Martin Kavanagh remains a key performer for Carlow. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
Offaly 0-19 Carlow 1-16
By Kevin Egan at Glenisk O'Connor Park
Martin Kavanagh’s 12th free of the afternoon, scored with the last puck of the game from 90 metres out, earned a share of the spoils for Carlow this afternoon in an Allianz League contest that was engaging, but never close to the high notes of these two sides’ last competitive meeting, that incredible 2023 Joe McDonagh Cup final that Carlow shaded by a single point.
Offaly had the upper hand for longer periods of this game, particularly the second quarter, but they never seemed to pose a goal threat and never scored at a rate that gave them a comfortable margin, while Kavanagh’s metronomic accuracy compensated for the fact that Carlow scored just two points from play after James Doyle’s strike in the ninth minute from the left wing.
The home side looked sharp in the opening minutes when Dan Bourke and David Nally got them off the mark, but Carlow quickly pushed themselves right back into the contest when Jake Doyle slammed the sliotar underneath Mark Troy from close range in the fifth minute.
With ten minutes played it was 0-5 to 1-2 and it looked like a high-scoring contest of real quality was about to unfold, but the pace of scoring dropped while the error count crept up from then on.
Carlow were two points up when Dan Bourke again struck a fine score to kick off a strong second quarter for the home side, and his third point of the half just before the break made it 0-13 to 1-7, a lead that was fully-deserved.
His University of Galway colleague Charlie Mitchell weighed in with three first half points from play, Donal Shirley defied his teenager status to anchor the team well at centre back, and perhaps the most encouraging aspect of all from the perspective of manager Johnny Kelly was a strong display from Oisín Kelly at wing forward, a welcome return for a player who has been plagued with serious injuries.
Carlow’s midfield duo of Fiachra Fitzpatrick and Ciarán Whelan hurled a lot of ball however and they really came into their own after the interval, with Carlow owning the third quarter and outscoring Offaly by 0-7 to 0-3 in that period. The clearest goal chance of the game fell to James Doyle and he was denied by an impeccable hook from Ross Ravenhill, but with sweepers operating at both ends, Carlow’s tenacity in the trenches earned frees, which Kavanagh converted to set up a tight finish.
Offaly crept in front again through David Nally, and Killian Sampson, but they coughed up a couple of good chances to extend that lead and left Carlow close enough to strike, which they duly did.
Scorers for Offaly: David Nally 0-9 (8fs), Charlie Mitchell 0-4, Dan Bourke 0-3, Killian Sampson 0-2, Cathal King 0-1.
Scorers for Carlow: Martin Kavanagh 0-12 (12fs), Jake Doyle 1-0, James Doyle 0-2, Kevin McDonald 0-1, Ciarán Whelan 0-1.
Offaly: Mark Troy; James Mahon, Ciarán Burke, Pádraig Cantwell; Ross Ravenhill, Donal Shirley, David King; Cathal King, Jason Sampson; Killian Sampson, Daniel Bourke, Oisín Kelly; Dan Ravenhill, Charlie Mitchell, David Nally.
Subs: Brian Duignan for J Sampson (45), Colin Spain for D Ravenhill (48), Sam Bourke for King (55)
Carlow: Brian Tracey; Jack McCullagh, Paul Doyle, Dion Wall; Evan Kealy, Kevin McDonald, Tony Lawlor; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Ciarán Whelan; Jon Nolan, James Doyle, Fiach O’Toole; Jake Doyle, Paddy Boland, Martin Kavanagh.
Subs: Conor Kehoe for Whelan (temp, 12-18), Jack Treacy for O’Toole (half-time), Conor Kehoe for Jake Doyle (half-time), Donagh Murphy for Fitzpatrick (66), Ted Joyce for Nolan (70)
Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim); replaced by Seán Cleere (Kilkenny), 27 mins.
