FOOTBALL - O'BYRNE CUP FINAL/Carlow...2-10 Wicklow...0-8: Oh mercy, praise the small wonders. If it wasn't for the bit of flair that eventually leaked out of Carlow then this O'Byrne Cup final report could start and end right here.

Instead it can start some 15 minutes into the second half, at which stage the scores were level after some depressingly poor football from both sides.

To the game's rescue came Willie Quinlan and Johnny Nevin who combined gracefully to set up a run of scores and also Carlow's first O'Byrne Cup honour.

And it was no less than they deserved. For the rest of game Wicklow were dead men walking and were outscored 1-6 to 0-1. Of course it's only January but some of John O'Leary's men might want to wrap up in towels and hit the treadmill to spare themselves further blushes in the league.

For Carlow manager Pat Roe, the victory can be briefly enjoyed and then bottled up as inspiration for the coming weeks.

"Of course it's early in the season," he said. "But I'd be very pleased with the way we stuck to our task after letting Wicklow get back into it. We finished the better team and got some nice scores in the end as well.

"And it is important for Carlow to win silverware. But more important for us is the league in two weeks' time.

"We are starting to make progress, and winning is important. And once you get into the habit of winning it easier to stay with it."

Taking most advantage of the sweet Quinlan-Nevin combinations were Brian Carberry (1-4) and substitute Brian Kelly (0-3). Garvan Ware marked his return by springing from the bench and instantly hitting a point, while Johnny Kavanagh also got in on the simple but clever attacking by scoring from further out.

Worth mentioning in passing is that Wicklow hit 11 wides in the first half; Carlow though couldn't have hit that many if they tried so lacking were their early scoring opportunities.

The home side did, however, enjoy a 1-3 to 0-2 lead at the break thanks in part to Carberry's tentatively struck penalty.

Gavin Walker was the player jumped on by two opponents, yet Wicklow had enjoyed the more possession up to then. Had the likes of Shane O'Neill or Thomas Burke been slightly more accurate then Wicklow might have stood a chance.

O'Leary though wasn't making any excuses.

"We had them under pressure at times but we just didn't get the scores. And we did hit a lot of silly wides. Of course we're disappointed not to win it, but it's a learning curve. And it's a tough road."

Once Carlow got into the scoring run they always looked like winners. They went five points clear in as many minutes and Wicklow's subtle comeback had disintegrated.

Anthony Nolan managed to hit one more Wicklow point before the end but the 4,000 souls in Dr Cullen Park were still treated to the perfect ending when Nevin palmed a Carberry ball into the net.

CARLOW: J Clarke; J Hickey, B Farrell, A Corden; J Kavanagh (0-1), S O'Brien, M Drea; P Nolan, S Kavanagh; G Walker, W Quinlan, J McGrath; B Carberry (1-4, two frees), J Nevin (1-1), T Walsh. Subs: M Carpenter for Walker (41 mins), K Walker for Drea, B Kelly (0-3) for McGrath (both 48 mins), G Ware (0-1) for Nolan (58 mins).

WICKLOW: R Hollingsworth; S Cush, C Toomey, B Daly; B Ó hAnnaidh, B O'Donovan, B Whelan; S O'Neill (0-1), F Daly; T Burke, A Foley (0-1), A Nolan (0-3, two frees); P Dalton (0-2), D Jackman, J Behan (0-1). Subs: G Jameson for Daly (33 mins), O Ó hAnnaidh for Jackman (half-time), P O'Donnell for Whelan (67 mins).

Referee: C Buckley (Offaly).