CARLOW HURLERS embarked on a sensational scoring spree that left rattled Westmeath nursing an astonishing 19 point defeat.

Seven days ago we were bemoaning Carlow's missed opportunity in Belfast, the focus after a galling one point defeat on a succession of wides, a lack of composure in the shooting department.

If a week is a long time in politics, it is a long time in hurling too and in that intervening week Kevin Ryan's Carlow charges worked hard on their shooting.

Not only did they work hard on their shooting, the reigning Ring Cup champions worked hard on creating scoring chances and the fruits of the training field were transferred to a competitive match situation to great effect.

Not that all the kudos should go to the scoring department for the backs were outstanding too, confining a Westmeath tem who racked up 0-14 against Wexford the previous week to just 0-3 from play.

Yes, Westmeath were reduced to 14 players six minutes before half-time, Paul Greville's verbals earning him a second yellow card and dismissal but by then Carlow's strong hurling had already established a 25 to 0-5 advantage.

And Carlow made intelligent use of the extra-man, utilising the extra space to put together some terrific moves. Indeed a feature of this performance was the combination hurling of the men in red, yellow and green, sweeping moves leading to some fantastic scores.

Let's examine the five goals in detail, each owing its source to excellent approach work:

9 min – Andrew Gaul gained possession in the tunnel corner and via the stick played the ball back out to Craig Doyle whose attempt to net from outside the 20m line was blocked down by the goalkeeper. Eddie Byrne pounced on the rebound and kept the sliotar in the danger area long enough for the following in Craig Doyle to whip a left hand ground shot to the net.

26 min – A great catch and clearance by Dessie Shaw reached Andrew Gaul, the Duke's delivery from the 65m line caught by Eddie Byrne inside the big square before the tall raider was tumbled to the ground. Up stepped Paudie Kehoe to take the resultant penalty, drilling a powerful low shot just inside the goalkeeper's right hand post.

34 min – Goalkeeper Kevin Kehoe comes outside his small square to collect a dropping ball, his long clearance plucked from the sky by Damien Roberts who frees Craig Doyle to his left with a quick hand-pass. Styler's speed carries him down the stand wing before a deft hand-pass to the lurking Paudie Kehoe frees the No 15 to blast a low shot to the net from the left of the scoreboard end posts.

46 min – A Mark Brennan block down at mid-field turns the play, the Duke moving the ball along the ground into the path of Craig Doyle who boots it past an advancing defender into Damien Roberts who gathers before plunging a low left hand shot in the Westmeath net.

66 – Derek Byrne has just picked himself up from an off the ball 'dunt' when he and his opponent contest Richie Coady's high dropping ball on the 20m line, the forward reading the 'break' by ghosting inside to quick-pick then hang a high shot in the roof of the net.

Apart from those glittering goals Carlow, who scored just 0-7 in Belfast (three from play) saw a huge improvement in their white flag tally, ten of the 17 coming from placed balls, a department which had been a source of discontent in recent defeats.

Richie Coady, after a couple of early misses, hit the long range frees with radar like accuracy, finishing the hour with a halfdozen points to his name, a couple of which were super scores from near the sideline.

Paudie Kehoe was back to his best with the mid-distance efforts and wound up with 2-5, 1-4 from placed balls. Carlow's wide count was down to a mere five, just one from a placed ball, that an early 65.

Carlow defenders Alfie Corcoran and Eddie Coady were in tip-top order early on as Westmeath, who, due to disciplinary reasons, began without their talisman Brendan Murtagh, were attempting to reel in the 1-3 to no score lead Carlow established in the opening ten minutes.

The Lake County finally opened their account in the 17th minute when centre half back Andrew Mitchell converted a 65, the same player, backed by the breeze, putting over a free from inside his own half to leave just a goal between the sides after 20 minutes.

By half-time, though, the home county had opened up a 3-7 to 0-7 lead and Westmeath were down to 14 men. The visitors sprung three players from the bench at the break, including Leinster man Murtagh who opened the second half scoring with a stunning goal from a ferocious 30m free

That might have sparked the feared rally had not Richie Coady landed a free from way out the country, then Paudie Kehoe clip one over from 50m within a minute of the goal.

Damien Roberts 46th minute goal effectively ended the game as a contest and though Carlow were a little patchy for periods of the second half the eventual winning margin of 19 points was their biggest over Westmeath in 37 competitive meetings.

- Leo McGough in Dr. Cullen Park