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Bright start to 2015

UCD 0-18

Carlow 1-12

O’Byrne Cup First Round

By Kieran Murphy

Hopes that the fortunes of Carlow football could be set to take a turn for the better received a huge boost in the O’Byrne Cup first round tie in Dr. Cullen Park on Sunday.

In a closely fought contest, Carlow led early on with two points from Paul Broderick but UCD fought back to lead 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval.

The Carlow scores came from Broderick, Ciaran Moran and Derek Hayden in the opening period. It was the home side who did all the early pressing in the second half and with twelve minutes left, Hugh Gahan found the net from close range to level the game at 1-9 to 0-12.

The students reacted well to score five unanswered points to all but clinch victory. Not to be outdone, Carlow fought to the end and with big performances from Sean Gannon, Shane Redmond, Declan Kelly and Kieran Nolan it was the visitors who were relieved to hear the full-time whistle.

Carlow: Andrew O’Brien (Naomh Eoin); Declan Kelly (Old Leighlin), Shane Redmond (Tinryland), Kieran Nolan (Fighting Cocks); Derek  Hayden (Éire Óg 0-1), Daniel St. Ledger (Kildavin-Clonegal), Benny Kavanagh (Éire Óg); Sean Gannon (Éire Óg), Darragh Foley (Kilbride 0-1); Ed Finnegan(Rathvilly), Ciaran Moran (Palatine 0-2), David Bambrick (Old Leighlin); Daryl Roberts (Kildavin-Clonegal), Paul Broderick (Tinryland 0-5 4fs), Jack Kennedy (St. Patricks 0-1f). Subs: Hugh Gahan (Old Leighlin 1-0) for Roberts (ht), Alan Kelly (Rathvilly) for Bambrick (51mins), Michael Meaney (Old Leighlin) for Finnegan (52 mins), Eric McCormack (Éire Óg 0-1f) for Kennedy (55 mins), Jason Kane (Palatine) for Broderick (60 mins), Eoghan Ruth (Éire Óg 0-1) for Foley (67 mins)

UCD: Eoin Keoghan; Michael. Con Carr, Dave Byrne, Martin Cahilanne; Ryan Wylie, Paraic Harnan, Seán O’Dea (0-1); Tom Moolick, Matt O’Hanlon; Brian Fenton (0-3), Niall Kelly (0-2), Jack Barry. Rob Carr (0-1), John Heslin (0-8 6fs), Patrick Reilly. Subs: James McEntee (0-1) for Carr (ht), Matt Hughes for Cahilane (44 mins), Ciaran Lenehan for McEntee (50 mins), Ryan Basques (0-2) for Barry (55 mins),

Referee: Noel McKenna (Kildare)