Antrim 0-12 Carlow 1-12

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Antrim 0-12 Carlow 1-12

Report via Saffron Gael

The icy wind that blew over Corrigan Park on Sunday failed to dampen the spirits of a Carlow side who arrived and left Belfast with promotion to division 3 and a place in the division 4 league final secured.

Inspired by another exhibition of free taking from Paul Broderick, a number of them of the ‘soft’ variety and 1-2 from centre forward, Darragh Foley there was an inevitability from early on that this wasn’t going to be Antrim’s day despite a massive effort from Lenny Harbinson’s side.

They were forced to make a couple of changes to the starting line-out with Ricki Johnston and Ruairi McCann coming in for the injured Sean Burke and flu victim Paddy McBride and their cause was further hampered by black cards to Johnston and team captain Kevin O’Boyle and a red card to substitute Stephen Beatty who had replaced O’Boyle minutes earlier.

Sligo official Barry Judge didn’t endear himself to the hardy bunch of Antrim supporters who braved the artic conditions to cheer on the Saffrons but it would be an injustice to an excellent Carlow to blame him for Antrim’s defeat.

Sunday’s clash in Belfast was the only Division Four clash to survive the bad weather with Waterford’s tie with Leitrim and Wicklow’s match with Limerick being postponed.

The opening 35 minutes  with CJ McGourty (three) and Paul Broderick (five) exchanging frees in a stop-start affair.

Carlow edged the first half 0-06 to 0-04 and they made the perfect start to the second when Eoghan Ruth pointed after 45 seconds.

O’Boyle’s black card following a foul on Brendan Murphy seemed to spur Lenny Harbinson’s side into life and, despite going four down following a Darragh Foley free, the Saffrons came storming back.

Three unanswered points from substitute Kristan Healy, McGourty (free), and Matthew Fitzpatrick brought Antirm to within a point, but  just when they seemed to be getting on top they lost Beatty to a straight red, a decision that looked harsh.

Misfortune struck again for the Saffrons when a Broderick free failed to make the distance but rebounded of the crossbar and fell invitingly for Darragh Foley who finished to the net from close range to put the visitors 1-9 to 0-8 ahead.

Johnston’s black card moments later seemed to settle the contest in Carlow’s favour, but Antrim rallied once more in the final 10 minutes and despite being a man down, took the game to their opponents but found it difficult to penetrate a blanket Carlow defence.

Substitute Paddy McBride, deemed unfit to start due to flu, split the posts along with McGourty and fellow sub Odhran Eastwood to give Antrim hope but as they pushed forward in numbers they left themselves vulnerable to the counter attack.

Carlow late points from Morrissey and Ruth ensured victory and promotion from Division Four while Antrim will need to rely on the Barrowsiders doing them a favour next weekend against Laois to stand any chance of a return to the third tier.

Antrim: C Kerr; P Healy, P Gallagher, N Delargy; K O’Boyle; M Sweeney, J Laverty; R Johnston, P McAleer; M Fitzpatrick (0-1), C Murray (0-1), R McCann; C McGourty (0-7, 0-6fs), C Duffin, R Murray.

Subs used: K Healy (0-1) for R Murray, S Beatty for O’Boyle (Black Card), O Eastwood (0-1) for Johnston (Black Card), P McBride (0-1) for Laverty, Michael McCarry for Duffin.

Carlow: R Molloy; C Crowley, S Redmond, Conor Lawlor; J Morrissey (0-1), D St Ledger, C Moran; B Murphy, S Murphy, S Gannon, D Foley (1-2, 0-1f), E Ruth (0-1); P Broderick (0-7, 0-7fs), D O’Brien, J Murphy.

Subs used: Cian Lawlor for O’Brien, M Rennick for Gannon, B Kavanagh (0-1) for Morrissey, L Walker for Foley.