Murphy’s brace fires Carlow to victory

CARLOW 2-11 LEITRIM 0-5

CARLOW remain very much in the mix for promotion to Division 3 after they secured their third successive league win, putting visitors Leitrim to the sword at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday night.

Carlow made a storming start to the game, putting early scores on the board, highlighted by a third minute goal from a penalty by John Murphy.

After an opening half of indifferent football, Turlough O’Brien’s men led 1-5 to 0-4.

Carlow upped their game in the second-half, with ace marksman Paul Broderick hitting a brace of points and then hitting the post with an effort that ran loose to John Murphy, who crashed the ball to the top of the Leitrim net.

The star turn for Carlow was Brendan Murphy, who hit five points. Leitrim recorded only one point in the secondhalf, through Darragh Rooney, and finished with 14 men as Eoin Ward received a second yellow.

Carlow’s superior fitness was evident throughout and they were not flattered by a 12 point winning margin.

SCORERS – Carlow: J Murphy 2-0, (1-0 pen), B Murphy 0-5, P Broderick 0-4 (3f), D Foley (f) and D O’Brien 0-1 each. Leitrim: K Beirne 0-2 (2f), N Plunkett, D Moran, D Rooney 0-1 each. CARLOW: R Molloy 6; D Moran 5, S Redmond 7, C Lawlor 6; J Morrissey 5, D St Ledger 7, C Moran 7; B Murphy 9, S Murphy 7; S Gannon 7, D Foley 5, E Ruth 6; P Broderick 7, D O’Brien 6, J Murphy 8. Subs: M Rennick 6 for Moran (h-t); K Nolan 5 for Morrissey (54); J Kennedy for Foley (57); B Kavanagh for J Murphy (60), L Walker for Gannon (67). LEITRIM: D McKiernan 6; S Quinn 5, M McWeeney 6, M Murphy 5; O Madden 6, K Keegan 6, D McGovern 5; D Wrynn 6, C Moreton 6; C Gaffney 5, R O’Rourke 5, B Gallagher 5; D Moran 6, K Beirne 6, D Rooney 6. Subs: N Plunkett 6 for McGovern (injured) (17); J Heslin 5 for Gaffney (h-t); E Ward6 for Moreton (h-t); N McGovern 5 for Moran (50); D Carberry for Gallagher (54); A Flynn for Carberry (injured) 59.

REF – A Kissane (Waterford)