The Carlow footballers head for Páirc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday at 2.30 pm for their opening championship encounter with Louth.
It’s the 16th time for the sides to meet in the championship, with Louth winning twelve of the previous fifteen to Carlow’s three.
They last met in the Leinster championship in 2018 when Carlow won by 11 points in a game where Paul Broderick scored 1-8 for the winners.
It won’t be as easy for the local side this time as Louth enjoyed a very successful Allianz League campaign this year, earning promotion from Division 3 as champions after winning six, drawing one, and losing one of eight games.
Sam Mulroy was their top scorer on a very impressive 3-57 (0-42 frees, 0-9 ‘45s).
Carlow finished seventh in Division 4 – one win, one draw, five defeats.
Darragh Foley was the top scorer on 0-26 (0-19 frees, 0-1 ‘mark’).
The winners of this one play Kildare in the quarter-finals.
Last five Championship meetings:
2018: Carlow 2-17 Louth 0-12 (Leinster 1st round)
2016: Louth 2-24 Carlow 3-11 (Leinster 1st round)
2011: Carlow 0-14 Louth 0-13 (Leinster quarter-final)
2009: Louth 1-13 Carlow 1-11 (Leinster 1st round)
1997: Louth 1-13 Carlow 1-10 (Leinster quarter-final)
Leinster dates:
First round: April 24: Louth v Carlow; Laois v Wicklow; Offaly v Wexford
Quarter-finals: April 30: Dublin v Offaly/ Wexford; May 1: Meath v Laois/Wicklow; Kildare v Louth/Carlow; Westmeath v Longford
Semi-finals: May 15
Final: May 28