Eric Molloy of Rathvilly shoots to score a goal despite the attempts of Jack Deacy of Palatine during the Carlow County Senior Football Championship final match between Rathvilly and Palatine at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile.
Michael Lyng Motors Carlow SFC Final
Rathvilly 1-10 Palatine 2-7
By Kieran Murphy at Netwatch Cullen Park
A point each from Rathvilly’s Eric Molloy and Liam Gavin from a free ensured the Carlow senior football final against Palatine would go to a replay after the sides played out a nerve-jangling draw at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
In front of a big crowd, Palatine got off to a great start when they raided down the right and Jamie Kenny off-loaded to Josh Egan who beat the advancing Robbie Molloy between the Rathvilly posts.
Palatine, the champions of two years ago were the better side in the first 20 minutes. A Conor Crowley point and a 45 from Craig Kearney increased their advantage. Their rivals hit back with a converted mark from Conor Doyle and a Kevin Murphy free. It was close but Palatine had the edge.
Palatine began losing grip on the game as Rathvilly slowly but surely came to terms with the pace of what was in front of them. Palatine made it hard on themselves and having been awarded a free out the ball was thrown up. Gavin made full use of a stroke of fortune and was on hand to raise a white flag for Rathvilly. In a two minute spell, Rathvilly scored 1-2 with Eric Molloy’s run bisecting the Palatine defence before he found the bottom left hand corner of the net.
From there, Rathvilly took over and led 1-5 to 1-3 at the break. On the resumption, Egan took up where he had started the first half when he fired over a point. Andrew Kehoe followed up with a point and with the sides level, the signs of a drawn game took shape.
Rathvilly were holding on to a one point lead when Palatine found a goal after Stephen Reilly’s speculative effort found its way to the Rathvilly net. Substitute, Bryan McMahons point stretched the Palatine lead to two. The champions of three years ago had the answer with those vital points which ensured the sides will have to do it all over again.
Scorers for Rathvilly: E Molloy 1-1, K Murphy (1f), L Gavin (1f), C Doyle (1-mark) 0-2 each, B Kelly, J Elliott, B Murphy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Palatine: J Egan 1-1, S Reilly 1-0, C Crowley 0-2 (1f), S O’Neill (f), A Kehoe, C Kearney (f), B McMahon 0-1 each.
RATHVILLY: Robbie Molloy; Colin Byrne, Dara Curran, Paraic Deering; Barry John Molloy, Josh Moore, Eric Molloy; Brendan Murphy, Adam Burgess; Brandon Kelly, Conor Doyle, Ed Finnegan; Jake Elliott, Kevin Murphy, Liam Gavin. Subs: Brian Smith for Burgess (43), Darragh Murphy for Elliott (50),
PALATINE: Craig Kearney; Conor O’Doherty, Cian Cashman, Jack Deacy; Stephen O’Reilly, Ciaran Moran, Cillian Duff; Finbarr Kavanagh, Jason Kane; Josh Egan, Shane O’Neill, Brandon Cassidy, Jamie Kenny, Conor Crowley, Andrew Kehoe. Subs: Bryan McMahon for Cassidy (39), Conor Lawlor for Kane (46), Gavin Healy for O’Doherty (50), Tom Sheehan for O’Reilly (53).
Referee: John Hickey (Fenagh)
