Experimental side fall to keen Carlow men
Poor performance puts Wicklow out
WICKLOW 0-12 CARLOW 0-09
IF HARRY MURPHY suffered any disappointment in this year's O'Byrne Cup campaign it was losing this match to Carlow at Bray on Wednesday evening.
A fine crowd turned up to cheer on another experimental side to what they believed would be another promising performance - not to mention a victory that would have put them in line for a place in the knock out stages of the competition. It was not to be. A sub standard second half performance saw Wicklow exit the competition and leave Carlow to celebrate an unexpected victory.
Mathew Byrne was the only player Harry retained from the team that played a draw with DCU on the Sunday but he did have to make one late change when Jason Bolger was unable to take his place because of injury.
Carlow got off to a good start and were three points up before Mattie Byrne pointed a free for Wicklow's first score in the 15th minute.
Wicklow had a good second quarter; James Sheerin kicked two great points from midfield; Austin O'Malley added a point and Mathew Byrne kicked over two more. The sides were level at 0-6 each after the 35th minute but a Willie Minchin point in injury time left it 0-7 to 0-6 in favour of Carlow at the break.
For the second match in a row Harry's injection of new blood at half time back fired and Wicklow's game suffered.
Even after Carlow had been reduced to 14 men with the sending off of midfielder Dara Foley they remained on top.
Later in the game Carlow lost another player to a second yellow but still held on. Wicklow also finished with 14 men after O'Malley saw yellow for a second time late on.
WICKLOW
Colm Byrne, Barry Murphy, Damian Power, Kevin Hanlon, Kevin Murphy, Mick McLoughlin, Paul McLoughlin, Ciaran Tyrrell, James Sheerin, Eugene Dunne, Daragh O’Sullivan, Brendan Kennedy, Austin O’Malley, Mark Doyle, Matthew Byrne. SUBS USED: Eoin Keogh, Jay Kelly, Paddy Dalton, Ian Sheerin, Rory Nolan
CARLOW
Carlow: Andy O’Brien, BJ Molloy, Shane Redmond, Kevin Byrne, Benny Kavanagh, Derek Hayden, Tony Bolger, Kieran Nolan, Darragh Foley, Shane Mernagh , Ciaran Moran, Paul Reid, Eoghan Ruth, Keith Hession, Willie Minchin, Daniel St.Ledger. SUBS: Brendan Murphy for Redmond, Ray Walker for Brian Murphy.
VENUE: Bray Emmets GAA Club
REFEREE: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)