Carlow manager Tom Mullally got his reign as Carlow senior hurling manager off to the perfect start following a 3-19 – 0-17 victory against Wicklow at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
Carlow started the stronger of the two sides and raced into an early five-point lead with points from Chris Nolan (2), John Michael Nolan, Craig Wall and Marty Kavanagh. Christy Moorehouse, who scored all eight of Wicklow’s points from frees in the first half, got his side off the mark with his first free of the game. Moorehouse and Marty Kavanagh exchanged frees throughout the first half leaving the game at 0-08 – 0-06 just after the first half water break.
Carlow began to take control of the game as the half went on and got five unanswered points, four from Kavanagh frees and one from play from his namesake Jack Kavanagh. Two further frees from Moorehouse reduced the gap to five as the referee signalled for half time, 0-13 – 0-08.
The Barrowsiders started the second half in a similar fashion to how they started the game with St. Mullins’ Marty Kavanagh skipping past two players before somehow finding the back of the net from an incredibly tight angle to get the first goal of the game. Carlow took complete control of the game from that point onwards and scores from Kavanagh, Craig Wall and Jack Kavanagh giving them a ten-point lead as the players took their second half water break, 1-17 – 0-10.
Another goal and a point from Kavanagh, who continues to be Carlow’s star player in a strong forward line, put the game far beyond their opponents, 2-19 – 0-10.
Points from Danny Staunton and Andy O’Brien served as consolation scores for the away side as Carlow half back Ross Smithers scored Carlow’s final goal of the game. The home team seemed to lose concentration as the game came to a close allowing Wicklow to score the final five points of the game as Carlow got off to the perfect start with a 3-19 – 0-17 victory.
Next up for Carlow is a trip to Down next Sunday at 13:00 in Ballycran.
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