Wicklow take their chances to ease past Carlow
Leinster under 20 football championship: Wicklow 3-11 Carlow 0-7
Superiority in the full-forward line was key for the visitors at Netwatch Cullen Park as they stretched Carlow to breaking point on far too many occasions over the course of the game. Such was their dominance, they could afford to register 11 wides and still prevail by 13 points.
The first quarter was an evenly contested affair with Brandon Cassidy nudging Carlow ahead but Cathal Baker equalised. With Cialan Brady pushing the home side in front again it looked as if it was going to be that type of game.
With Wicklow 0-4 to 0-3 ahead, the visitors were handed a gift of a goal when a defender dallied on the ball. Not seeing the danger, he was dispossessed by Conor Fee who promptly dispatched to the back of the net. In shock, the home side struggled and Paidi Kavanagh, Fee and Brian Hurley all raised white flags for Wicklow.
Carlow gradually made a recovery and were rewarded with points from Cillian Fagan and Kyle Nolan. At the break Wicklow led 1-7 to 0-5 and were unlucky not to have another three-pointer when Fee punched home but a previous ball had been signalled wide by the umpire.
The home side only threatened periodically after the interval. Wicklow looked dangerous all the time and they were eventually successful when they broke from deep and Kavanagh found the net. That 18th minute strike finished the game and with Carlow only scoring two points in the second half, James Boland embellished a fine performance by scoring Wicklow’s third goal late on.
Wicklow scorers: C Fee 1-2, P Kavanagh 1-2, J Boland 1-1, B Hurley 0-3 (1f), C Baker 0-2, A Kavanagh 0-1 each,
Carlow scorers: L Gavin 0-3 (2fs), Kyle Nolan, C Brady, B Kelly, B Cassidy 0-1 each.
WICKLOW: A O’Leary, C O’Brien, L Smith, A Byrne, J Boland, J Fleming, A Kinsella, A Brennan, C Baker, C Deering, A O’Brien, P Kavanagh, C Fee, B Hurley, A Kavanagh.
Subs: J Hardy for Baker (34), S Doyle for A Kavanagh (43), J Heatley for P Kavanagh (45), P Bermingham for Byrne (49), S Byrne for Brennan (52).
CARLOW: Aaron Power, S Cormican, A Delaney, Kieran Nolan, M Mullen, T Dillon, J Whelan, Kyle Nolan, A Burgess, B Kelly, C Brady, J Egan, B Cassidy, J Phiri, L Gavin.
Subs: C Fagan for Cassidy (19), E Corr for Kieran Nolan (43), A Kelly for Brady (52), D Bolger for Fagan (52), M Molloy for Cormican (59).
Referee: D Fedigan (Louth).
