Kildare secure top spot with victory over Carlow
Leinster U-20 HC: Kildare 2-16 Carlow 2-10
Cian Boran was on target for Kildare
Carlow were the visitors to Manguard Park for Round 3 of the O Neills.Com Leinster U-20 Hurling Championship Tier 2 Group 2 encounter but it was the home side who recorded win number two with a six-point victory.
Both sides had recorded wins over Kerry in their opening rounds and this Kildare victory, courtesy of goals either side of the break, secured top spot and a knockout place against the runners up in Group 1.
Two Cian Quirke points, either side of Oisin Lynam's opening score for Kildare, had Carlow two points to one up inside four minutes. Killian Harrington hit the first of his four opening-half points to level but there was little to separate the sides.
A brilliant piece of work from Cian Boran led to the opening goal when he set up Fionn Maher. Carlow responded immediately and Eoghan Doyle had a simple tap in. Harrington and Maher points left Kildare 1-8 to 1-7 ahead at the break.
Boran and Quirke swapped points after the restart but Doyle's second goal pushed Carlow a point up again in the 40th minute.
Boran and substitute Charlie Carroll then edged Kildare into a lead they never lost.
Killian Harrington capped a fine individual performance with a 63rd-minute goal to seal the victory, although both sides qualify for the knockout stages.
Scorers – Kildare: Fionn Maher 1-2 (2 frees),Killington Harrington 1-4, Enda Keane 0-1, Cian Boran 0-3, Oisin Lynam 0-1. James Dolan 0-1. Cian O Reilly 0-1, Charlie Carroll 0-2 (1 free),Tim Ryan 0-1. Carlow: Cian Quirke 0-6 (3 frees,1'65), Eoghan Doyle 2-0, Kevin Kavanagh 0-1, Tim Brennan 0-2. Eamon O Shea 0-1.
Kildare: Cormac Doolan, Evan O Briain, Liam O Reilly, Conor O Grady, Fionnan O Dullaigh, Daniel O Meara, Bill Hennessy, Enda Keane, Oisin Lynam, Cian Boran, Cian O Reilly, Ciaran Kirwan, James Dolan, Killian Har-rington, Fionn Maher. Subs: Charlie Carroll for Oisin Lynam H/T, Tim Ryan for Cian O Reilly 45, Theo Frisby for Ciaran Kirwan 51, Billy Nolan for Eamon O Shea 55, Alex Bell for Fionn Maher 63.
Carlow: Kyle Foley, Eoin Doyle, Shane Kirwan, Ciaran Harris, Tadhg O Neill, Ross Dermody, Eamon O Shea, Conaill Fitzpatrick, Ross O Neill, Tim Brennan, Kevin Kavanagh, Donagh Murphy, Eoghan Doyle, Jamie Nolan, Cian Quirke. Subs: James Ingram for Jamie Nolan H/T, Shane Kelly for Eoghan Doyle 46, James Maher for James Ingram 52, Jack Kelly for Shane Kirwan 59.
