Meanwhile, Dublin visit Dr Cullen Park on Saturday hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened against Laois in a 2019 All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-final.
Mattie Kenny’s side were blighted by injuries that day but there was little room for excuses, and he himself spoke of how “it’s too f***ing late now” after the shock defeat.
Carlow are underdogs but they will feel there is a chance of victory against The Dubs.
It was at this venue in 2019 that a St Mullin’s side featuring Marty Kavanagh, James Doyle and Jack Kavanagh beat back-to-back All-Ireland club champions Cuala.
Barrowside manager Tom Mullally has had great success in his career in taking Mount Leinster Rangers to All-Ireland intermediate club glory in 2012 and going to the senior final the next season, with a Leinster senior club title win over Oulart-The Ballagh in between.
He claimed a Kilkenny title with Clara and also took Naas to an All-Ireland IHC title in 2022 — before his Kildare outfit pushed Ballyhale Shamrocks hard this past winter. Carlow have a smart hurling brain in charge, and one who will fancy upsetting Dublin.
Micheal Donoghue is in his first season in charge and has lost just one championship game thus far, against Kilkenny down in Nowlan Park.
Having suffered badly at the hands of The Cats in recent seasons — and throughout their history, truth be told — the manner of that loss was heartening.
So too was going 12 points ahead of Galway at Croke Park, and though they collapsed to go behind late on, there was defiance shown in how they regained parity at the death.
Donoghue has insisted on using Croke Park for his home matches and while many used that as a stick to beat him with, looking back did the short-term gain of playing at a tight Parnell Park come home to roost when they played at bigger venues?
The pitch at Dr Cullen Park feels quite big and will be of no real advantage to either team, here.
The form of Donal Burke and Danny Sutcliffe in attack are positives for the Dubs, but they need Cian Boland in top gear and Cian O’Sullivan in possession as often as possible.
Dublin should get over the line here.
