Kerry hurler Pádraig Boyle is hoping the favourite’s tag will weigh heavily on Carlow’s shoulders when they meet in the opening round of the Joe McDonagh Cup at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday.

SUBSTITUTE Eimear O’Doherty popped over what proved to be the winning score for Derry with eight minutes remaining in a low-scoring TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship semi-final on Sunday.

Monaghan brought the Carlow odyssey to an end, but only after a mighty scare at Netwatch Cullen Park, where the Ulster men finished strongly for a flattering five points Qualifier win.

Carlow booked their place in tomorrow’s qualifier draw after edging a dour defensive battle with London at Ruislip.

A late surge of scoring for the second game running proved decisive for Louth as they cruised through to a mouth-watering Leinster SFC quarter-final clash with old rivals Meath.

Carlow 2-18 Antrim 1-11: Carlow’s 10-point victory over visitors Antrim at Netwatch Cullen Park yesterday in this final round robin Leinster SHC tie saw the Barrowsiders retain their Liam MacCarthy Cup status while condemning the Saffrons to the Christy Ring Cup for 2016.

Carlow 3-08 Louth 1-12: Carlow’s footballers provided new boss Turlough O’Brien with a first win thanks to this merited two-points victory over Louth in yesterday’s O’Byrne Cup tie at Dr Cullen Park.

Carlow 0-17 Waterford 1-13

Carlow football selector Turlough O’Brien has dismissed calls for a two-tier All-Ireland football championship.

Antrim made it back-to-back wins in the Leinster SHC qualifier group as they defeated Carlow at Dr Cullen Park.

Kilkenny and Wexford will meet in the Bord Gais Energy Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship final following semi-final wins over Offaly and Carlow respectively this evening.

Wexford 2-11 Carlow 0-9

Antrim 0-15 Carlow 0-11

Antrim 0-19 Offaly 0-21

Carlow 0-13 Antrim 3-14, Dr Cullen Park

Offaly 1-12 Carlow 1-10

Limerick 0-10 Carlow 0-9

Tipperary 0-16 Carlow 1-14

Offaly, Carlow and Waterford all gained away victories in Division 4 of the Football League today, while Limerick registered a home win over Leitrim.

Carlow, UCD, Wexford and NUI Galway took wins in the opening round of the Bord na Mona Walsh Cup.

Dublin made it two wins out of two in the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup tonight as they saw off the challenge of DCU at Parnell Park.

Brian McIver was last night appointed as Derry manager.

After four years at the helm, Kevin Ryan has ended his run as Carlow senior hurling manager "by mutual consent".

Wexford needed three goals in a devastating five-minute second-half spell to cast aside a determined Carlow at Wexford Park on Saturday.

Wexford 4-12 Carlow 0-14

Stephen Bray will return from injury to lead the Meath attack in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Carlow at O'Connor Park (throw-in 2pm).

Laois 0-20 Carlow 0-13

Carlow finished in style to overcome their Westmeath hosts in Saturday’s entertaining Leinster Minor Hurling Championship game at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Carlow 1-14 Westmeath 0-12

Carlow finished on top of Division 2A of the Allianz Hurling League despite drawing with Wicklow this afternoon, while Westmeath and Derry posted victories.

Table toppers Fermanagh lost their first league point in Allianz Football League Division 4 today due to a draw with Limerick, while elsewhere there were wins for London, Wicklow and Carlow.

Carlow and Westmeath sealed away victories, while Down and Wicklow shared the spoils in Division 2A of the Hurling League this afternoon.

Waterford native Kevin Ryan will continue as Carlow hurling manager having been ratified by the county board last night.

Antrim 1-13 Carlow 2-9

Carlow manager Luke Dempsey has made one enforced change to his team for tomorrow's All-Ireland SFC second round qualifier against Antrim.

THEY competed manfully in the first-half, but Carlow ultimately succumbed to a superior force in Croke Park yesterday.

Antrim 0-23 Carlow 1-12

UNLIKE Mickey Moran after Leitrim’s shock defeat of Sligo in the first round of the Connacht championship, nobody in Carlow is having a go at the pundits for not tipping them to beat Louth.

Carlow will field a team that includes three Championship debutants when they take on Louth in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final in Portlaoise (throw-in 3.30pm).

THREE gift goals proved the undoing of Carlow hurlers in this sub-standard preliminary Leinster SHC tie at Dr Cullen Park yesterday as a focused Westmeath side deservedly advanced to a home meeting with Galway.

Carlow 1-14 Westmeath 4-10

Clare 4-28 Carlow 0-8

Carlow 1-15 Limerick 3-18

Carlow 2-17 Kerry 1-12