Walsh Cup: Meath give students a close shave
January 19, 2017
Shane Brennan gains possession for Meath as Chris Bolger and Colin Dunford (Carlow IT) close in during the Walsh Cup game at Dunganny. Shane Whitty is the Meath full back.
Strongly fancied IT Carlow had to withstand a strong Meath rally in this Walsh Cup round three fixture at Dunganny on Wednesday night
IT Carlow ....... 4-18
Meath ........... 4-17
DJ Carey and Michael Dempsey's charges looked set to greatly enhance their score difference in Group 4 when leading by 14 points after 50 minutes.
Subs Steven Clynch and Johnny McCloskey got the goals that revived Meath but Martin Ennis' men's effort just came up short.
Meath were left to rue the unfortunate concession of a 64th minute goal from sub Michael O'Hanlon's long range free that left IT Carlow leading by 4-18 to 2-13.
The Royals reeled off 2-4 without reply in the time remaining to complete their Walsh Cup campaign with a spirited showing.
Kevin Keena bagged Meath's third goal, in the 69th minute. Seconds later his Kilmessan clubmate Steven Clynch grabbed the fourth goal.
With most of the traffic now moving towards the pavillion end, there was still time for Meath to force a draw. A brace of Clynch points followed before time ran out on the Royals.
However, a strong Walsh Cup showing gives encouragement ahead of the league campaign.
Following a closely contested opening quarter, IT Carlow took control with Laois duo Cha Dwyer and Stephen Maher prominent in attack. Meanwhile, Meath's Damien Healy was showing up well at centre-half-back.
Goals from Chris Bolger and Dwyer boosted the students to a 2-11 to 0-9 interval advantage. Both sides made several substitutions from the restart. One of them, Andrew Mortimer scored Laois' third goal
Meath's Anthony Forde sent a goal attempt crashing against the crossbar while Clynch had a goal attempt from a close range free saved with the follow-up rebounding off the frame of the goals.
When the sliotar was recycled, McCloskey netted to leave Meath nine points in arrears, 2-12 to 3-18, with an hour gone. Meath outscored the students by 2-5 to 1-0 in the time remaining. However, Michael O'Hanlon's goal was the difference in the end.
IT Carlow are five points better off than Offaly in terms of score difference. The Faithful County face Kildare on Sunday knowing what they need to advance to the last four.
IT Carlow - Enda Rowland (Laois); Ross Brown (Waterford), Kevin Hannafin (Kerry), Dwane Palmer (Laois); Tommy Gallagher (Westmeath), Damien Healy (Meath), Dale O'Hanlon (Tipperary); Kevin Kelly (Kilkenny), Thomas Nolan (Tipperary); Martin Kavanagh (Carlow) (0-1), Cha Dwyer (Laois) (1-4), Colin Dunford (Waterford); Chris Bolger (Kilkenny) (1-4), Stephen Maher (Laois) (0-6, 2fs), Michael Redmond (Wexford). Subs - Luke Mullally (Laois) for Palmer (ht), John Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny) for Maher (ht), Cathal Madden (Clare) for O'Hanlon (ht), Shane Phelan (Laois) (0-1) for Nolan (ht), Andrew Mortimer (Laois) (1-2) for Dunford (ht), Michael O'Hanlon (Wexford) (1-0 f) for Dwyer (ht).
Meath - Shane McGann; Sean Geraghty, Shane Whitty, Cormac Reilly; Shane Brennan, Keith Keoghan (0-1), David Reilly; Anthony Forde, Joey Keena; James Toher (0-5fs), Cathal McCabe, James Kelly (0-1); Kevin Keena (1-3, 0-1f), Neil Heffernan (1-0), Sean Quigley (0-1). Subs - Michael O'Grady for Forde (ht), Liam Ferguson for Quigley (ht), Niall Weir for J Keena (ht), Stephen Clynch (1-4) for Reilly (ht), Luke Martyn for Toher (ht), Charlie Ennis for McGann (ht), Paudge Keogh for McCabe, John McCloskey (1-2) for Heffernan (58).
Referee - Alfie Devine (Westmeath)
