Early goal is crucial

CHRISTY RING CUP SEMI-FINALS: CARLOW ADVANCED to the final following a narrow win over Mayo at McHale Park, Castlebar, on Saturday…

CHRISTY RING CUP SEMI-FINALS:CARLOW ADVANCED to the final following a narrow win over Mayo at McHale Park, Castlebar, on Saturday. It took a goal from Robert Foley to seal the win for Carlow. Mayo led 0-10 to 0-6 at the break and with 15 minutes left they led by five points but Carlow entered injury-time just one point behind before Foley struck.

CARLOW: D Miley; A Gaule, D Shaw, J Rodgers; E Coady, S Kavanagh (0-4, three frees, one 65), R Coady; D Roberts, A Brennan; R Dunbar (0-2), C Hughes (0-3, three frees), R Foley (1-1); J Coady (0-3), M Brennan (0-1), C Doyle (0-2). Subs: S Murphy for Hughes, J Doran for R. Coady, J Hickey for Roberts, K English for Brennan.

MAYO: M Walsh; D Walsh, A Connolly, S Coyne; P Barrett, S Barrett (0-1), C Ryan; P Higgins, K Higgins (0-4, one free); N Murphy, D McDonnell, S Broderick (0-3); A Freeman (0-8, six frees), O Madigan, D McConn (0-1). Subs: K Healy for McDonnell, C Hynes for Madigan.

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway).

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WESTMEATH ARE on course to claim their third trophy in four years following a hard-earned victory over Derry in Cusack Park, Mullingar, on Saturday as an eighth-minute Derek McNicholas goal settled them. They moved into a six-point lead but three Michael Kirkpatrick points left the score at the break 1-10 to 0-9.

WESTMEATH: M Briody; G Gavin, P Greville, A Price; B Connaughton, D McCormack, P Dowdall; L Smith, P Clarke (0-2); A Mitchell (0-2), B Murtagh (0-6), E Price (0-1); R Jackson (0-2), D McNicholas (1-4), J Shaw (0-2). Subs: P Gilsenan for Smith, C Jordan for Clarke.

Derry: A Magill; R McCluskey, C Quinn, C McQuillan; S McCullagh, S Henry, M Craig; R Convery (0-3), N Holly; O McCloskey (0-1), K Hinphey, B Dodds; M Kirkpatrick (0-6), P McCloskey (0-2), S Dodds. Subs: M Conway for Holly, S McGoldrick for S Dodds, P Henry for Kirkpatrick, G O'Kane for B Dodds.

Referee: D O'Donovan (Dublin).