Carlow battle past Tipp to stay top of Division 4
A wind-assisted 10-point turnaround saw Carlow win their third Allianz Football League game on the spin to consolidate their lead at the top of Division 4 by beating Tipperary in front of 841 fans at FBD Semple Stadium.
Ben McCarron's 64th-minute penalty save from Seán O’Connor was the crucial moment to record another victory over their fellow promotion challengers.
Seven points from Chris Blake and Colm Hulton’s five from play were big contributions for the Barrowsiders to come back from seven behind on the half-hour.
They now sit two points clear at the summit, while Tipp slip to sixth in a congested table. They are still one point off the promotion places.
Clonmel Commercials corner-back Mark Corcoran was selected for his Premier debut in their only change from victory over Antrim. Four of UL’s Sigerson Cup-winning squad were named to start.
Carlow’s three changes before throw-in brought their team back to the 15 that defeated Wicklow a fortnight ago.
Both keepers were called into action inside two minutes. Mikey Bambrick’s pace cut Tipp open, not for the last time, but Shane Garland got down well to save the visiting captain’s shot.
Jack Harney’s coast-to-coast running got him in at the other end, but Ben McCarron smothered the corner-back’s rushed effort. The keeper did handle the loose ball on the ground to grant Cian Smith a tap-over free.After Paddy McDonnell’s leveller, Tipp kicked the next four in a row, including a wind-assisted Steven O’Brien two-point free.
Their kick-out press was also troubling Carlow, with Smith profiting for a couple of scores. He would end the half on 0-05.
Carlow were level by the 19th minute. Bambrick created both scores, laying on the first of three Hulton points before releasing Ross Dunphy in the square. The Éire Óg man, who has Tipp connections, was initially denied by Garland and hit the ground, but managed to punch in the rebound for 0-05 to 1-02.
Tipp soon produced a 1-02 burst. The goal capitalised on a route-one opportunity as O’Brien drifted inside to field Paudie Feehan’s long ball. With the attacking mark advantage, the Ballina man turned to lash a rocket from the 14-yard line into the bottom corner.
When Feehan was fouled in stealing a Carlow kick-out, Mark Stokes took the potshot opportunity from outside the arc. It was a credit to the Semple Stadium pitch that the ball was able to bounce and clear the crossbar for an orange flag and a 1-11 to 1-04 lead.
Carlow took three off that deficit by the break, with a Conor Crowley score followed by a Blake two-point free; 1-11 to 1-07 at midway.
The Barrowsiders continued to nibble away at the gap with points from Hulton, a Blake free, and John Murphy.
Blake almost benefitted from Garland giving away possession off his line, but the Monaghan native got back to save.
Despite losing Bambrick to injury, Carlow caught and passed Tipp after the 50th minute with a pair of Crowley points. A Blake free made it 1-13 to 1-11.When O’Connor split the posts after 54 minutes, it wasn’t just Tipp’s first point of the second half, it was their first shot. A huge Blake orange flag gave Carlow a three-point cushion.
Tipp had the chance to level when Feehan was fouled by Conor Doyle for a penalty. O’Connor fired down the middle, but McCarron managed to reach back to divert the ball up and over the bar.
Killian Butler cut the deficit to the minimum, but Tipp missed their next three chances to equalise.
Mark Furey fluffed a Carlow goal chance, but Hulton’s fifth point, sent whizzing just over the bar, and Blake’s seventh ensured the spoils.
They host Waterford on Saturday, while Tipp travel away to Longford next Sunday.
Tipperary: S Garland; J Harney, J Morris, M Corcoran; L Boland, P Feehan, M Stokes (0-02, tp); J Higgins, K Costello; C King, S O’Brien (1-02, 1tpf), M Freaney; C Smith (0-05, 3f), S O’Connor (0-03, 1f, 1p), D Hogan (0-01).
Subs: JP Mbokha Tansia for Freaney (h-t), E Moloney for Boland (49), K Butler (0-01) for King (50), D Brennan for O’Brien (58), M Russell for Mbokha Tansia (60).
Carlow: B McCarron; C Byrne, D Curran, L Moore; N Roche, E Ruth, P Bolger; M Furey, C Doyle; P McDonnell (0-01), C Hulton (0-05), M Bambrick; C Crowley (0-03), C Blake (0-07, 1tpf, 1tp, 3f), R Dunphy (1-00).
Subs: J Murphy (0-01) for Bolger (h-t), T Roche for Bambrick (49, inj), S Murphy for Dunphy (52), A Burgess for Ruth (69).
Referee: J Regan (Cork).
