Daly’s double save inspires DIT

DIT 3-12 IT CARLOW 0-16

Second-half goals from Darren O’Reilly and Tomas O’Connor were decisive in St Margaret’s as DIT secured victory in an entertaining clash.

Both teams were out of contention for top spot in Group C but that didn’t stop Offaly corner-forward Bernard Allen notching an early 1-1 salvo for DIT.

The Barrowsiders opened their account with an impressive brace from Liam Boland, and although Allen, Ciaran Reddin (two), corner-back Gary O’Hare and Niall Scully were on target for the Dublincollege, a series of well-worked scores for Carlow, including two apiece from midfielder Darragh White and half-forward Kevin Mulvaney, ensured that the sides were level (1-6 to 0-9) at the interval.

Indeed, when DIT netminder Cian Daly was penalised for an infringement on full-forward Tommy Durnin seven minutes after the restart, it looked like the pendulum would swing in Carlow’s favour, but the Fingal Ravens shotstopper produced a superb double save from Boland’s subsequent penalty.

The excellent Reddin’s fourth point on 49 minutes edged DIT back into the ascendancy, before a neat finish by O’Reilly three minutes later offered Sean Fox’s men breathing space.

Thanks to the endeavours of inside duo Boland and Durnin, Carlow kept in touch with DIT, but a third goal late on by Kildare star O’Connor sealed a hard-earned triumph for the reigning Sigerson champions.

Scorers — DIT: B Allen 1-3 (1f), T O’Connor, D O’Reilly 1-1, C Reddin 0-4, N Scully (1f), G O’Hare, R Hazley 0-1 each. IT Carlow: L Boland 0-4 (1f), T Durnin (1f), K Mulvany 0-3 each, D White 0-2, T Dever (1f), K McGrath, B McHugh J Dillon 0-1 each.

DIT — C Daly; G O’Hare, B Menton, M O’Hehir; N Devereux, P Acheson, K O’Brien; T O’Connor, M Shields; S O’Connor, C Reddin, D O’Reilly; B Allen, R Hazley, N Scully. Subs: D McCabe for S O’Connor (62), S Cooney for Scully (65), C Sutton for O’Reilly (68).

IT CARLOW — T Kinsella; E Lynch, A Nolan, P Crowley; E Walsh, M Mangan, K McGrath; B Kinahan, D White; K Mulvany, C Reynolds, B McHugh; L Boland, T Durnin, M Gunning. Subs: J Dillon for Gunning (h-t), T Dever for Mulvany (67), G Haran for Boland (67), A Camon for Crowley (69).

REF — N McKenna (Kildare)