Off-colour Kerry earn unconvincing victory over Carlow

Kerry scraped an 0-18 to 1-13 win against Carlow in Tralee on Sunday afternoon, a result that gives the Kingdom their second win in Division 2A of the Allianz Hurling League while consigning the Leinster men to their second successive defeat.

Kerry manager Stephen Molumphy will know that this was a sub-par performance from his team, one that wouldn't be good enough to beat Offaly in Killarney in a fortnight, but equally the manager will be pleased that his players dug out the win while playing so poorly.

Molumphy’s counterpart Tom Mullaly has as much work and more to do on his team before they host Down in two weeks, but they might reflect on this game and pull a few positives from it: not least that they kept themselves in contention right through the second half despite losing centre-forward and free-taker Martin Kavanagh to a second yellow card two minutes into the second period.

Carlow finished with 13 players on the pitch after midfielder Kevin McDonald was dismissed on a straight red for a high tackle on Paudie O’Connor in the 69th minute, when the visitors trailed by four points.

A late goal from James Doyle’s free - in the last of four additional minutes - gave Carlow one last chance to snatch an unlikely victory but Kerry snuffed out a final attack and held on for an important win.

Carlow led at the interval by 0-09 to 0-07 but it was a first half littered with wides, handling errors and sloppy play from both sides.

The home side registered five wides before Eoin Ross clipped over their first point. Michael Leane and a Podge Boyle point helped Kerry to a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before Martin Kavanagh (free) and Diarmuid Byrne replied with Carlow points. A Kavanagh '65’ edged Carlow in front, a lead they would hold until the