Carlow Footballers end League campaign on a winning note against London

Allianz NFL Div 4 Round 7

Carlow 1-17

London 1-10

Promotion hopes may have been gone before a ball was kicked, however Carlow Senior Footballers ensured that they ended their League campaign on a winning note at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.

Manager Niall Carew and his backroom team resisted change for this encounter and it was a familiar Carlow side that took on this task.

They started well too and were 0-5 to 0-0 up after 10 odd minutes with Conor Doyle, Ross Dunphy, Conor Crowley, Colm Hulton and Aaron Amond making it 5 different scorers to boot.

London scores from Ciaran Diver and Liam Gallagher were sandwiched by points from Conor Doyle and Shane Clarke. Amond and Patrick Dolan then exchanged scores and at half time Carlow led by 0-8 to 0-3.

The exiles were off the mark quicker in the second half through Diver and Gareth McDowell but minutes later Carlow responded through John Murphy and Shane Clarke.

A Stephen Dornan brace was brief reprieve for London but Shane Clarke was really on song for Carlow and he added his third on 46 minutes with Conor Crowley pointing from a mark just before and Paddy McDonnell slotting one off the left foot just after.

56 minutes in and Kevin Murphy nudged Carlow seven points ahead having just come on the field and although Dolan slotted a free it was to get better for Carlow. Firstly Bryan McMahon pointed and then Colm Hulton added a goal which had it at 1-15 to 0-8 with less than 10 to go.

London did hit 1-2 before the finish - Ruairi Rafferty with the major - but Jamie Clarke and Colm Hulton wrapped it up at the end with Carlow emerging seven point winners.

Kudo's must go to the Clarke brothers who buried their grandfather during the week and both turned in big performances, while Mikey Bambrick was also superb at a time where his grandmother was doing poorly. Sadly, Mrs Bambrick has since passed away and we would like to pass on our condolences to both families. The Clarke's and Bambrick undoubtedly doing themselves and their families proud at a difficult time.

Next up for Carlow is the Leinster Championship encounter away to Wexford on April 7th.

They will have to plan for that without Jordan Morrissey who is off to America for the foreseeable and we wish him all the best.

Carlow: Johnny Furey; Colin Byrne, Mark Furey, Dara Curran; Mikey Bambrick, Conor Doyle (0-2), Shane Clarke (0-3); John Murphy (0-1), Niall Hickey; Aaron Amond (0-2), Colm Hulton (1-2), Conor Crowley (0-2); Ross Dunphy (0-1), Jamie Clarke (0-1), Paddy McDonnell (0-1).

Subs: Eric Molloy, Kevin Murphy (0-1), Bryan McMahon (0-1), Shane Buggy.