By Kevin Regan
It’s genuinely hard to believe that a decade has passed since the fairytale run of the Carlow Minor Hulers in making it to Croke Park for the counties first ever Leinster Final appearance against Kilkenny, and indeed an All Ireland Quarter Final against the eventual champions Tipperary.
Under the astute stewardship of Tommy Buggy, Carlow achieved some remarkable results on that memorable run to Croker, with wins over Laois, Westmeath, Wexford and Offaly.
The campaign started with a narrow defeat to the Faithful county by 1-9 to 1-8, with Offaly pouncing late on despite Jack Kavanagh’s Superman like dive to get a hook on the initial goal bound effort.
Carlow bounced back a fortnight later on April 15th with a 1-11 to 1-10 win over neighbours Laois, which was sweet revenge for many of the panel who had lost out marginally to the same opposition a year previously.
A signal of intent was then sent out the week after that with a 5-14 to 0-2 demolition of Westmeath, who themselves were working hard at underage level.
But it wasn’t until the 6th of May that shock waves began to tremor across Leinster, when Carlow swept aside the challenge of Wexford by 2-12 to 0-11 to set up a Semi Final showdown and redemption meeting with Offaly again.
An army of Carlovian’s descended upon O Moore Park in Portlaoise on Saturday the 24th of June, on a day where this writer looked on in awe as part of the Carlow u15 Hurling team who had been brought to the game after facing Offaly before hand in a nearby location.
As the game headed for 2nd half stoppage time, Offaly led by 0-16 to 0-15 and it looked like the dream of making a Leinster Final would elude the minnows once again in a county starved of success.
However, nobody could have envisaged what would happen in those additional minutes.
Firstly the mercurial all rounder Padraig Amond found the net after a super solo run, and seconds later the ball found the net again, with Amond and then 16 year old Paudie Kehoe still arguing to this day over who got the final touch!
The whole ground erupted as the final whistle blew with Carlow 2-15 to 0-16 winner and at long last the county would be present on Leinster Hurling Final Day.
The day itself did not go according to plan with a Kilkenny team who featured Richie Hogan, Colin Fennelly, Jonjo Farrell, Mark Kelly and John Mulhall dishing out a 4-22 to 1-5 beating, with the occasion proving too much for Carlow.
The campaign didn’t end there though as a place in the All Ireland Quarter Final was assured having made the provincial decider.
That also proved to be a difficult task as the Tipperary opposition were bolstered by a number of current Senior County players in Padraic and Brendan Maher, Noel McGrath, Seamus Callinan and Michael Cahill, while Pa Bourke who also featured in All Ireland Finals for Tipp- recorded 1-12 on the day.
It could have been oh so different for Carlow however on that day, as a six point swing just before the interval occurred. Padraig Amond saw his shot hit the crossbar and less than two minutes later Tipperary struck for the killer blow which sent them on their way to a 4-19 to 0-12 victory.
So where are the Starting 15 from that Leinster Final appearance ten years on?
1. Kevin Kehoe: The St Mullins man was still u16 when he took his place between the posts that year. He went on to win Senior Hurling medals with St Mullins in 2010, 2014 and 2015 and represented the Carlow Senior Hurlers. He is still playing in goal for his club.
2. Derek Byrne: ‘Cluxton’ formed the first part of an all Mount Leinster Rangers Full Back line and has proven his versatility at club and county level where he has played everywhere from corner back upwards. Won several county medals, 2 Christy Rings as well as an All Ireland Intermediate medal and was midfield for MLR in their Leinster Senior Championship winning campaign in 2013. Working locally and still hurling.
3. Brian Nolan: ‘The Bull’ was enjoying his second year at full back for Carlow Minors and was dealt with the unfortunate task of having to mark Richie Hogan in the Leinster Final. Part of the successful MLR set up of the last decade and currently in line to replace recently retire Gary Doyle at the heart of their defence.
4. Hugh Paddy O’Byrne: Completing an all MLR full back line, HP is similar to Derek Byrne in terms of both what he has won and his versatility. He has played both in attack and defence for club and county and actually started for Carlow in 2014 at a time where he couldn’t quite nail down a spot for MLR. Byrne is just back from a bad knee injury, and working as a teacher in Dublin.
5. Brian Doyle: ‘Beenie’ was as neat and tidy a wing back as ever came through the county ranks with a serious pair of wrists. The Erin’s Own man went on to play Senior County Hurling and is living and working locally as a school teacher.
6. Dwaine Kavanagh: An absolutely outstanding underage talent who played four years at county minor level. The Naomh Eoin man was Captain of the side and nailed a long free from way underneath the Hogan Stand early on in the Leinster Final. Dwaine is still living and working locally and has played everywhere bar between the sticks for his club.
7. James Kinsella: The Ballinkillen man formed the final part of a formidable half back line. James went on to play both u21 Football and Hurling for Carlow, before finally making his Carlow Senior Hurling debut in 2015. Kinsella has captained Ballinkillen for a number of years and his footballing exploits have also attracted interest from the Carlow Senior Football set up.
8. Richie Coady: Part of a remarkable sporting family, Richie was one of the best minors in the country in 2006 with his trademark bursts from midfield a feature of that year. Can now be found anchoring the defence for both club and county. Has all the medals like the entire full back line above with MLR as well as two Christy Ring Cup medals.
9. Patrick Walsh: The St Mullins man probably didn’t get the credit he deserved as an ideal hard working partner to Coady at centre field. An injury to Naomh Eoin Declan O’Brien presented Walsh with his chance that he duly took. He went on to win a Senior medal with St Mullins in 2010 but injury has curtailed his involvement since then.
10. Jack Kavanagh: Another St Mullins man who often reverted from the wing to the inside forward line. Jack has gone on to represent his county with pride at midfield. He also won Senior Hurling medals in 2010, 2014 and 2015, along with Christy Ring Cup medals and is living and working locally.
11. Cathal Coughalan: A real all rounder. Coughlan’s speed was a great asset to the side. He won a Carlow SHC medal with Naomh Brid in 2008 and three SFC medals with Old Leighlin in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Has been part of the Carlow Football panel and plays soccer with Hanover Harps.
12. Aaron Cox: A serious, serious underage prospect who played County Minor Hurling for 3 years. The Ballinkillen man was centre back when the same group reached an All Ireland u16 final two years previous in 2004 but then made himself at home in the forwards. Like Patrick Walsh, Cox suffered fierce with injury and no longer plays with Ballinkillen.
13. Paudie Kehoe: A sweeter striker of a ball you will not see. Like Cox, Coady and Dwaine Kavanagh, Paudie was an unbelievably talented underage hurler who was very hard to stop even though he was still u16 that season. Won a Christy Ring medal in 2009, along with three SHC medals with St Mullins for whom he captained to Senior Success in 2015.
14. Padraig Amond: This man needs no introduction. The Naomh Brid man excelled at everything he turned his hands to and is now banging in the goals for Grimsby Town FC after spells in Portugal and across England. In 2006, Amond was juggling commitments between the hurlers and Shamrock Rovers FC. Padraig was a key member of the squad, for whom Naomh Brid HC and Ballinabranna GFC would love to have back in their ranks.
15. Denis Murphy: Virtually unmarkable at underage level. Denis was the third u16 to start on the side and played in the Leinster Minor Football Final a year later in Croke Park. Murphy was central to Mount Leinster Rangers run to the All Ireland Senior Club Hurling final in 2014 and like Coady, the two Byrne’s and Brian Nolan, he has a shed load of club medals.
