Carlow and Westmeath bounced back from last weekend's defeats with victories over Wicklow and Kilkenny respectively in yesterday's O'Byrne Cup Shield action. At Dr Cullen Park, former Sydney Swans star Brendan Murphy marked his first competitive senior game for Carlow with a superb display which helped Luke Dempsey's side to a 2-13 to 1-10 victory. Following last Sunday's hammering by Louth, Mick O'Dwyer's Wicklow had a point to prove and a goal from Seanie Furlong gave them a 1-4 to 0-6 half-time lead. But two goals after the break, including one from Murphy, saw Carlow run out six-point winners. Meanwhile, Brendan Hackett got his first win as Westmeath manager in Ballyragget last night as the Lake County chalked up an entirely predictable 2-17 to 0-6 victory over Kilkenny. The Kehoe Cup hurling competition also kicked off in Leinster yesterday with Kildare and Armagh meeting in Newbridge. Martin Fitzgerald scored a hat-trick of goals as the Lilywhites ran out easy 5-21 to 2-14 winners. The home side had raced into a 3-13 to 1-6 interval lead with two goals from Fitzgerald and a scrambled effort from David Kennedy putting them in control. Meanwhile, Wicklow are through to the Leinster Vocational Schools SF final following their slender 1-9 to 0-11 victory over Dublin at Roundwood yesterday. Tweet

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