IT Carlow 3-21
UCC 1-18
DJ CAREY MANAGED IT Carlow to victory in today’s Higher Education senior hurling league final in Fraher Field against UCC by nine points.
UCC got off to a flying start as they scored a goal on the 8th minute when Brian Hartnett scored after a powerful run through the middle of the Carlow defence.
But IT Carlowresponded a minute later when a long ball from Marty Kavanagh bounced off the crossbar to Chris Bolger, who made no mistake in converting to the net from close range.
Conor Lehane, who was UCC’s best player on the day scoring 0-7, kept UCC in touch. IT Carlow moved in front though at one stage by 1-7 to 1-3 thanks to the accurate freetaking of Laois player Stephen Maher.
Carlow got their second goal on 23 minutes when a mistake from Paudie Prendergast was capitalised on by Bolger, who scored from close range despite Paul Hallissey’s best efforts.
Carlow were in full control of the second half with former Kilkenny hurler Aidan Fogarty scoring at the start of the half and it was a sign of things to come.
Meath’s Jack Fagan scored a rocket of a goal from 20 yards to the roof of the net to put Carlow eight points ahead.
UCC manager Ger Cunningham brought on several subtitutes in the hope of changing the game but it wasn’t enough as DJ Carey’s side won the league title for the first time in their history.
Scorers for IT Carlow
Stephen Maher 0-8 (0-7f), Chris Bolger 2-2, Jack Fagan 1-2, Charles Dwyer 0-4, Ian Byrne 0-3, Martin Kavanagh, Aidan Fogarty 0-1 each.Scorers for UCC
Conor Lehane 0-7 (0-4f), Brian Hartnett 1-0, Anthony Spillane, Eoghan Finn, Rickard Cahalane 0-2 each, Mark O’Brien, Alan Cadogan, David Geary 0-1 each.
CARLOW IT
1. Conor Clancy (Offaly)
2. Ciaran Doyle (Kilkenny)
3. Michael Ryan (Carlow)
4. Kevin Hanafin (Kerry)
5. Will Young (Laois)
6. Conor Doughan (Offaly)
7. Dale O’Hanlon (Tipperary)
17. Aidan Fogarty (Kilkenny)
9. Marty Kavanagh (Carlow)
10. Charles Dwyer (Laois)
11. Ian Byrne (Wexford)
12. Stephen Maher (Laois)
13. Chris Bolger (Kilkenny)
14. Jack Fagan (Meath)
21. Edward Prendergast (Kilkenny)
Subs
James Doyle (Carlow) for Kavanagh (51)
Michael Harney (Waterford) for Bolger (56)
Tommy Gallagher (Westmeath) for Young (58)
Kevin Kelly (Kilkenny) for Fogarty (59)
UCC
1. Paul Hallissey (Cork)
2. Paudie Prendergast (Waterford)
3. Michael Breen (Tipperary)
4. Shane Roche (Waterford)
5. Killian Burke (Cork)
6. Tadgh Burke (Waterford)
7. Mark O’Brien (Waterford)
20. Cormac Walsh Cork)
9. Rickard Cahalane (Cork)
10. Eoghan Finn (Cork)
11. Conor Lehane (Cork)
12. Brian Hartnett (Cork)
13. Anthony Spillane (Cork)
14. Shane O’Donnell (Clare)
15. David Geary (Cork)
Subs
DJ Foran (Waterford) for B. Hartnett (inj) (26)
Cormac Murphy (Cork) for P Prendergast (30)
Alan Cadogan (Cork) for Geary (30)
Michael Collins (Cork) for C Walsh (34)
Shane O’Keeffe (Cork) for Cahalane (57)
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)