Meath 0-17
Carlow 5-28
Carlow claimed a comfortable victory away to Meath in the Allianz Hurling League Division 2A clash in Navan on Sunday.
First half goals from Chris Nolan, John Michael Nolan and Ted Joyce were justification for the level of dominance that the Barrowsider’s had throughout the first half against a poor home side.
Clinical as ever, Marty Kavanagh showed pinpoint accuracy from frees over the course of the afternoon as he punished the ill-discipline that plagued a Meath defence that buckled under the slightest source of pressure that they had to deal with.
Jack Regan points kept Meath relevant on the scoreboard, but they succumbed to the intensity of the Carlow forward line in the first half with Kavanagh, Chris Nolan and John Michael Nolan all taking full advantage of the looseness of the Meath back line. The game was over as a contest at half time with Carlow leading by 3-13 – 0-07.
The Meath supporters could count themselves lucky that crowds have not been allowed to return to stadiums yet as their team looked a shadow of the side that lost to Carlow by a single point in the Joe McDonagh Cup last winter.
The second half took on much the same pattern as the first with Carlow easing to a formidable victory in Páirc Tailteann. Star forward Marty Kavanagh and midfielder Kevin McDonald added to Carlow’s goal tally either side of the second half water break. Meath continued to rue their persistent fouling as Kavanagh ruthlessly dispatched of the near countless number of frees to extend Carlow’s healthy lead.
Despite manager Tom Mullally ringing the changes early in the second half Carlow sustained their high level of performance and moved further ahead of their weak opponents as the half proceeded. Referee Richie Fitzsimons finally put Meath out of their misery when he called time on a game that was over long before the final whistle.
Carlow host Kerry next Sunday in their final game of the 2021 league campaign.
Listen back to the match on Big Game Live right here.
