CARLOW celebrated like they had won the All-Ireland and were quite happy to tell you that it felt just as good.

Carlow 0-14 Louth 0-13

FEARS Brendan Murphy could miss Carlow’s Leinster championship clash with Louth have receded after the midfielder took a full part in training on Thursday.

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).

DCU 1-12 Maynooth 1-6

Speculation linking Luke Dempsey with the vacant Westmeath managerial position has proven wide of the mark, with the Rochfortbridge-based school teacher taking the decision to remain on as manager of the Carlow footballers for another year.

CARLOW football manager Luke Dempsey has criticised Wicklow over the Thomas Walsh affair and described the player’s links with the Garden County as “tenuous”.

Four Carlow players will get their first taste of championship action tomorrow after Paul Bealin named them in his team for the Leinster SFC first round tussle with Meath at Croke Park (throw-in 3.50pm).

More than half of the Carlow team for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Offaly will be making their championship debuts in Portlaoise (throw-in 2.10pm).

Carlow 0-14 Offaly 1-10

Carlow manager Liam Hayes has named three newcomers for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Wexford at Croke Park.

TWENTY-TWO year-old Barry Nugent from the Eire Og club in Ennis will make his senior championship debut for Clare in Sunday’s Guinness Munster hurling semi-final against Tipperary at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds.