Carlow powered to an emphatic 4-22 to 2-5 win over Leitrim in Cullen Park, pulling away in the second half after a lively opening period that saw the sides trade goals.
The hosts made the perfect start when Mikey Bambrick opened the scoring inside the first minute.
However, the game quickly burst into life with a remarkable spell of three goals in succession.
Leitrim struck first when Fergal McLoughlin reacted after Barry McNulty’s two-point effort came back off the post and rattled the net.
Carlow responded immediately, with Colm Hutton finishing from the rebound after a fine save by Killian Gaffney.
Leitrim went straight back up the field and regained the lead through Michael McKiernan. McKiernan, finished off a rapid move to leave it 2-1 to 1-1 to Leitrim.
Leitrim’s bright start continued when Jack Kennedy added a point. However, Carlow gradually settled and began to chip away at the deficit.
Colm Hutton, Conor Doyle and Ross Dunphy all contributed scores as the hosts pulled themselves back into it.
The teams were level on the 26th minute. Carlow finished the half strongly with further points from Liam Gavin, Ross Dunphy, Colm Hulton and Lee Walker. That late surge gave them a 1-11 to 2-3 lead at the break despite conceding two early goals.
A Ryan O’Rourke free, after the restart gave Leitrim hope, but that quickly evaporated.
John Murphy blasted in Carlow’s second goal, From there, the hosts played with increasing confidence. Conor Doyle adding the first two-pointer of the day and Lee Walker continuing to keep the scoreboard moving.
Any lingering doubt about the outcome was removed in the closing stages when Carlow struck twice more for goal.
Lee Walker finished Carlow’s third major, and Jamie Clarke added another soon after to put the result beyond all question.
Clarke then grabbed his second goal of the day as Carlow turned their superiority into a rout. Christopher Blake capped the scoring with a late two-pointer as the hosts ran out 17-point winners.
Carlow winning out 4-22 to 2-5.
