At club level, Carew played Gaelic football with Clane. He won four Kildare SFC titles, including one as team captain in 1984.[3] As a hurler with Coill Dubh, Carew was part of the team that won the Kildare U15HC title in 1961, with the majority of that team going on to claim the Kildare JHC title in 1968. Almost 20 years later and in the twilight of his career, he won his first Kildare SHC title in 1987. Carew added two more SHC medals in 1990 and 1993, before ending his career with a Kildare IHC victory in 1995.[4][5]
In retirement from playing, Carew became involved in team management and coaching. He was a selector and assistant manager under Mick O'Dwyer during his first tenure as Kildare senior team manager, while he also trained the Kildare under-21 team to the Leinster U21FC title in 1992.[10] He was named on both of Kildare's Millennium Teams in 2000.[11]