Leinster SFC: late goal earns 13-man Carlow shock draw
10 June
2012
Carlow's Conor Lawlor keeps the
ball away from Joe Sheridan (Meath) during the drawn Leinster SFC quarter-final
in Tullamore ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Meath 1-12
Carlow 1-12
JJ
Smith's injury-time goal earned 13-man Carlow a dramatic draw with 14-man Meath
at O'Connor Park.
A replay was no more than Luke Dempsey's massive
underdogs deserved after they had dominated much of the second half, only to be
let down by poor decision-making and shot selection. This shock result will feel
like a defeat for Meath and their embattled manager Seamus McEnaney who, despite
playing poorly, looked to have done enough until Smith rattled the net in the
third minute of injury-time after goalkeeper David Gallagher had spilled
substitute Keith Jackson's initial shot.
Smith's goal capped an
incident-packed finish to the game which saw Carlow lose both Paul Reid and
substitute Derek Hayden to straight red cards. Meath also failed to finish the
game with their full complement of players after midfielder Conor Gillespie was
dismissed on a second yellow card 15 minutes from the end.
The Royals
will still be expected to qualify for a Leinster semi-final against either
Kildare or Offaly, but this performance against Division 4 opponents only serves
to crank up the pressure on them.
Despite only arriving at O'Connor Park
about 10 minutes before the throw-in after a warm-up session at nearby Durrow
had run late, Meath were first on the scoreboard thanks to a Cian Ward free
after four minutes. Paul Reid opened Carlow's account five minutes later before
Ward replied with his second free.
Brian Murphy levelled for a second
time with the first of his three first half points, but Meath replied with two
points in succession from Graham Reilly and half back Donnacha Tobin, who fisted
over.
Daniel St. Ledger drove over a 50-metre free after Brendan Murphy
was fouled to leave the minimum between the sides after 17 minutes. Brian
Farrell restored Meath's two-point lead with a right-footed effort after Cian
Ward had supplied the pass and then, in the 22nd minute, Ward sent a rasping
shot to the net after collecting a long ball over the top by Joe Sheridan.
The big full forward had drifted out around the middle after getting
little change out of Carlow's U21 full back Conor Lawlor all afternoon, and
brilliantly picked out Ward who had peeled away from his marker Tony Bolger and
finished with aplomb.
Trailing by 0-3 to 1-5, the signs looked ominous
for Carlow, but to their credit, they produced a tremendous response which
yielded four unanswered points. Meath hit the woodwork twice before Brendan
Murphy set up his brother Brian for the Barrowsiders' fourth
point.
Another Rathvilly man, JJ Smith, converted a free and St. Ledger
was unlucky not to raise another white flag when his long-range free narrowly
failed to clear the Meath crossbar.
The momentum remained with Carlow,
however, as the impressive Brian Murphy kicked their sixth point. Referee Barry
Cassidy then dished out three yellow cards in quick succession to Carlow's Conor
Lawlor and Eoin Ruth, and Meath's Mickey Burke. In the final minute of
normal-time, Smith made it a one-point game after Ruth had been brought down in
front of goal.
Then, in injury-time, Brendan Murphy caught a Cian Ward
free in his own square, only to spill possession, and Brian Farrell was on hand
to register Meath's first score in 16 minutes.
Graham Reilly's second
point made it 1-7 to 0-7 in the Royals' favour a minute after the restart.
Carlow should have been awarded a free in front of the Meath goal when
substitute Derek Hayden had his jersey pulled, but his shot went harmlessly wide
after the referee decided to give him the advantage.
Carlow were by now
dominating possession, but had to wait 10 minutes for JJ Smith to open their
second half account from a free. Smith scored again to leave the minimum in it
before Ward replied with a brace of points to make it 1-9 to 0-9 16 minutes into
the second half.
The underdogs reduced the arrears again before Conor
Gillespie received his marching orders in the 55th minute. The pressure
continued to mount on Seamus McEnaney's men when their lead was cut to a point,
but Brian Farrell gave them breathing space when he pointed with a goal at his
mercy.
JJ Smith replied with a free, but Meath looked to have finally
gained the upper hand when Cian Ward fed half back Mickey Burke for a point and
Graham Reilly followed up with his third to make it 1-12 to 0-12 with five
minutes remaining.
Carlow's challenge looked to have completely
evaporated when Reid and Hayden were sent off in the 68th and 70th minutes
respectively for striking offences. But they refused to give up the ghost and
when Meath 'keeper Gallagher failed to hold Keith Jackson's shot, Smith was on
hand to bury the equalising goal.
Meath: D Gallagher; D Keoghan, K
Reilly, B Menton; D Tobin (0-1), S McAnarney, M Burke (0-1); C Gillespie, G
Reilly (0-3); B Meade, P Gilsenan, A Forde; B Farrell (0-4), J Sheridan, C Ward
(1-3, 2fs). Subs: J Queeney for Forde (46 mins), M Collins for Gilsenan (53
mins)
Carlow: T O'Reilly; P Murphy, C Lawlor, B Kavanagh; K Nolan, S
Redmond, T Bolger; Brendan Murphy (0-1), D Foley (0-1); Brian Murphy (0-3, 2fs),
P Reid (0-1), E Ruth; JJ Smith (1-5, 4fs), S Gannon, D St Ledger (0-1, f). Subs:
D Hayden for St Ledger (37 mins), B Lambe for Bolger (54 mins), K Jackson for
Foley (62 mins), C Murphy for Brian Murphy (68 mins)
Referee: B Cassidy
(Derry).
http://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=170882
Preview: Leinster SFC - Carlow v Meath
08 June 2012
Meath's Kevin Reilly with JJ
Smith of Carlow during the 2008 Leinster SFC Preliminary Round
Whenever
these sides meet, memories of their famous Leinster SFC first round clash in
1996 are usually evoked.
Meath supporters will happily recall that that
game in Croke Park proved to be the launching pad for an unlikely All-Ireland
success later that summer. They will also recall that some pundits had expected
Sean Boylan's new-look side to lose to a Carlow team backboned by the great Eire
Og side of that period, but the same pundits got it badly wrong as the Royals
powered to an emphatic victory.
Not unlike then, expectations aren't
particularly high in the Royal County after an ill-fated Allianz League campaign
and a far from impressive first round victory over Wicklow. Yet, it would
represent a major shock if they don't win with a bit to spare and progress to a
semi-final meeting with their old nemesis Kildare.
Despite the best
efforts of Luke Dempsey, who is now in his fourth and more than likely final
year as manager, Carlow have failed to make any real progress and remain among
the minnows of Gaelic football. They possess one of the top midfielders in the
country in former Aussie Rules recruit Brendan Murphy, but Thomas Walsh's
decision to emigrate has been a huge blow to a county that seems to be putting
more emphasis on hurling of late.
Meath are certainly no world-beaters at
the moment and the loss of their captain Seamus Kenny to a season-ending
cruciate ligament injury has only added to the sense of doom and gloom on
Boyneside. They will have former All Star Stephen Bray back after he missed the
Wicklow game with a hamstring strain and, with Joe Sheridan, Brian Farrell and
Graham Reilly showing up well against the Garden County, they should have too
much for a Carlow team that is unlikely to repeat the surprise win they enjoyed
over Louth 12 months ago.
Verdict: Meath
Meath - D
Gallagher, D Keoghan, K Reilly, B Menton, D Tobin, S McAnarney, M Burke, C
Gillespie, B Meade, A Forde, S Bray, G Reilly, B Farrell, J Sheridan, C
Ward.
Carlow - T O'Reilly; P Murphy, C Lawlor, B Kavanagh; K
Nolan, S Redmond, T Bolger; B Murphy, D Foley; B Murphy, P Reid, E Ruth; JJ
Smith, S Gannon, D St Ledger.
Odds: Meath 1/14, Draw 14/1, Carlow
9/1
Match Details: Leinster SFC quarter-final, Tullamore, Sunday
10 June, 2pm
http://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=170784
