Last-gasp winner completes stunning Éire Óg comeback
Kildavin-Clonegal's Niall Hickey battles with Éire Óg's Mark Behan. Photo: Pat Ahern.
There was incredible drama in Netwatch Cullen Park on Friday evening as Éire Óg stunned Kildavin-Clonegal to begin the Talbot Hotel Carlow Intermediate Football Championship with a shock win.
Kildavin-Clonegal took the lead within seconds of the opening whistle and held it for the entirety of the 60 minutes, only to throw the game away deep inside stoppage time. Éire Óg were never once in front until Jacob Curran knocked over the match-winner with the final touch of the contest.
Joe Warren stormed forward straight from throw-in to give Kildavin-Clonegal an immediate lead, with Alex Callaghan curling over a second before Daniel Cronin made it three scores in as many minutes.
Éire Óg struggled in possession and saw three efforts waved wide in the early goings, with the scores beginning to dry up for Kildavin-Clonegal as well until captain Niall Hickey raised a fourth white flag.
But Éire Óg were off the mark in emphatic fashion in the tenth minute when Ronan Quinlan played in Eoghan Byrne, who buried the ball into Kenneth Brennan's net.
Kildavin-Clonegal were one up, both on the scoreboard (0-4 to 1-0) and on the wide count (five to four) when referee Jonathan Murphy called for a water break midway through the half.
Callaghan forced an excellent save out of Éire Óg goalkeeper Ben McCarron upon resumption before a great score from Quinlan drew the sides level in the 19th minute.
Kildavin-Clonegal were back in front moments later through two quick scores from Hickey, and when a wayward shot from Daniel Cronin looked to be drifting wide, it was Daniel Murphy who followed flight of the ball to turn it into the Éire Óg net for a goal in the 23rd minute.
Quinlan responded with a fabulous two-pointer down the other end, but that was quickly cancelled out by good scores from Murphy and Hickey.
Cronin stretched the lead with a deft individual effort before McCarron left his goal to come up and land the first dead-ball score of the game, splitting the posts with two-point free from the left to leave Éire Óg just four points adrift at the break, down 1-9 to 1-5.
The pitch in Netwatch Cullen Park was visibly feeling the effects of the recent weather, with the typical blanket of vibrant green replaced by patchwork of dull yellows and drab browns.
Daniel Murphy kicked the first score of the second half as Kildavin-Clonegal extended their lead, but that was soon wiped out when Quinlan kicked another score for Éire Óg.
There was no let-up in wides at both ends, as scores proved scarce in the third quarter, with just a point apiece to show for 15 minutes of football.
A free from Quinlan leading into the second water break made it a three-point game heading down the final stretch, as Kildavin-Clonegal were in danger of letting the game slip from their grasp.
Joe Roberts and Jacob Curran swapped scores with 12 minutes left on the clock before a shot from distance from Pauric Hickey put four points in the difference.
Quinlan continued to eat into that lead, however, with two scores on the spin followed by one at the other end for substitute Ciaran Atkinson-Scott.
Quinlan pointed another free, but that was undone when Éire Óg were penalised for breaching. Roberts punished with the free to leave three points in it with time almost up.
But Éire Óg produced two pieces of magic in stoppage time, with Eoghan Byrne forcing the ball into the danger zone where late substitute Kelvin Chatten turned it into the net to draw the sides level for the very first time in the 61st minute.
The shock comeback was complete seconds later when Curran intercepted a clearance before popping the ball over the bar to win the game and break Kildavin-Clonegal hearts.
Éire Óg's next game is this coming Thursday in the Centre of Excellence in Fenagh where they face the Fighting Cocks, while Kildavin-Clonegal are up against Ballinabranna on Friday at Br Leo Park in Tullow.
D Murphy 1-2, N Hickey 0-4, J Roberts (2f) and D Cronin 0-2 each, J Warren, A Callaghan, P Hickey and C Atkinson-Scott 0-1 each.
R Quinlan 0-8 (3f, 1tp), E Byrne and K Chatten 1-0 each, B McCarron (1tpf) and J Curran 0-2 each.
Kenneth Brennan; Philip Byrne, Donal Hickey, Gavin Byrne; Liam Roberts, Lorcan Kinsella, Liam McGuill; Joe Warren, John Kirwan; Alex Callaghan, Niall Hickey, Pauric Hickey; Joe Roberts, Daniel Murphy, Daniel Cronin.
Fionn Doyle and Darragh Roberts for P Hickey and D Hickey (both HT), Conor Doyle for Warren (34), Ciaran Atkinson-Scott for Callaghan (50).
Ben McCarron; Ryan Donnelly-Finn, Darragh Dooley, Eoghan Byrne; David Dunphy, Evan Kelly, Niall Swan; Cillian McGrath, Mark Behan; Eoin Maddock, Ruairc Murray, Dermot Lawlor; |van Murphy, Ronan Quinlan, Jack Feehan.
Kelvin Chatten for Feehan (56).
Jonathan Murphy.
