Sport

Flagging Carlow run out of wind

Meath  1-9 Carlow  0-9 Meath scored three points into the strong wind, but Carlow failed to register a flag hurling into the…

Mon Apr 29 2002 - 01:00

Meath  1-9 Carlow  0-9Meath scored three points into the strong wind, but Carlow failed to register a flag hurling into the elements.

At the final whistle, it was those three points that separated the sides at yesterday's first-round game in Dr Cullen Park, Carlow.

The home county looked to be struggling when, backed by that wind, they only led 0-4 to 0-3 after 24 minutes, but a late flurry of points lifted Michael Walsh's charges to a more healthy 0-9 to 0-3 advantage.

However, the Meath points, eked out by Thomas Reilly and Joey O'Toole (2) proved crucial.

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Meath got off to a fine start in the second half, Dan Dorran flashing over a good point inside 30 seconds, but a magnificent rearguard action by Carlow kept the Royal County in arrears until the 65th minute when the visitors struck for a text-book goal.

Full back Paul Donnelly won a high ball and came storming out of defence, his clearance finding Railway Cup hurler Nick Horan, who made a strong run through the centre with the ball on his stick before firing an astute hand-pass to the lurking Neville Reilly.

The substitute took the pass from Horan and, from the right of goal, stuck a low shot in the net.

Carlow free-taker Pat Coady had a mid-distance free to equalise, but his low trajectory delivery was blocked down while full back Martin Farrell was short with a 65.

Earlier, Carlow should have had a goal, but Mark Gannon brought off a brilliant 58th-minute save from Damien Roberts.

The Carlow goalkeeper, Pat Fenlon, also made a great save, blocking a strong Joey O'Toole shot shortly before half-time.

The conditions played a part in the fact that both sides shared 26 wides equally but Thomas Reilly and Dan Dorran found the range in injury-time with late points which gave the Michael Duignan-managed Meath men a hard-earned, but deserved three-point victory.

Meath advance to play Laois.

MEATH: M Gannon; R Dorran, P Donnelly, G Kennedy; C Keena, D Murray, K Dowd; N Horan (0-1, free), D Callaghan; T Reilly (0-2), D Dorran (0-2), C Sheridan; I McCormack, J O'Toole (0-4), M Cole. Subs: N. Reilly (1-0) for McCormack; P Gannon for Cole; P Coone for Sheridan.

CARLOW: P Fenlon; W Hickey, M Farrell, A Gaul; E Coady, L Kenny, J Nevin; Paddy Coady, J Hickey (0-1); D Roberts, D Murphy (0-2), G Doyle (0-1); B Lawler, T Walsh (0-1), Pat Coady (0-4, 2 frees, 1 65). Subs: R Foley for Lawler, T Doyle for Paddy Coady.

Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).