Carlow 0-21

Kerry 0-18

Carlow finished with a flourish to make a winning start to their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign at a sun-splashed Netwatch Cullen Park.

The Allianz League Division 2A champions held a slender 0-10 to 0-9 lead at the break before extending their advantage to three points within seven minutes of the restart. But the visitors rallied to lead by 0-18 to 0-16 with five minutes of normal time remaining, only to concede the last five points to the strong-finishing Barrowsiders.

The hosts created a number of goal chances in the opening half, but failed to take any of them as scores from Padraig Boyle, Shane Conway and Jack Goulding ensured Kerry were just a point adrift at the interval.

Kevin McDonald shot the winners into a three-point lead after the restart, but the switch of Daniel Collins to centre back had the desired effect for the Kingdom as they roared back to take the lead through points for Goulding and Boyle.

But with the impressive Edward Byrne, McDonald and Jack Kavanagh on target, Colm Bonnar's charges dominated the closing exchanges to edge a tight contest.

Carlow - B Tracey; A Corcoran, P Doyle, M Doyle; R Coady, D English (0-1f), R Kelly; J Kavanagh (0-1), K McDonald (0-2); J Murphy, P Coady (0-1), E Byrne (0-4); J Doyle (0-3), D Murphy (0-6, 5f), C Nolan (0-1f). Subs: E Joyce for C Nolan, R Smithers (0-1) for J Murphy, D Byrnes (0-1) for D Murphy.

Kerry - M Stackpoole; J Buckley, B Murphy, T Murnane; S Weir, M Boyle, D Collins; B Barrett, D Griffin; B O'Leary, B O'Mahony, C Harty (0-1); P Boyle (0-7, 1f, 1'65), S Conway (0-6, 5f), J Goulding (0-4, 1f). Sub: D O'Carroll for C Harty.

Referee - J Heffernan.

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