Carlow's return to form comes too late to avoid relegation
Carlow's Eve Sinnott tries to get in a hook as Meath captain Leah Devine attempts to clear her lines Photo: Orla Crocock
It came too late to save their status in Division 2A but Carlow turned in what is surely their best performance to date under new manager Paul Kelly against Meath in the Donaghmore/Ashbourne GAA club on Saturday afternoon.
There was still frustration, however, as a point by Olivia O’Halloran with the last puck of the game earned the hosts a draw, a result that looked unlikely for the majority of the game.
Meath may feel that their power packed finale, where they scored six unanswered points from the 55th minute, made them worthy of a draw but it was harsh in the extreme on a Carlow side who dominated throughout before tiring in the glorious sunshine in the final minutes.
It was a result that was good enough to secure Meath’s place in the league final against Kerry but Carlow’s fate had was already sealed by then.
Kelly’s team knew that only a sizeable win and results elsewhere falling their way would be good enough to save them.
For large spells in the first half, it appeared that might fulfil their part of the bargain and secure that big win. In a blistering opening period, they scored the first 1-4 of the game and were 1-7 to 0-1 ahead after 15 minutes.
Ciara Kavanagh had already struck the crossbar by the time the Abhainn Coady fired home what proved to the only goal of the game in the fourth minute after Roisin Joyce and Rebecca Kelly linked up delightfully to create the opportunity.
Kelly was one of the Carlow players really to the fore during that electrifying opening period from midfield, along with Aimie Nolan at wing forward and both were among the scorers as Meath struggled to cope with the Carlow onslaught.
Meath began to grow into the game as the half time whistle approached but Carlow still held a 1-9 to 0-5 lead at the break.
Nolan, Sarah Sheehan and Niamh Canavan were on the scoresheet as Carlow outscored Meath by 0-3 to 0-2 in the opening ten minutes before the chance arrived that could have sealed the win for Carlow.
Sheehan was on the ball as Carlow attacked the Meath backline and she tried to find Ciara Kavanagh with her pass. It was a just a little out of reach and forced Kavanagh a little wider than ideal. The Mount Leinster Rangers forward still got a shot but Maggie Randle in the Meath goal was able to make the block.
Olivia O’Halloran and Nolan swapped points before Meath rattled off three in a row to put the pressure on Carlow.
The visitors needed a score and Coady obliged the 54th minute after Canavan’s pass to make it 1-14 to 0-11.
That point seemed enough to steady any Carlow nerves once again but Meath were able to move up a gear in the dying moments and rattled off six in a row to ensure the result they needed.
Despite the win slipping from their grasp, there were plenty of positives for Carlow to take into the Championship and if they can replicate this sort of performance then they will certainly be competitive.
Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne, Maeve Clince, Rachel Moran; Leah Devine, Abbye Donnelly 0-1, Rachel O’Neill; Aoibhin Lally, Ellen Burke 0-1, Olivia O’Halloran 0-4, Aoife Carey 0-1f, Roisin Heaney 0-4 (2fs, 1’45); Ella O’Brien 0-1, Ciara Foley, Emma Regan 0-3.
Grace Connolly for Lally, 27; Anna Kane for Heaney, 45; Grace Coleman 0-1 for Foley, 52; Katie Connolly 0-1 for Carey, 55; Erin Leddy for Payne, 58.
Aoibhinn Doyle; Sarah Joyce, Michelle Nolan, Gillian Doyle; Caoimhe Coady, Rachel Breen, Eleanor Treacy; Rebecca Kelly, 0-1, Sarah Sheehan 0-1; Aimie Nolan 0-3, Roisin Joyce, Molly Kavanagh 0-1; Abhainn Coady 1-2, Ciara Kavanagh 0-4 (3fs, 1’45), Niamh Canavan 0-2.
Rhiannon Kenny for Sheehan, 45; Eve Sinnott for R Joyce, 54; Leah Ryan for M Kavanagh, 55; Kate Doyle for C Kavanagh, 58.
Ciaran Goff (Wicklow).
