FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, a novel inter-county fixture awaits.
Carlow are looking to finish their Division 2A hurling league group campaign with a 100% record against Kildare at Hawkfield tomorrow evening [throw-in 8pm].
The timing is unusual, it’s 11 years since the Carlow footballers were in Friday night action in a football qualifier against Laois, but inter-county senior games are generally the preserve of weekend slots.
There were specific requests to bring this fixture forward. Kildare manager and former Kilkenny camogie boss Brian Dowling is in charge of the St Kieran’s college hurling team contesting an All-Ireland final at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. On the Carlow side, it also suited as there was a clash with the footballers’ meeting with Longford.
Friday night of St Patrick’s Weekend ended up working for both.
Carlow have undoubted momentum, with top spot and promotion to Division 1B secured after four wins from four. Kildare still have an outside chance of progressing, depending on results elsewhere, but Carlow are already in the final at the end of the month and they could face the likes of Waterford, Offaly and most likely Dublin – again, final round results dependent – in the upper echelons next year.
The 2023 Joe McDonagh Cup winners continue their success story. Tom Mullally’s men have started the year brighter than their neighbouring Lilywhites and Laois, which is particularly striking given the disparity in clubs and playing numbers.
Carlow effectively have the pick of six senior clubs. 180 players, should each have a panel of 30, but let’s say just around 150 to be realistic. Just a few years back, there were only four senior clubs. Barring the odd intermediate club player breaking through, that’s the playing pool.
“It’s a numbers game in Carlow,” KCLR commentator Brendan Hennessy tells The 42. “It’s not the poor relation to football but there’s not as many hurling clubs as there is football clubs.
“The standard of hurling is quite good and a great benefit in the last few years is the fact that the Carlow clubs play in the Kilkenny league. There always has been some great players, but the numbers are low.
“We always say, the last few years in particular, they’re punching above their weight.”
Mount Leinster Rangers is one club to have enjoyed unprecedented success in recent years. After lifting the All-Ireland intermediate club title in 2013, they won the Leinster senior title and reached the All-Ireland senior final the following year.
The man at the helm? Tom Mullally.
“Tom put a great interest into Carlow hurling,” Hennessy says. “The kids that were 10 and 11 looking at Mount Leinster Rangers’ progress are lads that are playing at the moment.”
Mullally has delivered further success as Naas manager of late: a Kildare senior four in-a-row last year and All-Ireland intermediate glory in February 2022. The Kilkenny native, who previously steered Clara to county silverware, is obviously well known to the Kildare squad, adding another dynamic to tomorrow night’s game.
Mullally has also been involved with other Carlow, Wexford and Wicklow county teams at various grades, and his current body of work with the Barrowsiders since succeeding Colm Bonnar in 2021 is rather impressive.
“Tom has had a massive impact,” Hennessy continues. “He has given every player that he could give a chance to over the last number of years. He wanted commitment and lads to give 100% – and to be fair, every one of those guys have given him that.
“He’s got great attention to detail. He keeps his cards really close to his chest. He’ll always have a chat with the media after a match, he’ll always voice his opinion and he’s always really fair to his players.
“He’s probably as good a hurling manager as any in the country. He has expert knowledge on the game and he can really bring the best out of players on any given day — and he’s proven that with clubs he’s been at.
“He’s very, very good. He calls a spade a spade. Like all managers, some people mightn’t be happy with this or the other, but he seems to get it right nine times out of 10.”
For Mullally and co. it’s all about Friday Night Lights in Kildare for now, but an interesting Leinster championship awaits next month.
Carlow travel to Galway on 21 April, before hosting Dublin, Wexford and Kilkenny, and rounding out with a trip to Antrim.
The hope is that the Carlow Rising will continue.
“It’s a bonus that they’re in the league final, but Carlow hurling folks are looking forward to a great summer,” Hennessy concludes.
“They’re hurling at the top table and the progress they’ve made over the last number of years is just fantastic.”
