Carlow senior hurling manager Colm Bonnar insists that his priority is to ensure that the county retain their Allianz National Hurling League Division 1B status this season, following a thrilling weekend draw with Galway.
Bonnar’s side battled back from a four point half-time deficit to claim a hugely credible draw against the 2017 All-Ireland champions at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday.
That result came after Carlow pushed Dublin all the way on the opening weekend of the hurling league and while Bonnar admits that the Tribesmen may not have been at full strength, he is still delighted with the progress his side are showing this season.
"What a game, what excitement we had in Cullen Park," he told RTÉ Sport.
"I know Galway might not have been at full throttle but they still had six or seven All-Ireland winners on display and the other players are pushing hard to get into that team.
"We did everything in our power in pre-season to try and get ready for it [the league]"
"They were contesting very well and we survived an early onslaught. Four points down at half-time, to come back and score 13 points in the second-half, it was such an exciting game for anybody that was there to witness it.
"We knew the nature of the games we were going to be facing in this league and we did everything in our power in pre-season to try and get ready for it.
"We were very unlucky against Dublin and with five minutes to go there were two points in it. Against Galway we felt that if we settled well in the second half and keep the game alive that we could get something from it."
Bonnar insists that his side are not in Division 1B to make up the numbers and he hailed the pride and belief that his players are showing.
"There is a genuine ambition and pride in these Carlow hurlers and every time they put on that jersey they want to give it their best. They backed that up with their hard work on and off the field.
"If we can continue that we can continue the progress that we’re making, they want more of these games."
With changes coming to the hurling league next season, Bonnar believes that it’s imperative that his side avoid relegation this season and is making that his top priority.
"Our priority to maintain where we are"
Should Carlow retain their Division 1B status this season, they will take their place in revamped league next season with no relegation between Division 1A and 1B.
With seeded groups removed, it means that the divisions will be a mixture of the strongest counties.
That would give Carlow the chance to test themselves against the strongest teams in Ireland and it's something Bonnar is eager to be involved with.
"Our priority to maintain where we are," Bonnar insisted. "The whole league is going to be rearranged for next year, if we can stay and manage to get enough points on board and be in Division One, that’s solid progress and it’s like promotion for us.
"We’d be mixing it up with the likes of Tipp, Kilkenny and Cork so that would be huge progress for Carlow if we can maintain what we’re doing and manage to stay up in Division 1B."
