Catastrophic second half costs Carlow minors their place in Leinster
Carlow midfielder Eoghan Treacy hammers a ball into the Westmeath net for his side's goal in Tubberclair. Photo: Pat Ahern.
Carlow are out of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship after a catastrophic second half saw them beaten by Westmeath tonight in Tubberclair.
Carlow were excellent in the first half and took a seven-point lead into the dressing rooms at half time, but they blew that lead in spectacular fashion after the restart as they went on to be outscored by 1-6 in a deeply regrettable second period.
The credit must go to Westmeath goalkeeper Tom McCaul, who made four incredible saves in the second half, any of which would have won the game for Carlow had they gone in.
Despite beating both Longford and Dublin in the opening two rounds, a loss to Offaly meant Westmeath finished third in Group 2 by way of points difference. Carlow also picked up two wins on their way to runners-up spot in Group 3, beating Kilkenny and Wexford either side of a defeat to Wicklow.
Carlow took an early lead thanks to a two-pointer from Cormac Murphy and a beauty from Alex Doyle, but Westmeath were on level terms by the sixth minute after three scores, one a free, from the energetic Stephen McWade.
A '45 from Doyle left the visitors in front after ten minutes. Darragh Deegan levelled matters, but Carlow were soon back in front when Doyle pointed a free.
Paul McElligott's side extended their lead to four points midway through the half when Eoghan Treacy raised a green flag. Westmeath goalkeeper McCaul saved Treacy's initial shot, but the Kildavin-Clonegal clubman claimed the rebound and rippled the net from close range.
Doyle landed another beautiful score with Aaron Connaire responding for Westmeath in the 20th minute.
Carlow then lost goalkeeper Cathal Kennedy to an injury, with Callum Boland between the sticks for the remainder. But the visitors were undaunted by the loss of Kennedy and rattled off three points from Doyle, Adam Joyce and a Ronan Dooley free to lead by 1-9 to 0-5 at the break.
Westmeath made a triple substitution at the break and all three introduced had a significant impact on the second half.
Deegan pointed early for the hosts before two of those subs - Conor Cleary and Dean Kelly - combined to play in Connaire who did well to find the net.
Michael Redmond responded for Carlow to make it a four-point game, but then came the heroics from McCaul as the Westmeath stopped made a great save to deny Cormac Murphy one-on-one before moments later getting in the way of superb strike from Adam Joyce.
Westmeath then rattled off the next four scores without reply, including a two-pointer from Connaire, to put the hosts in front for the very first time.
McCaul then pulled out an unbelievable save to deny Alex Doyle what looked a certain goal, although the Bagenalstown Gael did draw level with the resulting '45.
Dean Kelly landed another two-pointer for the hosts before Connaire made it a three-point game with only five minutes remaining.
Carlow put together some excellent passing to carve through Westmeath and create an opening for Murphy, but McCaul was once again up to the task. Doyle followed up by kicking over the '45 to make for a tense end to the game. Carlow went in search of a match-winning goal, but this time it was the post that saved Westmeath as Joyce saw his last-gasp effort somehow stay out of the goal before referee Eamonn O'Connor brought an end to an entertaining game of football.
Aaron Connaire 1-5 (1tp), Stephen McWade (1f) and Darragh Deegan (1f) 0-3 each, Dean Kelly 0-2 (tp), Conor Cleary 0-1.
Alex Doyle 0-7 (2'45, 1f), Eoghan Treacy 1-0, Cormac Murphy 0-2 (tp), Adam Joyce, Ronan Dooley (f) and Michael Redmond 0-1 each.
Tom McCaul; Tom Weir, Tomas Brennan, Rhys Brady; Louis Dillon, Eoghan Daly, Aaron Claffey; Mark Monaghan, Billy Stenson; Stephen McWade, Darragh Murray, Alex Mullen Adamson; Darragh Deegan, Aaron Connaire, Hugo Corroon.
Cian Mckeogh, Conor Cleary and Dean Kelly for Brady, Stenson and Corron (all HT), Cathal Keena for Adamson (44), Josh Murtagh for Murray (60).
Cathal Kennedy (Eire Og); Tawana Mudawapi (St Patrick's) Brandon Nolan (Kildavin-Clonegal), Conor Stanley (Michael Davitts); Darragh Casey (Eire Og), Enda Byrne (Rathvilly), Darragh Coleman (Mount Leinster Rangers); Ben Nolan (Palatine), Eoghan Treacy (Kildavin-Clonegal); Ronan Dooley (Eire Og), Cormac Murphy (Eire Og), Finnan Nolan (Michael Davitts); Alex Doyle (Bagenalstown Gaels), Michael Redmond (Kildavin-Clonegal), Adam Joyce (Mount Leinster Rangers).
Callum Boland (Rathvilly) for Kennedy (inj, 24), Jamie Doody (Eire Og) for Coleman (54), Tadgh Hennessy (Grange) for Redmond (57).
Eamonn O'Connor (Offaly).
