Dundalk will take a slender 3-2 lead into the second leg of the FBD Barton Cup final after Saturday's exciting win over Carlow. Tommy Lennon and Brian Kirwan gave the visitors first blood when winning the top match against Alan Cole and Neil McGuinness on the 18th. However, two former football stars of yesteryear teamed up to steady the Dundalk ship.

Liam Toal, the former Louth and Leinster GAA star and Patsy Cole, the former Dundalk soccer, player beat Ross Hennessy and Leo Grogan on the 17th. Dundalk then recorded two comfortable victories when Dermot Murphy and Bernard White beat Derek Conroy and Derek Kilbride on the 15th and Eddie Rogers and Peter Tuite beat John Swan and Stephen Murphy one hole later.

However, Harry Ewing and John Barry put Carlow in with every chance in the second leg at Carlow on September 11th when edging out Stephen Hoey and Garry Murray 3 and 2.