Meath humbled in McDonagh Cup opener

It was all too easy for Carlow as they got their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign off to an emphatic start with a 4-30 to 0-17 victory over a poor Meath side at Pairc Tailteann today.

Carlow were determined not to get caught napping like they almost were when the sides met in NHL Div 2A a few weeks earlier and by the 11th minute they were out of sight as Conor Kehoe bagged his side's second goal to make it 2-6 to 0-1.

The visitors started well with Martin Kavanagh pointing a free inside 45 seconds and within another three minutes further points from Kevin McDonald (two) and Sean Murphy had them 0-4 to 0-0 clear.

In the sixth minute Carlow struck for their opening goal when Paddy Potterton was dispossessed by Fiachra Fitzpatrick and he released Chris Nolan for a brilliant goal.

McDonald added his third point before Meath mustered their first chance in the ninth minute which Adam Gannon fired wide.

Murphy added to Carlow's advantage before David Reilly opened Meath's account in the 11th minute, but 30 seconds later Kehoe had the ball in the back of the net and it was effectively game over.

Meath responded with points from a Jack Regan free and '65', but Carlow hit back with three-in-a-row from Chris Nolan, Diarmuid Byrne and Martin Kavanagh (free) to stretched their lead to 2-9 to 0-3 early in the second quarter.

Points from James Kelly and Regan, either side of one for Jack Kavanagh, closed the gap to 12 points.

The next four scores were shared evenly with Byrne and Murphy trading scores with Mikey Cole and Paddy Potterton.

Fitzpatrick and Martin Kavanagh added to Carlow's tally to make it 2-14 to 0-7, but it was Meath who finished the half stronger with three of the last four points from Nicky Potterton, Regan (free) and Eamon O Donnchadha in response to another for Martin Kavanagh to close the gap to 0-10 to 2-15 at the break.

It only took Carlow 25 seconds to stretch their lead after the break when Murphy pointed.

A bad injury for Shane Whitty led to a lengthy break before play resumed, but when it did the one-way traffic continued as Richard Coady and Regan (free) traded points before Murphy hit Carlow's third goal after a McCullagh point to make it 3-18 to 0-11.

Meath managed just six more points, two from Regan and one each from Kevin Keena, Justin Coyne, Podge O'Hanrahan and Damien Healy, as Carlow ran riot with Martin Kavanagh adding the fourth goal to another four points to bring his personal tally to 1-8.

Kehoe, Fitzpatrick, Nolan, McDonald (two) and Byrne all added to Carlow's total to bring them to the 30 point mark as Meath's misery was compounded by the late sending off of Kevin Keena.

Carlow - B Tracey; P Doyle, C Lawlor, M Doyle; J McCullagh (0-1), D Byrne (0-3), F Fitzpatrick (0-3); J Kavanagh (0-1), R Coady (0-1); S Murphy (1-4), J Nolan, K McDonald (0-6 one free); C Kehoe (1-1), M Kavanagh (1-8 four frees), C Nolan (1-2). Subs - F O'Toole for Kehoe 61mins, T Lawlor for McCullagh 65m, J Michael Nolan for M Kavanagh 67m, P Coady for R Coady 71m, N Bolger for Doyle 73m.

Meath - C Ennis; B McKeon, S Brennan, S Geraghty; J Kelly (0-1), S Whitty, S Morris; N Potterton (0-1), P Potterton (0-1); M O'Sullivan, J Regan (0-7 four frees, one '65'), D Reilly (0-1); A Gannon, D Healy (0-1 '65'), M Cole (0-1). Subs - J Walsh for O'Sullivan 30 mins, E O Donnchadha (0-1) for Gannon 35m, J Coyne (0-1) for P Potterton half-time, M Burke for Whitty 45m, K Keena (0-1) for Reilly 53m, P O'Hanrahan (0-1 free) for Regan 59m.

Referee - C Cunning (Antrim).

FULL MATCH REPORT, REACTION AND PHOTOS in TUESDAYS MEATH CHRONICLE