Chris Nolan remains an influential figure for Carlow. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
Carlow 2-26 Laois 0-29
By Alan Hartnett at Laois Hire O'Moore Park
Laois have been relegated to Division 2 for 2026 following a three point defeat against Carlow.
Tommy Fitzgerald's side looked to have the game within their grasp when they went three points entering the final 10 minutes.
However, a Ted Joyce goal drew Carlow level and they outscored Laois by four points to one in the time that remained to secure the win. The result means that Laois are relegated to Division 2 irrespective of how their final game against Dublin goes while Carlow are safe and still have an outside chance of promotion if they defeat Westmeath in their final game and results elsewhere go their way.
This was a very entertaining affair from the outset with Carlow just edging a ding-dong battle on the scoreboard by half time.
Paddy Boland scored a crucial goal for Carlow in the first half and only for some wondering saves from Cathal Dunne in between the sticks for Laois, they would have had more.
Laois went into the game without the services of Cha Dwyer, Paddy Purcell and Eanna Lyons and they would also lose the influential Podge Delaney to injury in the first half.
The accuracy of Aaron Dunphy on frees kept them in it in the first half as the sides headed for the dressing rooms with Carlow ahead by 1-13 to 0-14.
A free from Kavanagh opened the scoring in the second half, but Laois rallied well early with three in a row from Dunphy, Corby and Cormac Byrne.
Carlow would come back with three of their own again however as Marty Kavanagh and Ciaran Whelan were on the mark for points.
The game continued to sway back and forth with the next four scores coming for the hosts as Dunphy slotted a pair of frees with Jordan Walshe and Aidan Corby each striking from play.
James Doyle introduction paid dividends immediately with a score from his first touch after a high ball in and the teams continued to trade scores before another rally from the hosts saw them lead for the first time since the 12th minute.
PJ Scully, Aaron Dunphy and Aidan Corby were on the mark to send Laois two points ahead in the 55th minute with all the momentum.
The teams traded another brace of scores each before Laois went one better with Dunphy on the mark to increase the lead to three.
Disaster struck moments later when Ted Joyce found himself in possession in front of Cathal Dunne and there was little the Laois 'keeper could do to stop his drive into the net for their second goal.
Aaron Dunphy responded immediately with a score to give Laois the lead once again, but it was the visitors who finished the game the better.
Scores from Donagh Murphy, Marty Kavanagh and Jon Nolan saw them pull away to win by three and sentence Laois to relegation.
Scorers for Carlow: Martin Kavanagh 0-14 (10fs, 1 65), Ted Joyce 1-2, Paddy Boland 1-1, Chris Nolan, Jon Nolan and Ciaran Whelan 0-2 each, Evan Kealy, John Doyle, James Doyle and Donagh Murphy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Laois: Aaron Dunphy 0-16 (12fs), PJ Scully, Tomas Keyes and Aidan Corby 0-3 each, Jordan Walshe 0-2, Cormac Byrne and Fiachra C-Fennell 0-1 each.
Carlow: Brian Tracey; Paidi O’Shea, Dion Wall, Paul Doyle; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Kevin McDonald, Jack McCullagh; Evan Kealy, Ciaran Whelan; Jon Nolan, Chris Nolan, John Doyle; Ted Joyce, Paddy Boland, Martin Kavanagh.
Subs: Conor Kehoe for Fitzpatrick (45), James Doyle for Boland (48), Donagh Murphy for John Doyle (60).
Laois: Cathal Dunne; Diarmaid Conway, Lee Cleere, Cody Comerford; Tom Cuddy, Podge Delaney, Jordan Walshe; Fiachra C Fennell, David Dooley; Aidan Corby, Tomas Keyes, Aaron Dunphy; PJ Scully, Mark Dowling, Cormac Byrne.
Subs: Donnchadh Hartnett for Delaney (30, inj), James Keyes for Corby (55), James Duggan for Byrne (60), Padraic Dunne for Cleere (68), Willie Dunphy for Dowling (70).
Referee: Brian Keon (Galway).
