Carlow qualified to meet Clontarf in their first Senior Cup final after coming through against Bective at Donnybrook yesterday.
Carlow right wing Mark Buckley squeezed in at the corner in the sixth and 17th minutes to help create a 13-5 lead for Carlow.
Bective hit back with tries from forwards John Downey and Brendan Crowley before Carlow's number eight Andrew Melville made one of his trademark bursts to get in for a third try in the 39th minute which outhalf Billy Murphy converted.
In injury time Bective outhalf Fergal Campion struck a dropped goal to leave it 23-18 at the break. It looked as though there would be tries galore in the second half, but two Campion penalties were not enough to turn around the deficit thanks to Murphy's penalty in the 72nd minute.
SCORERS - Carlow: M Buckley two tries, A Melville try. B Murphy two pens and con. M Waterhouse pen.
Bective Rangers - B Crowley, J Downey try each. S Campion, 3 pens, dropped goal, conversion.
Referee: W Sheridan (ARLB).
