Carlow sides make progress

Leinster Colleges SFC: Carlow CBS ... 3-9 Marist, Athlone ... 0-6Carlow CBS, having led 1-5 to 0-4 at half-time, went on to secure a comfortable 12-point win over Marist, Athlone, in this Leinster Colleges SFC A tie at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow yesterday.

Carlow were never headed once they recorded the game's first three points from corner forward Jordan Lowry and midfielders Shane Redmond and James Deering in the opening six minutes.

Although Marist fought back to level by the 18th minute from a Kevin Naughton point (0-4 each), a Carlow goal on 22 minutes from forward Jimmy Cahill put CBS into a lead they never lost. Despite the best efforts of Robert Buckley and Callum McCormack, Carlow remained in control and late goals from Cormac Mullins and Daryl Hayden provided a fair reflection of their superiority.

CARLOW CBS:S Mahon; Conor Byrne (O'Hanrahans), Conor Byrne (Tinryland), D Hackett; L Kearney (0-1), R Curran, J Bolton (0-1); S Redmond (0-2), J Deering (0-1); J Cahill (1-0), A Callinan, M Mullen (0-1); C Mullins (1-1), D Hayden (1-0), J Lowry (0-2). Subs: D Byrne for Cahill; S Harmon for Deering.

MARIST, ATHLONE:J Coughlan; P Boland, P Blaine, R Farrell; S Colgan, S Mulvihill, E Slevin; R Buckley, K Naughton (0-1); T Farrell, A Kennedy, David Fagan (Athlone, 0-1); R Stack, C McCormack (0-4, two frees), D Sammon. Subs: E. Gavin for Colgan; E. Farrell for Naughton; J. O'Reilly for Slevin; David Fagan (Tubber) for Sammon.

Referee:F Barrett (Kildare).

Knockbeg College ... 1-11 St Mel's College ... 0-8

Knockbeg confirmed their recent superiority over St Mel's in the Leinster Colleges senior football championship yesterday at Pearse Park. St Mel's will need to improve considerably in the qualifiers if they are to be involved in the latter stages.

Powered by Andrew Shore at centrefield, with rising Laois star Donie Kingston also impressive, the physically stronger Carlow side never looked like losing. When centre-half forward Eanna Ryan scored a scrappy goal in the 18th minute, Knockbeg led 1-3 to 0-1.

St Mel's were struggling, even with the wind, but they rallied with a brace of points from Patrick Mullooly and another from Ciarán Brennan.Thus Knockbeg had to be content with a 1-4 to 0-4 lead at half-time but they came out with all guns blazing on the restart to fire over four points on the trot. Midfielder David Bambrick started the ball rolling and Kingston, Rory O'Connor and Eanna Ryan were also on target.

St Mel's kept plugging away, adding four points through Enda McKiernan, Thomas Kelly (two frees) and Mullooly while Kingston landed a brilliantly struck sideline kick for Knockbeg.

KNOCKBEG: C Cunningham; T Cowman, B Lambe, D Maloney; A Malone, K Murphy, A Higgins (0-1); A Shore (0-1), D Bambrick (0-2); F Egan, E Ryan (1-2), K Delaney; R O'Connor (0-1), S Miller, D Kingston (0-4, two frees). Subs: C Campion for Miller (49 mins); C O'Regan for Bambrick (49 mins); C Booth for Ryan (58 mins).

ST MEL'S: T Mulligan; D Nolan, S Powell, P Devine; C Smyth, R Barrins, M Lee; K Diffley, J Keegan; P Mullooly (0-3, two frees), C Brennan (0-1), M Quinn (0-1); T Kelly (0-2, frees), E McKiernan (0-1), B Farrell. Subs: F Beirne for Smyth (17 mins); C Quaine for Farrell (53 mins); T McCormack for Quinn (58 mins).

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).