Carlow 1-18
UCD 3-15
Carlow Senior Hurlers finished their Walsh Cup campaign with a narrow defeat after battling back from a 13 point half time deficit.
UCD ran riot in the first half with the likes of Jack O’Connor and Tadgh De Burca mopping up all the loose ball across their half back line and this provided a platform for Oisin O’Rourke (2) and Kilkenny’s Tom Phelan to rattle the net.
Carlow’s first score from open play didn’t arrive until just before the break when Seamus Murphy popped over and this score was accompanied by three Paul Coady frees as the hosts trailed by 3-8 to 0-4 at the break.
Whatever Colm Bonnar said at the break seemed to have the desired effect as Carlow came storming out of the blocks and Chris Nolan got the fightback started with a point inside twenty seconds of the restart.
In fact Carlow would have six different scorers in the second half with Nolan, Eddie Byrne, Ross Smithers, Jack Murphy, Craig Wall and Paul Coady all finding the range.
Richie Coady sprayed ball into the forwards at will throughout the second half and he orchestrated a move which led to Chris Nolan scoring a well worked goal.
That score made it a two point game but UCD held on.
Colm Bonnar Spoke to us after the game and you can listen back to that interview in full just below the teams.
Carlow: Brian Treacy; Dion Wall, Richie Kelly, Andrew Casey; Eoin Redmond, Richie Coady, James O’Hara; Jack Kavanagh, Seanie Whelan; Paul Coady (0-10f), Eddie Byrne (0-2), Seamus Murphy (0-1); Sean Brennan, Ross Smithers (0-1), Chris Nolan (1-2).
Subs: Craig Wall (0-1), Jack Murphy (0-1), David English, Paul Doyle, Alan Corcoran, Gary Bennett, Adam Dunne
UCD: Darragh Holohan; Eddie Hayden, Paddy Hannon, Cian McGabhann; Huw Lawlor, Tadgh De Burca, Jack O’Connor (0-1); Cillian Buckley (0-1), Padraic Guinan; Luke Scanlon, Brian Quigley, Tom Phelan (1-0); Darragh Dolan, Cathal Keane (0-2), Oisin O’Rourke (2-7,6f, 1’65).
Subs: Michael Brennan, John Joe Ryan, Conor O’Shea (0-3), Danny Monks, James Power, Rory McEvoy, Craig Butler
I.T Carlow won a high scoring battle of their own against Meath last night by 4-19 to 4-18.
