AN absorbing 76 minutes of roller coaster football at Newbridge yesterday truly vindicated the new preliminary round system in the Leinster Senior Football Championship.

Carlow manager Bobby Miller may not have been in favour of the idea at the outset, but the benefits derived by his side are likely to be in evidence when Meath are confronted in the quarter final on June 16th.

The main lesson learned by Carlow, in a tense thrill a minute encounter, is that they are at their most formidable when the side includes a full compliment of Hayden brothers, and when the non Eire Og players blend well with the predominant members of the champion club.

These were factors that became clear as Wicklow, without Fergus Daly from the 19th minute of the first half, were suddenly put to the pin of their collars to avoid the rout that seemed imminent in the third quarter.

Yet, Wicklow's manager Dave Foran was justified in stating: "We blew it away". His side had played the best football of the first half, to lead by 1-6 to 0-4 at the interval. Wicklow's six wides and a 45 in that period, against two wides for Carlow, gave further indication of the trend.

Foran and his team were full of confidence at the break. "The way they were playing you could not ask any more of them. We were hoping for a few early points in the second half to wrap it up and see them (Carlow) fall apart."

But this was not to happen in a second half packed with excellent scores - the majority of them taken by flying Carlow forwards.

Significantly it was after Colm and Brendan Hayden had joined their brother Joe in the Carlow line up that things began to happen for the winners.

Wicklow's Kevin O Brien had only just scored one of his classical long range points from play, this time from 51 yards, to give Wicklow a 1-7 to 0-5 advantage, three minutes into the second half, when Carlow's winning bid took flight in most explosive manner.

By the 6th minute of the half, Carlow were in front for the first time with a 2-7 to 1-7 advantage. Typically, the Hayden brothers, Joe and Colm, ignited the recovery. Wicklow goalkeeper Ken Quirke partly saved a Joe Hayden low drive towards the far post, and Colm Hayden pounced on the chance to slot the ball to the net. Less than a minute later, Willie Quinlan put one into the roof of the Wicklow net and rapid points came from Anthony Keating and Sean Kavanagh.

By this time, Carlow had returned to their short passing game and Wicklow began to look vulnerable at every turn.

Noel Doyle had a goal chance, but opted to take his point. Colm Hayden was not so generous to the devastated Wicklow defence. He outfielded Hugh Kenny, before racing through to give Quirke no chance with a searing shot for Carlow's third goal.

For a side that looked so much out of it in the first half, Carlow were now truly a revelation for their supporters in the 6,000 crowd.

Hayden's second goal put Carlow six points clear and Philip McGillycuddy's long range, pointed free hardly raised a cheer among the dejected Wicklow following.

Dave Foran partly explained Wicklow's diminishing fortunes; "losing Fergus Daly was a huge loss to us". The big Blessington man was injured in a heavy fall after 14 minutes and was forced out of the game with suspected chest bone damage five minutes later.

Had he been able to remain on, he would surely have made a difference and at least curbed the dominance of Derek Foley and Sean Kavanagh.

But Carlow's superiority in the second half was not confined to midfield. Replacement wing back Brendan Hayden, Hughie Brennan and Joe Murphy had taken control at half back and Shay Doorley's performance at left full back was typical of Carlow's resurgent effort.

Yet, it was typical of the game's suspense to see Wicklow spring back into contention near the end, when only a despairing foot save by a defender denied wing back Barry Donovan the goal that would have produced a draw.

The neutral, at any rate, would have had no objections to such a result to a great match. "We have seven or eight players better than Meath have. We will just have to get organised now for the challenge ahead" said Bobby Miller.