Carlow SFC Final

Éire Óg 2-13 Tinryland 0-7

By Kieran Murphy at Netwatch Cullen Park

Éire Óg are back on top when they won their 31st Carlow senior football championship final at Netwatch Cullen Park. Two goals in the second half clinched the victory after a disappointing first half where both sides played a conservative game.

Tinryland had lost the final last year to Palatine and this was the year they were hoping to bridge a long gap to their last win which goes back to 1981.

Much of the pre-match predictions were on the mark where it was anticipated Tinryland would play a possession game and then drop back in defence when Éire Óg had the ball. Éire Óg were not that adventurous in the opening half themselves, but they went into an early lead with points from Ross Dunphy and Darragh O’Brien. A Paul Broderick free got Tinryland off the mark on 12 minutes.

Éire Óg dealt with the only goal chance of the first half when a high delivery asked questions of their defence, but 'keeper Johnny Furey, made the initial block and a retreating defence cleared.

O’Brien and Dunphy were on the mark again and with two minutes to go to half-time, Conor McGrath landed a Tinryland point. Éire Óg led 0-4 to 0-2 at the interval.

Two O’Brien frees and a Colm Hulton effort stretched the Éire Óg lead out to five by the 38th minute. Tinryland replied with James McGrath and Broderick raising white flags.

Their threat died almost as quickly as it started. Jordan Morrissey rifled over a point for Éire Óg and when the ball was delivered in to the edge of the small square, Man of the Match Ross Dunphy flicked home.

Cormac O’Brien had a Tinryland point but they were in miracle country now. Jonah Dunne came forward from his full-back position to fire over another Tinryland point.

It was all too little, too late. Éire Óg were not going to lose this one. Going into injury time, teenager Josh Brady had his shot blocked on the line. The ball flew into the air and Murtough Ware appeared to get the final touch.

It was joy for Éire Óg while Tinryland ambitions for a long-awaited title go on.

Scorers for Éire Óg: R Dunphy 1-4, D O’Brien 0-4 (3fs), M Ware 1-0, J Morrissey 0-2, C Hulton, C Kelly, A McCarron 0-1 each

Scorers for Tinryland: P Broderick 0-2 (1f, 1m), J McGrath 0-2 (1f), J Dunne, C O’Brien, C McGrath 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: Johnny Furey; Cathal Kelly, Benny Kavanagh, Shane Buggy; Mark Behan, Mark Furey, Diarmaid Ruth; Kelvin Chatten, Jordan Morrissey; Cormac Mullins, Sean Gannon, Darragh O’Brien; Adam McCarron Ross Dunphy, Colm Hulton.

Subs: Recce Denieffe for Mullins (22), Lee Moore for Ruth (48), Josh Brady for McCarron (55), Murtough Ware for Chatten (56), Kieran Nolan for Kelly (59).

Tinryland: Cathal Gaffney; Danny Moran, Jonah Dunne, Conor Ryan; Niall Lowry, Shane Redmond, Matthew O’Toole; John Murphy, Cormac Walshe; Conor McGrath, Paddy Regan, Conor O’Toole; Diarmaid Walshe, Paul Broderick, Maurice Lawler.

Subs: Mark Mullen for O’Toole (HT), James McGrath (0-2 1f) for Lawler (34), Cormac O’Brien for C McGrath (44), Mark Lawler for C Walshe (46), Shane Webb for Moran (59).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Palatine).