ireland hurling Féile title
Speaking to Scoreline the launch of the Championship, player Craig Doyle highlighted the improvement in the team year on year since the amalgamation;
“Yeah, it’s been good. Good progression over the years since we might have amalgamated. You look back to it with the first year up, we didn’t win a game, then we made a semi-final, then we made a final. Then we started off this year with winning the Bolger Cup, so we’re going in the right direction.”
“The big thing is, can we follow up our performances of last year’s championship into this year’s, and hopefully, go that one step further. As everyone knows, St. Mullins and Mount Leinster Rangers, they’re very, very strong teams. So yeah, you’ll be up against it, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Listen back to Craig, along with a whole host of players, at the launch of the Club Championship;
