Despite a more encouraging display Kilkenny lost out to Malahide in Division 1A of the Leinster League at the weekend.
It finished 34-29 in favour of the Dubs at Foulkestown although they did pick up a bonus point.
Tullow were on fire in their Division 1B clash against Coolmine.
They dispatached the visitors by 24 points to Nil.
While Carlow also whitewashed Roscrea by 77 points to Nil in Division 2A.
John Shirley Reports
A 12 try rout of Roscrea in Oakpark on Sunday brought Carlow’s rugby team the desired five Leinster League points and enabled them to catch up with second in the Table Cill Dara who lost to 4th placed Railway Union.
However in the tight race to the finish, Table leaders Longford also got a bonus point win thus retaining their five point advantage over Carlow.
With only two games left, the destination of the Leinster League Division 2A title for 2016-17 could be decided when Carlow host Longford in Oakpark on March 12 next.
Roscrea had only won one league game this season and from their performance in Oakpark on Sunday one could see why. They were demolished in the scrums and disorganised across the park.
Carlow’s 12 tries were split 50/50 between forwards and backs and similarly between each half. The deluge began in the fifth minute when Evan Gordon got the touch down in a rolling maul which followed a penalty kick to the corner.
Then winger Seamus Curran and outhalf Andrew Hanley ran in for two long range tries, the first from a quick tap penalty in the Carlow half and the second when Carlow got turnover ball form a Roscrea scrum, again the Carlow half.
The 4th try bonus point was secured by the 25 th minute when strong running Sam Dunne, who is doing his Leaving Cert in Knockbeg, broke through some weak tackling. Next in the 35th minute it was scrumhalf Alex Crossley’s turn for a touchdown under the post after good work from Wes Shirley. On the stroke of half time Dunne scored his second try and Carlow’s 6th, to give the home side a 36 -0 lead at the interval.
At the start of the second half Roscrea seemed to be offering more resistance for a period. So much so that Carlow outhalf 10 resorted to a drop goal attempt in which he was successful. Fairly quickly however Roscrea started leaking tries again and did so for the rest of the game. It started with Hanley getting in under the posts.
Next prop Ross Byrne barged through feeble tackling. The Carlow pack was now rampant with second row Wes Shirley and number 8 Conal Slater each running in a brace of tries. Of the 12 tries Carlow scored, 7 were converted by full back Peter Hennessey.
Carlow J1
Peter Hennessey, Sam Dunne, Fionnan Burke, Simon Walshe, Seamus Curran, Andrew Hanley, Alex Crossley, Larry McGrath, Evan Gordon, Alan Byrne, John Lyons, Wes Shirley, Niall Bermingham, Thomas Ratahi (capt), Conal Slator.
Subs (all used), Ross Byrne, James Nolan, Thomas Whitney, Mark Slye, Ian Atkinson.
