Chris Nolan scored a hat-trick of goals for Carlow in their Joe McDonagh Cup victory over Down.
Joe McDonagh Cup Round 1
CARLOW 6-23 DOWN 0-20
By Kieran Murphy at Netwatch Cullen Park
Carlow got their Joe McDonagh Cup ambitions off to the perfect start when an excellent second half performance saw off the challenge of their northern visitors at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
Down asked early questions of the home side with Pearse Óg McCrickard scoring two points and Chris Egan also raising a white flag. James Doyle got Carlow on the board in the sixth minute from play. Three Marty Kavanagh frees really lifted the home challenge as Carlow took a grip at the end of the first quarter.
Chris Nolan scored the first of his three goals when taking a pass from Doyle, he found the bottom right hand corner of the net. Down did well to smother another of his forays close to goal when it looked as if he must find the net.
Down were unlucky not to goal themselves when Tim Prenter broke clear and Carlow keeper, Brian Tracey, saved with his foot. At the interval, Carlow led 1-11 to 0-10.
McGrattan converted an early second half free and it looked as if Down were going ready to mount a challenge.
That all changed in a matter of minutes as Doyle raided down the left, got away from his marker and beat Stephen Keith with a low shot to the bottom right-hand corner. Minutes later, the game was all but over when Chris Nolan took a perfect pass from the left across the goal from Marty Kavanagh and the home side had their third three-pointer.
The Barrowsiders pressed to the end. Their defence had tightened up considerably and sweet passes gave the Carlow forwards perfect possession.
The goals followed with Chris Nolan completing his hat-trick. Paddy Boland also ran at the defence and another green flag was raised. Ted Joyce completed the six-goal haul in the final quarter as Carlow sauntered to a win which will fill them full of confidence when they travel to Kerry next weekend.
Scorers for Carlow: C Nolan 3-1, M Kavanagh 0-6 (fs), James Doyle 1-3, P Boland 1-1, J Nolan 0-3, T Joyce 1-0, C Whelan 0-3, C Kehoe, F Fitzpatrick, D Murphy 0-2 each
Scorers for Down: T McGrattan 0-8 (2-65s f), P Og McCrickard 0-4, P Sheehan 0-3 (1-sl), C Egan 0-2, E Sands, T Prenter, C Taggard 0-1.
CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Dion Wall, Jack McCullagh; Paidi O’Shea, Kevin McDonald, Evan Kealy; James Doyle, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Ciaran Whelan, Conor Kehoe; Chris Nolan, Marty Kavanagh, Paddy Boland. Subs: Ted Joyce for Kavanagh (55), Donagh Murphy for Whelan (64), Fiach O’Toole for Doyle (68), Jack Treacy for C Nolan (68), John Doyle for Kehoe (69).
DOWN: Stephen Keith; Niall McFarland, Tom Murray Matt Conlan; Marc Fisher, Caolan Taggart, Liam Savage; Donal Hughes, Phelim Savage; Eoghan Sands, Chris Egan, Pearse Og McCrickard; Tom McGrattan, Finn Turpin, Tim Prenter. Subs: Paul Sheehan for L Savage (43), Ben Taggart for P Savage (43), Shea Pucci for McCrickard (55), Daithi Sands for N McFarland (55), Conor Cassidy for Murray (63).
Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim).
