Carlow made it two wins from two ahead of mouthwatering Division 2A top of the table local derby clash with Laois in Round 3 with a comfortable win over Meath at Netwatch Cullen Park.
On the back of an impressive Fitzgibbon Cup campaign with SETU Carlow, Chris Nolan was in outstanding form for the home team and finished with six points from play.
He was among the scorers as Carlow made a good start to lead 0-05 to 0-02 after 10 minutes but they were pegged back when Nicholas Potterton got in for a goal in the 11th minute.
It didn't take long for Carlow to respond and two minutes later, powerful wing forward John Michael Nolan collected a pass from Marty Kavanagh, shrugged a tackle and went in on goal before shooting past Charlie Ennis.
Although frees from Padraig O’Hanrahan kept the scoreboard ticking over for Meath, Carlow built up a big lead after that with Nolan and Kavanagh the chief scorers for them.
Their second goal arrived two minutes before half time when Charlie Ennis fumbled a high Jake Treacy shot and Kavanagh flicked the ball home from close range to leave lTom Mullally’s team led 2-14 to 1-07 at the break.
Carlow lost their way slightly in the third quarter and were outscored by 0-05 to 0-03 in the opening 15 minutes of the second half but a brilliantly taken goal by Conor Kehoe on the hour mark meant there was never any danger of an unlikely comeback.
Kavanagh picked up a late red card for Carlow after a second yellow but that didn’t take the gloss off the win and the 2023 McDonagh Cup winners are moving well ahead of that huge game against Laois in 13 days.
SCORERS: Carlow – M Kavanagh 1-06 (5fs, 1'65), C Nolan 0-06, JM Nolan 1-02, C Kehoe 1-02, J Nolan 0-02, James Doyle 0-02, Jake Doyle 0-01, S Treacy 0-01.
Meath – P O’Hanrahan 0-10 (9fs), J Toher 0-03, N Potterton 1-00, S Martin 0-02, J Murray 0-01
CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Sean Joyce, Dion Wall, Niall Bolger, Paul Doyle, Kevin McDonald, Tony Lawlor; James Doyle, Richard Coady; John Michael Nolan, Conor Kehoe, Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Marty Kavanagh, Chris Nolan, Jake Doyle. Subs: Jack McCullagh for Bolger, 19-21; Jon Nolan for Jake Doyle, 48; Jack McCullagh for Lawlor, 48; Scott Treacy for Fitzpatrick, 63; Conor Lawlor for Joyce, 65; Paudie O’Shea for Doyle, 70+2
MEATH: Charlie Ennis; Mickey Burke, Shane Whitty, Ronan Byrne, Niall McLarnon, Simon Ennis, Ethan Devine; Tom Shine, Paul Kelly; Sean Martin, James Murray, James Toher, Nicholas Potterton, James Kelly, Padraig O’Hanrahan. Subs: Daire Shine for T Shine, 41; Sean Geraghty for Devine, 43; Kris Gorman for Murray, 54; Jack Walsh for Potterton, 69; Mark Horan for J Kelly, 70
REFEREE: Chris Mooney (Dublin).
