Carlow would benefit from 'one year's grace' at top level, says keeper Brian Tracey

Now in his 13th year as an intercounty senior player, Carlow goalkeeper Brian Tracey knows the good days have to be enjoyed when they come along.

And one of those days certainly came along last Sunday when his team beat Waterford in the Allianz hurling league; their first senior hurling competitive win over the Déise.

The Division 1B second round victory at Netwatch Cullen Park was deserved, and something they were striving for, their talented goalkeeper says.

"Look that result at the weekend probably came as a shock to a lot of people in the GAA world but it is probably something that we needed as a squad," Tracey tells RTÉ Sport.

"We have been under the management of Tom (Mullally) and Christy (Kealy) for the last few years, five now, and in the past, we showed glimpses of our potential.

"So to beat Waterford was probably just reward for this group of players who have been there over the last few years."

It's a small pool that Carlow hurling draws from.

They only have five senior clubs but work is ongoing trying to build new hurling generations and the county board and Games Development Administrators are working hard in that regard, visiting schools and trying to build from there up.

But it’s a special group of hurlers that has served the county over the past 10 years, with a number of them having retired in recent seasons and other players possibly coming near the end of their own road in coming years.

"The mindset for us from day one has been that when you get your jersey, you then try to leave it in a better place when you finish up," Tracey says.

"I think that speaks for everyone across the GAA.

"That’s the main factor to what we are about in Carlow."

Mullaly has done a fine job with the Carlow team, building on the work of