Carlow produce amazing comeback to defeat Wicklow

JOB DONE: Aaron Amond of Carlow celebrates with Maor Fóirne, Ronan Joyce after their side's victory in the Tailteann Cup Group 3 Round 1 match against Wicklow at Echelon Park in Aughrim. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Tailteann Cup

Carlow 0-17 Wicklow 1-13 

Carlow produced an amazing last quarter comeback to take a rare win in Aughrim in the first round of the Tailteann Cup on Sunday. With just fifteen minutes left to play, the home side led by two points and were pushing forward. A bewildering sequence of passes saw Eoin Darcy punch home from close range. That seemed to be that but back came the visitors.

It had been a drab first half with both sides playing a patient and non-enterprising game. Eoin Darcy picked off the first of his three points of the half from play when he nudged Wicklow in front on four minutes. In reply, Darragh Foley converted two Carlow frees to give them a slim advantage.

The away side almost had the ball in the Wicklow net but after opening the home defence a pass across the goal was slightly over-cooked with the onrushing Jordan Morrissey stretching to get his fist on the ball. His effort fell just wide.

In a game of inches, both sides played the ball around in their own half and with defences standing back off their men, scores were hard to come by.

A raid down the right almost produced a Carlow three-pointer but a shot by Mikey Bambrick took a deflection and Wicklow were relieved to see the ball drift just wide of their right-hand post.

Ross Dunphy was Carlow’s best forward ending the half with two points while Conor Doyle also converted a 45.

Wicklow trailed by two points as the half-time whistle approached and it was they who should have then breached the Carlow cover. Desperate Carlow defending was enough to prevent the home side getting a clear shot on goal and a Paul McLoughlin close range shot was turned around the post by Carlow keeper, Johnny Furey.

With Darcy’s point a minute earlier, Mark Jackson’s 45 levelled matters at 0-6 each when the half-time whistle was sounded.

The intensity of the game lifted after the break and Wicklow had Paul McLoughlin to thank when he blocked a Morrissey rocket on the line. After that, it all seemed to be going Wicklow’s way until the game changed in those frantic final stages. Points from Colm Hulton and Foley breathed life into Carlow and Wicklow suffered a blow when centre-back, Patrick Keane was black-carded.

Carlow were relentless after that. In an amazing finish, Foley converted a free. The home side couldn’t find one of their own from any of their subsequent kick-outs. Shane Clarke’s point left only one between them and Aaron Amond, brother of Irish soccer star, Padraig, levelled in injury time.

Carlow went for broke, came forward and not settling for a draw they opened up the home defence. This time another substitute, Jonah Dunne, found a winner when punching over. There was time for no more.

An amazing turnaround. Who says the Tailteann Cup is not here to say. Certainly, nobody in Carlow would agree.

Scorers for Carlow: Darragh Foley 0-7 (6fs), Ross Dunphy 0-4, Conor Doyle 0-1 (45), Aaron Amond, Shane Clarke, Colm Hulton, Conor Crowley, Jonah Dunne 0-1 each.

Scorers for Wicklow: Eoin Darcy 1-4 (1 mark), Conor Fee 0-4, Mark Jackson 0-3 (2fs 45), Cillian McDonald, Joe Prendergast 0-1 each

Carlow: J Furey; S Buggy, M Bambrick, S Bambrick; S Clarke, M Furey, C Doyle; J Morrissey, N Hickey; C Moran, R Dunphy C Hulton; D Foley, J Clarke, C Crowley. 

Subs: J Dunne for Hickey (52), D Curran for Buggy (62), A Amond for Hulton (64), E Molloy for J Clarke (64) F Kavanagh for Doyle (69).

Wicklow: M Jackson; E Murtagh, P McLoughlin, M Stone; C McDonald, P O’Keane, J Prendergast; D Healy, P O’Toole; JP Nolan, JP Hurley, J Kirwan; M Kenny, C Fee, E Darcy. 

Subs: J Keogh for Nolan (50), M Nolan for McDonald (52), C O’Sullivan for Prendergast (62), F O’Shea for Kenny (62), C Maguire for Kirwan (68).

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois).