CARLOW LEAGUE 0 WEXFORD LEAGUE 0 (WEXFORD WIN 5-4 ON PENALTIES)
CARLOW can be proud of their performance against favourites Wexford, with every player giving a top drawer performance in their quarter-final in the Meadows on Saturday.
The biggest game for a number of years for the Carlow lads resulted in a nervy start, which let Wexford get on top early on.
Wexford passed the ball around and had a lot of possession in the opening period, but created little, their first shot on target coming on 10 minutes, when Gavin Dowling the Carlow keeper saved a Paul Murphy shot.
Shortly after that Liam Byrne for the home side put in a clean saving tackle in the box to stop a certain goal.
This seemed to settle the Carlow players and they started to get into the game.
A free kick on 15 minutes from Lee Murphy was headed over by Mark Carpenter for Carlow’s first chance on goal. Both teams matched each other from then on.
The next chance fell to Wexford on 17 minutes, but Chris Kenny put the free kick wide.
Carlow’s next chance came on 22 minutes when Lee Murphy shot wide.
Wexford had a series of corners on 25 minutes, which the Carlow lads defended well, with the last corner headed over by Jason Murphy.
On 28 minutes the home side had a free kick and a shot from Lee Murphy on 31 minutes both saved by the Wexford keeper Lee Walker.
Wexford finished the half stronger and they had three good chances to score in the last 10 minutes of the half.
First Paul Murphy shot wide on 35 minutes and then Dowling saved a header on 40 minutes from the same player.
On the stroke of half time Dowling came to the rescue again when he saved another shot from Murphy to leave the half time score 0-0.
Wexford had shaded the first half and from the off in the second they brought a fantastic save from Dowling in the Carlow goal on 46 minutes.
Carlow took over after that and had most of the possession in the second half.
A corner kick on 50 minutes was cleared by the Wexford defence.
Carlow’s Craig Comerford had his shot saved on 52 minutes and on 55 while Lee Murphy headed over the bar before Mark Carpenter sent his shot wide on 59 minutes.
Wexford were really up against it in this period, getting blocks in to keep the score at 0-0.
They were restricted to chances on the break and had three long range shots on goal from Leighton Gleeson go wide for their only chances midway through the second half.
Carlow made their first change on 65 minutes, Lee Quaye coming on for David Lynch.
The home side piled on the pressure in the last quarter with Lee Murphy putting a free kick over on 75 minutes and then Mark Carpenter had a header cleared off the line on 82 minutes.
Carlow brought on Paul Broderick for Craig Comerford on 80 minutes.
Then nine minutes later Carpenter had a shot saved by Wexford keeper, Walker and in injury time Carpenter headed another chance over the bar. The sides finished scoreless at full time.
Extra time was fifty fifty with both teams looking for the winner.
The game seemed to get bogged down in midfield with few chances being created. Carlow had opportunities for Lee Murphy and Carpenter before he was substituted for Jordan Lowry on 100 minutes.
Wexford had chances from Kyle Dempsey, Jason Murphy and Paul Murphy before he was red carded near the end.
No goals in extra time meant the teams were on to penalties. It was 4- 4 after five spot kicks and in sudden death, Wexford scored the winning penalty to see them go through to the semi-finals
It proved the end for the Carlow team who put in a great team performance and came so close to pushing through to the next round.