Carlow hurlers cruise past Kidare with plenty to spare in Joe McDonagh Cup opener

This opening game in this season's Joe McDonagh Cup between Carlow and Kildare, in Carlow, was effectively over long before the half-time whistle even arrived as the home side, playing with a strong wind on their backs, found the Kildare net on no less than four occasions in that period, three of the four coming from full forward Paddy Boland.

Carlow 5-23

Kidare 0-19

Joe McDonagh Cup Round 1

Carlow full forward Martin Kavanagh was also on his game with frees, the Noamh Moling man converting five frees and one 65 as Tom Mulally's side led 4-13 to 0-5.

Kildare were all at sea in that period; out-played and out-muscled in every area of the pitch with their short-passing game coming unstuck time and time again.

And while The Lilies showed some improvement in the second half, when they outscored their opponents by a point, nevertheless that was not near good enough as Carlow had all of 19 points to spare.

The result leaves Kildare with a real mountain climb now and they take on Offaly next Sunday.

Offaly got their campaign off to a perfect start with a three point win over Laois.

Final score in Carlow: 

Scorers: Carlow, PaddyBoland 3-0, Martin Kavanagh 0-12 (9 frees, 65), Conor Kehoe 2-2, James Doyle 0-4, Chris Nolan 0-3, Diarmuid Byrne 0-1, Jan Nolan 0-1.

Kildare, James Burke 0-10 (10 frees), David Qualter 0-2, Cathal McCabe 0-2, Cathal Dowling 0-1, Gerry Keegan 0-1, Cian Boran 0-1, Mark Delaney 0-1, Johnny Byrne 0-1.

CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Conor Lawlor, JP Tracey; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Diarmuid Byrne, Jack McCullagh; James Doyle, Kevin McDonald; Jack Kavanagh, Martin Kavanagh, Conor Kehoe; Jack Tracey, Paddy Boland, Chris Nolan. Jack Tracey for Jon Nolan (blood sub 20-35); John Michael Nolan for JP Treacy (53 minutes); Niall Bolger for Conor Lawlor (51 minutes); Jack Tracey for Paddy Bland (67 minutes); Fiach O'Toole for Jon Nolan (70 minutes); Richard Coady for Martin Kavanagh (71 minutes).

KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Niall Ó Muineacháin, Simon Leacy, John McKeon; Paul Dolan, Rian Boran, Rian Boran, Conan Boran; Johnny Byrne, Cathal McCabe; James Burke, Gerry Keegan, Cian Boran; Brian Byrne, David Qualter, Cathal Dowling. Subs: Jack Travers for John McKeon (half-time); Declan Flaherty for Paul Dolan (half-ltime); Mark Delaney for Brian Byrne (52 minutes); Sean Christanseen for David Qualter (58 minutes); Cian Shanahan for Cian Boran (67 minutes);

REFEREE: Colum Cunning, Antrim.