Carlow stunned Fermanagh with a 3-18 to 2-18 win at Brewster Park this afternoon to get off to a flying start in this year’s Tailteann Cup.

After Shane Curran’s departure as manager in March following the team’s Allianz League campaign, Joe Murphy’s side were able to tear up the script here with a late Mickey Bambrick goal and Conor Doyle two-pointer sealing their victory in Enniskillen.

Early goals from Bambrick and John Murphy gave the visitors the perfect start and, while Fermanagh got a goal back through a Conor Love penalty, it was the Barrowsiders that took in a 2-9 to 1-7 lead at the break.

The Ernesiders clawed it back in the second-half to reduce their arrears to a single point, but a two-pointer from Doyle came at the perfect time for Carlow ahead of Bambrick’s second goal and Doyle repeating the trick from outside again late on.

Tailteann Cup - Carlow 3-18 Fermanagh 2-18, f/t

A simply magnificent performance gets the result it deserves. A first win as manger for Joe Murphy. 5 huge two point scores key to the win, as well as 3 brilliant goals, 2 by captain Bambrick

— Nationalist Sport (@Natsport) May 11, 2025

Sligo got their campaign off to a winnings start by defeated Tipperary on a 2-15 to 2-10 scoreline in Tubbercurry.

All four of the game’s goals came in the opening half, with Tipp netting first through Paudie Feehan after five minutes, but it was the hosts that were more dominant from there until half-time as goals from Pat Spillane and Alan McLoughlin helped them lead by 2-9 to 2-6 at the half.

Tipp would get it level again through the points of Micheal Freaney and Cian Smith, however they failed to register a score for 28 minutes of the second-half, as the Yeats men moved ahead again and late scores via Ross Doherty and Darragh Cummins put a seal on their victory.

In Mullingar, Dermot McCabe’s Westmeath side proved too strong for Antrim as they finished 4-24 to 1-16 victory over the Glensmen in the end.

Sam McCartan’s goal surged the hosts 1-5 to 0-6 in front in the 17th minute and they wouldn’t look back from there, as Dan McCartan and Luke Loughlin raised more green flags to move the Lake men towards a 3-9 to 1-10 interval lead.

Loughlin would go on to finish the game with a personal tally of 1-17, including five two-pointers, while Matthew Whittaker’s superb individual goal all but sealed the deal for Westmeath 10 minutes into the restart.

Luke Loughlin

1-17

🏐Penalty
🏳️11 from play (2 x 2pt)
🟧3 x 2pf

A ridiculous days work

One of the performances of the season anywhere - a strong Westmeath win overall too

Onto London next weekend ✈️@westmeath_gaa

— Loaf of Bread GAA Podcast (@LoafPod) May 11, 2025

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