The Carlow boys have steadied the ship.
Four days ago, they lost a watertight battle with Limerick IT by the bare minimum but don’t let that narrow loss convince you otherwise because they’re still one of the most talented panels left in this competition and with no better manager around than their leader DJ Carey, these lads will be in with a shout yet.
There are sterner tests to come than the one that faced them from Trinity College this evening but Carey’s men took care of the task at hand with such ruthlessness and with such style that it’s hard not to give them a chance.
Looking at their panel, you get a sense of it. Laois’ Enda Rowland is as solid as they come between the sticks while Shane Reck is highly rated in the sunny south east. There are few more gifted stick men in Kilkenny than Jason Cleere and Richie Leahy and that’s saying something and then you’ve Waterford’s speed merchant Colin Dunford in the middle while Wexford’s great white hope for a big 2019 in Cathal Dunbar lines out at half forward. Carlow’s Chris Nolan is another sharp forward and Wexford’s Seamus Casey was an under-21 star last year.
And on Thursday night up in Santry Avenue they let the Trinity boys have it.
On the back of their breakthrough victory over the Gardaí last Sunday down in Borrisoleigh, they’ll have ventured out to their home grounds in the north-side with plenty of optimism, but Carlow had other ideas.
The @TCDHurling lads are re-grouping & making some changes ahead of the 2nd half. Hoping for a much better showing in the 2nd half.
The @ITCarlowGAA lads are looking sharp though. Impressed with some great scores so far!#FirstClassRivals 👨🏼🎓 #FitzgibbonCup #Allianz #Gaa RT pic.twitter.com/CaOoFdtnLE
— 𝘿𝙪𝙗𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 (@DubMatchTracker) January 24, 2019
They flew out of the blocks and they never let up, leading 0-10 to 0-1 after eighteen minutes and by 0-15 to 0-3 at half-time. That man Nolan gave the Trinity inside back line a torrid time the whole way through and ended his evening with eight points, five of those from open play. He was ably assisted too by Seamus Casey who hit two from play while former Tipperary underage star Tommy Nolan hit three.
St Jude’s Fionn Ó Riain Briain was doing his bit for Trinity but with Leahy clicking into gear with two fine points and with Cleere dominating, Carlow had way too much.
They kept it up into the second and despite Cian O’Sullivan keeping it respectful in the second with a goal for Trinity, Carlow ran out 13 point winners on a scoreline of 0-24 to 1-9.
At least the Trinity lads have some solid recovery fuel before their do or die meeting with Limerick IT next week.
Huge thanks to @AvonmoreProtein for supplying the essential post match recovery for the lads 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/UHjGN6u9Gx
— Trinity College GAA (@TCDGAA) January 24, 2019
WATCH: Liverpool BOTTLED the title race 🤬 | Who will win the Premier League?
