Carlow weather frantic finish to take top spot in Div 4
There was a dramatic finish to this National Football League Division 4 tie at Netwatch Cullen Park tonight. With the four minutes of added time elapsed, Wicklow drew a free just outside the 20 metre line.
The referee then consulted with the fourth official and a linesman for what was a possible rule breach by the visitors.
If found to have transgressed the rules, Carlow would have been given an easy free and the game would have been over. As it turned out Wicklow were allowed to take their initial free.
Play was delivered into the small square and after both sides failed to gather, Dean Healy hammered the ball to the Carlow net.
The home support's anguish turned to joy as Pat Clarke the referee signalled a free out for a square ball and the game was over.
It should never have come to this. Apart from the opening minutes where Wicklow keeper, Mark Jackson, converted a two-point free and Podge O'Toole scored a goal, the home side were the better team.
By the 16th minute, Carlow had drawn level with Paddy McDonnell scoring a great goal after he was initially involved in the move. Jackson was Wicklow’s main scorer in the first half accounting for 0-06 as the sides went in tied at 1-07 each. Chris Blake scored four points for Carlow.
While the rate of scoring slowed in the third quarter, Blake’s two-pointer on 48 minutes lifted Carlow and all six of their starting forwards found themselves on the scoresheet as the game went into the final stages.
Five points behind Wicklow gave themselves a huge boost when Podge O’Toole punched to the net after the home side failed to deal with a dropping ball.
Blake subsequently put Carlow three clear and that amazing end saw the hosts breath a huge sigh of relief and left Wicklow fuming and feeling hugely frustrated.
Carlow: Ben McCarron; Colin Byrne, Dara Curran, Lee Moore; Niall Roche, Mark Furey, Padhraig Bolger; Eoghan Ruth, Conor Doyle (0-01); Paddy McDonnell (1-01), Colm Hulton (0-02), Mikey Bambrick (0-01); Conor Crowley (0-01), Chris Blake (00-8 1tpf, 1tp), Ross Dunphy (0-01).
Subs: Tadgh Roche for Bolger (51), Aaron Amond for Bambrick (61), Sean Murphy for Bambrick (71).
Wicklow: Mark Jackson (0-06, 2tpf, 1 '45); Tom Moran, Eoin Murtagh (0-1), Cian Deering (0-1); Darragh Fee (0-1), Craig Maguire, Gavin Fogarty; Dean Healy, Jack Hardy; JP Nolan, Paudraig O'Toole (2-0), Cillian McDonald; Christopher O’Brien, Sean Murphy, Eoin Darcy.
