Galway end Carlow's resistance

Galway 2-15 Carlow 1-9:Carlow put up stubborn, spirited resistance to Galway in this entertaining Walsh Cup quarter-final played in bitterly cold conditions and a first-half deluge at Dr Cullen Park yesterday.

The fancied visitors led from start to finish and opened up an early 1-2 to nil lead when Joe Canning crashed home a 10th minute penalty .

Carlow got off the mark in the 12th minute with a fine point from play by Shane Kavanagh, who had an impressive outing at centre forward.

It was Kavanagh who brought John Meyler’s side right back into the game when he swooped onto a loose ball to beat Fergal Flannery in the Galway goal on 18 minutes as Anthony Cunningham’s men led 1-4 to 1-2.

With Canning picking off pointed frees – the Portumna sharpshooter scored 1-7 in all, 1-6 from placed balls – Galway led 1-10 to 1-3 at half time, having played with the wind advantage.

A brace of Carlow points after half-time from Pádraig Nolan and Marty Kavanagh reduced the leeway to five points and raised the hopes of the home support.

But Galway raised their game and, with Damien Hayes and Iarla Tannian coming off the bench, they showed their class to take control of the game.

A defensive slip by Carlow on 51 minutes allowed Hayes finish to the net from a Canning handpass as Galway led 2-13 to 1-6 and from there Glalay closed out the match.

GALWAY: F Flannery; J Coen, K Hynes, N Donoghue; D Collins, F Moore, A Harte; A Smith, T Haran; E Ward (0-1), J Grealish (0-2, 0-1 free), P Gordon (0-1); N Healy (0-3), J Canning (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-6 frees), A Callinan. Subs: D Hayes (1-0) for Ward (29 mins); D Glennon for Callinan (half-time), I Tannion for Harte (45 mins), S Maloney (0-1) for Haran (60 mins), P Breheny for Healy (65 mins).

CARLOW: N Roberts; H P O’Byrne; E Nolan, A Corcoran; J O’Hara, R Coady, E Coady; D English J Kavanagh; S Murphy, S Kavanagh (1-2), M Kavanagh (0-5, 0-3 frees); P Nolan (0-1), JM Nolan, P Coady. Subs: A Gaule (0-1) for Corcoran (30 mins), D Roberts for JM Nolan, Derek Byrne for P Nolan (60 mins), Dermot Byrne for P Coady (65 mins). Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).