Éire Óg win 30th Carlow SFC title with victory over Rathvilly

It completed a four-in-a-row of Carlow SFC titles for Éire Óg

Netwatch Cullen Park

Éire Óg 0-15 Rathvilly 0-9

Éire Óg completed a four-in-a-row of Carlow SFC titles with a dominant display against challengers Rathvilly in this 2020 final played in perfect conditions at Netwatch Cullen Park.

After Jordan Morrissey opened the scoring for the champions within 13 seconds of the throw-in, Rathvilly settled and led 0-4 to 0-3 at the first water break, a period highlighted by two outstanding points from midfielder Brendan Murphy.

Ross Dunphy quickly levelled for the champions with a fine individual point, with further points from frees by Darragh O’Brien and Chris Blake putting the holders into a 0-6 to 0-4 interval lead.

Éire Óg turned the screw in the third quarter with unanswered points from Ross Dunphy, a Darragh O’Brien free, and another Dunphy white flag stretching their lead out to five points as they led by doubles scores at the second water break (0-10 to 0-5).

With the outstanding Murphy, who scored 0-4 from play, at the heart of everything for Rathvilly, they rallied to cut the deficit to three points (0-11 to 0-8) on 51 minutes.

But second-half Éire Óg substitutes made their mark, with Cormac Mullins hitting 0-3 and Colm Hutton nailing two tremendous points from play as the holders pulled away to register their 30th SFC title.

Scorers for Éire Óg: C Hulton 0-4, 0-1f, R Dunphy 0-3, 0-1f, D O’Brien 0-3f, J Morrissey, C Blake (2f) 0-2 each, C Mullins 0-1.

Scorers for Rathvilly: Brendan Murphy 0-4, Brian Murphy 0-3, 0-2f, C Doyle, D Murphy (f), 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: R Moore; R Mahon, M Fitzgerald, B Kavanagh; K Chatten, M Furey, P McElligott; J Morrissey, E Ruth; S Gannon, A Murphy, R Denniffe; D O’Brien, C Blake, R Dunphy. Subs: C Hulton for Blake (45); C Mullins for Murphy (51); M Ware for Denniffe (injured) (56); N Quinlan for Dunphy (55); D Ruth for Chatten (61).

Rathvilly: R Molloy; B J Molloy, J Moore, J Byrne; T Bolger, C Byrne, C Doyle; Brendan Murphy, E Finnegan; A Kelly, D Murphy, Brian Murphy; K Murphy, J Elliott, B Smith. Subs: D Molloy for Kelly (41); C O’Brien for Finnegan (42); R Ryan for D Murphy (50); J O’Donoghue for Brian Murphy (61).

Referee: D Hickey (Fenagh).