Kerry 3-15 Carlow 3-7 Kerry's first-half dominance paved the way for a comfortable win over Carlow in Thurles on Saturday. Shane Brick set Kerry on course with a goal in the sixth minute. Kerry had another goal in the 23rd through Michael Conway.

At half-time Kerry led by 2-8 to 0-3 and just after the break Michael Slattery hit their third goal. Andrew Quirke goaled to give Carlow hope but Kerry responded with three points.

Midway through the second half James Hickey of Carlow and Kerry's Michael Conway were sent off after a flare-up. Then Sean Murphy and Des Murphy netted for Carlow but it was too late to spark a rally.

KERRY: J Healy; T Cronin, A Healy, I Brick; J McCarthy, C Flaherty, C Harris; A Cronin, D Young, L Boyle (0-1); B Brick, P O'Connell (0-3); M Conway (1-1), S Brick (1-3), M Slattery (1-6). Subs: P Cronin for A Cronin, M McCarthy for B Brick, T Flynn for J Healy, G O'Brien (0-1) for Young.

CARLOW: B Foley; M Keogh, S Kavanagh, D Shaw; K Nolan, L Kenny, W Hickey; J Hickey, K English (0-2); S Smithers, P Coady (0-4), G Doyle; B Murphy, D Murphy (1-0), J Coady. Subs: R Foley (0-1) for Smithers, A Quirke (1-0) for B Murphy, SM Murphy (1-0) for J Coady, E Sprahan for B Foley.

Referee: T McIntyre (Antrim).