The Luxembourg ambassador to Ireland, Florence Ensch, was in Carlow for her first ever hurling game. on Saturday.
The connections between Carlow and Luxembourg go back around 1,300 years – according to a match programme article – and for a few minutes midway through this game, it looked as if the very special guest may actually get something to write back home about; a surprise Carlow win.
Dublin, strong favourites to win and to gain promotion back to Division 1A, were motoring along nicely until they conceded two goals to Martin Kavanagh and Chris Nolan just before half-time.
Suddenly, Dublin were just three ahead, 0-18 to 2-9, and had all of the half-time break to stew on that tricky situation. If they’d lost, aside from Carlow staying up, Wexford would also have benefited by sneaking into the promotion spot.
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Wexford duly took care of their business elsewhere, hammering Kildare by 3-29 to 1-14, but Carlow’s hopes of a memorable win were dashed by a resurgent Dublin who dominated the second half.
Dublin restarted with six of the first seven points in the second half and ultimately overwhelmed Carlow with their ability to cut through the lines with precise passing and hard off-the-shoulder running.
In the end, Dublin had 15 different scorers with Fergal Whitely, John Hetherton and Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing all registering four points each.
Dublin couldn’t grab a goal on the evening but it wasn’t for the want of trying, with Kyle Foley, starting his first league game of the season for Carlow, pulling off no less than four great saves.
Dublin’s reward for the 0-34 to 2-14 win, aside from promotion, is a Division 1B final clash with Clare, on the weekend of April 4th/5th, while Carlow will prepare now for a Joe McDonagh Cup opener against Laois on April 18th.
Jack Redmond was Wexford’s key man with a stunning 3-3 in their big win over Kildare.
His first goal helped the hosts lead by 1-10 to 0-8 and the Rathnure man added two more after the break to secure their fourth win of the campaign.
Wexford ultimately missed out on promotion but there was still some psychological value to demolishing Kildare as they will meet again in round one of the Leinster SHC on April 18th in Newbridge. Lee Chin weighed in with seven points for Wexford.
Meanwhile, Down’s first win of the campaign, a gutsy 3-22 to 3-20 victory over neighbours Antrim in Newry, wasn’t enough to keep them up.
Down, Antrim and Carlow all finished level on two points but Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim survived thanks to their superior scoring difference, -29 compared to Carlow’s -49 and Down’s -78. All three sides lost five of their six games.
Donal Hughes snatched the late goal to win it for Down while Shea Pucci struck their other two goals.
Division 1B results
Carlow 2-14 Dublin 0-34
Down 3-22 Antrim 3-20
Wexford 3-29 Kildare 1-14
