Galway will begin their defence of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship with the visit of Carlow to Pearse Stadium. The Tribesmen nearly defended their All-Ireland title last year only to come unstuck against Limerick in the final. They will be heavy favourites today but these sides met in the League earlier this year and Carlow pulled off a shock draw so nothing will be taken for granted. The match throws in at 3pm and you can follow all the action right here at Irish Mirror Sport. GALWAY: Colm Callanan; Jack Grealish, Ronan Burke, Aidan Harte; Padraig Mannion, Gearoid McInerney, Kevin Hussey; David Burke, Cathal Mannion; Niall Burke, Jason Flynn, Brian Concannon; Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney, Davy Glennon CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Kevin McDonald, Paul Doyle, Michael Doyle; Eoin Nolan, David English, Richard Coady; Jack Kavanagh, Seán Whelan; John M Nolan, Martin Kavanagh, Edward Byrne; James Doyle, Séamus Murphy, Chris Nolan If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.<doc-sep>Galway manager Micheál Donoghue praised Carlow following his team's nervy win in Salthill but stressed that the westerners lacked fluency throughout the encounter. The 2017 All-Ireland champions, who were held to a draw by Carlow during the league, laboured to a six-point win over last year's Joe McDonagh winners, their lead whittled down to three points at various stages during a fraught second half. Donoghue paid tribute to the visitors' workrate and scoring efficiency, and noted, in reference to his own team, that when a team fails to work as hard as their opponents, they'll inevitably get into bother. "It was a very tough challenge. We knew coming in it would be very much that, having experienced them in the league," Donoghue told RTÉ Sport after the game. "They came with a massive workrate and their efficiency was really high. When you don't work as hard as the opposition, you're going to be in trouble." Galway led by six points at the break but an underwhelming first half display gave way to an even more disconcerting second half performance as the home side failed to kick on after Conor Cooney's goal. 'It shows Joe McDonagh Cup teams what you can achieve' - . @ShefflinHenry was impressed with Carlow's display against Galway. #rtegaa #sundaygame pic.twitter.com/1AjlJ0Hq3T — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 12, 2019 A Chris Nolan goal revived Carlow's chances when they might have floundered and Bonnar's team stuck close to the victors until the last few minutes, when late scores from Conor Whelan, Niall Burke and Jason Flynn hauled Galway over the line. "We were six or seven up at half-time. We were probably just getting the scores but there was no real fluency in our game," said Donoghue. "Huge credit to them, they worked really hard. They were very strong on the puckouts, their scoring efficiency was very high. "There's a lot of learnings. We'll go away and reflect and chat about it over the coming days. But hopefully we can get a bit better for the next day." Carlow boss Colm Bonnar was proud of his side's response to Cooney's strike at the start of the second half. "When Galway came out and scored a goal, a lot of people would have thought that Carlow had their day in the sun," he said. "But we have a very committed bunch of lads. "They have huge belief in what they are doing and they've trained hard for this occasion."<doc-sep>Want the latest from the world of GAA, horse racing, football, rugby and more straight to your inbox? Sign up to our FREE newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Yes please! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice The 2019 Leinster Final will take place between Wexford and Kilkenny on June 30th after a stunning final day of the Championship. Dublin did as much as they could against Galway, winning by four points, but a draw in Innovate Wexford Park between Wexford and Kilkenny made it a rematch for the final. Galway are out while Carlow finished with 0 points from their four games. As always, you can follow all the action from both games with The Irish Mirror's live blog. Below is the fixtures and results from this year's Leinster Championship: Kilkenny 2-23 Dublin 1-21 7pm, 11/5 Nowlan Park Galway 1-24 Carlow 1-18 3pm, 12/5 Pearse Stadium Carlow 1-14 Kilkenny 3-22 3pm, 19/5 Dr Cullen Park Dublin 1-22 Wexford 2-19 3pm, 19/5 Parnell Park Galway 0-16 Wexford 0-16 4pm, 26/5 Pearse Stadium Carlow 1-13 Dublin 2-22 3pm, 2/6 Dr Cullen Park Wexford 2-28 Carlow 0-19 7pm, 8/6 Wexford Park Kilkenny 2-22 Galway 3-20 2pm, 9/6 Nowlan Park Wexford 0-21 Kilkenny 1-18 7pm, 15/6 Wexford Park Dublin 3-19 Galway 0-24 7pm, 15/6 Parnell Park FINAL: Wexford v Kilkenny 4pm, 30/6 TBC And here's the league table: Team P W D L F A Pts 1. Kilkenny 4 2 1 1 109 91 5 2. Wexford 4 1 3 0 96 81 5 3. Dublin 4 2 1 1 105 94 5 4. Galway 4 2 1 1 96 93 5 5. Carlow 4 0 0 4 73 120 0 If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.<doc-sep>Leinster SHC: Kilkenny v Dublin, Nowlan Park Kilkenny are very, very difficult to beat at Nowlan Park, but they have a long injury list and they are mainly in defence. The Cats will be without Joey Holden, Cillian Buckley, Conor Delaney and goalkeeper Eoin Murphy, and they are vulnerable ahead of the opening round. The way that Dublin play however, with centre-back Sean Moran sitting back, it might just play into their hands even if Kilkenny are missing these lads. Brian Cody's side, only beaten by two points by Limerick last year, with the influx of some of Ballyhale’s All-Ireland winners, including young Adrian Mullen, will find a way. Verdict: Kilkenny Leinster SHC: Galway v Carlow Galway will win this. The big them for them over the next few weeks is how do they play without Joe Canning? Who comes into the team and who carries his responsibility and leadership up front? Without being condescending towards Carlow, it is about how they compete with the top teams at this level. They have done brilliant work to get there. Can they stay in Leinster with huge matches coming up? Have they enough of a panel to compete week after week? They are heading to Salthill in optimism, but Galway will win. Verdict: Galway Munster SHC: Waterford v Clare, Walsh Park This is a massive game for Waterford having not had any home games last year and enduring a crippling injury list. Up to 70% of the home matches at this level are won by the home team and the Deise did not have that advantage and yet competed well. Waterford hammered Clare in the League earlier this year, but that’s not going to happen this time around, though the Banner will be missing Conor Cleary through suspension and Jamie Shanahan through injury. Waterford’s physicality and strength could win the day. Verdict: Waterford Munster SHC: Cork v Tipperary, Pairc Ui Chaoimh They are expecting 35,000 – 40,000 down on Leeside for this one, which for a first round-round game is incredible. With all their flair and speed, Cork are going for a third Munster title on the trot against a Tipp side whose form has been dismal over the past 12 – 18 months. The Premier County have only won three out of 12 Championship and League matches, yet I think the return of Liam Sheedy is huge for them. He has shown great loyalty to his panel. They have been very quiet and I think he brings a ferocious desire to it. There is an emotional connection between the manager and the team and I am expecting a ferocious backlash from them. This could be the one game of the weekend that doesn’t go the way of the home side. Verdict: Tipperary Michael Duignan was speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland programme<doc-sep>
Galway were made sweat by a gallant Carlow side but did enough to kick off their bid to regain the Liam MacCarthy Cup with an unconvincing six-point victory in this Leinster senior hurling championship opening round tie at Pearse Stadium. Micheal Donoghue’s side never looked like losing this one despite having their lead whittled back to three-points on five separate occasions but will know that huge improvement will be needed before Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford roll into town in two weeks-time. There was little to separate the sides in the early stages, Colm Bonnar’s side giving as good as they got and deservedly taking a two-point lead with early points by Séamus Murphy and Marty Kavanagh (free). Galway though soon found their feet and took the lead for the first time with three scores in quick succession by Niall Burke (two frees) and Davy Glennon. The Tribesmen looked to play through the lines at every given opportunity but at times, over-elaborated to allow Carlow force turnovers and launch an attack of their own Last year’s Joe McDonagh champions stuck with Galway to leave the sides tied 0-5 apiece approaching the quarter hour mark but in the ensuing 13 minutes, Galway struck for five-points without reply to stamp their authority on proceedings. John Michael Nolan ended the barren spell for the Barrowsiders but Galway were the aggressors now, forging opportunities for Jason Flynn, Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion and Brian Concannon to split the uprights and ensure a 0-14 to 0-8 half-time lead. Carlow reduced the gap to three points on five separate occasions 17 seconds into the second half, the game appeared sewn up when Cooney rattled the back of the net but back came Carlow almost immediately with a goal of their own through Chris Nolan. They went point-for-point thereafter, Galway unable to shake of the Carlow resistance as Bonnar’s side grew in confidence, roared on by their passionate travelling support with each score. Cathal Mannion excelled with two splendid points from his midfield berth but Kavanagh proved laser-like at the other end with three points of his own from open play. The closest they got was three-points however, and the second goal they craved to really threaten the Tribesmen never materialised. Conor Whelan helped drag his side over the line with three late points and further scores by Burke (free) and Flynn secured a six-point win. Carlow though will return home with their heads held high, brimming with confidence ahead of next weekend’s clash with Kilkenny at Netwatch Cullen Park. Galway: C Callanan; J Grealish (0-01), R Burke, A Harte; P Mannion (0-01), G McInerney, K Hussey; C Mannion (0-03), D Burke (0-01); N Burke (0-06f), J Flynn (0-03), B Concannon (0-01); C Whelan (0-04), C Cooney (1-03), D Glennon (0-01). Subs: J Coen for Glennon, P Killeen for R Burke, J Hanbury for Hussey, S Loftus for Grealish. Carlow: B Tracey; K McDonald, P. Doyle, M Doyle; E Nolan, D English, R Coady; J Kavanagh (0-01), S Whelan; J M Nolan (0-01), J Doyle (0-01), E Byrne; M Kavanagh (0-11, 0-06f), S Murphy (0-02), C Nolan (1-02). Subs: D Byrne for Whelan, T Joyce for J M Nolan, R Smithers for J Kavanagh, J Nolan for E Byrne. Referee: C Lyons (Cork)