Murphy: “We should have put more on the scoreboard”
Conor Crowley is shadowed by Leitrim's Arek Oberwan. Photo: Pat Ahern
Joe Murphy did not hide behind a bush on Saturday as he attempted to analyse what has gone wrong since Carlow’s glorious and successful push for National Football League Division 4 promotion.
Since then his side have lost three games against sides who will remain in the lower division next year. It was pointed out to him that it will be a long summer for Carlow.
“Unfortunately that became the case tonight. We were not good enough. Outbattled especially in the middle section where Kieran McGeeney calls it the piggery. They were well on top there and that is where we really struggled,” the Carlow manager acknowledged.
The visitors struggled on both their own and Leitrim’s kick-outs. The opposition pressed and at one stage, the Carlow goalkeeper, Ben McCarron delayed and was pinged. It was an easy point from the resultant 13 metre free.
“When you cannot get primary possession, you are always chasing the game. We should have put more on the scoreboard when we had the elements,” Murphy suggested.
“When we had the wind we missed opportunities. We missed goal opportunities as well. The way things ended up we probably needed all those.”
Leitrim pressed Carlow both on and off the field. The crowd sensed blood and they got it.
“The momentum was definitely with them. The crowd got behind them and I think it was the best game Leitrim played all year because they were fairly efficient in their shooting. They opened us up. We had to come out and chase the game and they picked us off.”
The Carlow manager doesn’t make excuses but he pointed out Carlow were short players who bring a physical presence to their cause. The injured Eoghan Ruth and Mikey Bambrick were all out while Colm Hulton was suspended.
“It is the nature of the beast. It is hard not to make excuses and I’m not but when you are missing the calibre of guys we are missing.
“In fairness everyone who took the field today showed great character and determination but maybe we were just bullied a little bit. It wasn’t on purpose. The guys out there gave it their all. You have to be proud of them.”
Murphy insisted the season has been a good one for Carlow football.
“It was all down to the battle in the middle of the field and we came out second best. It is work in progress. We are still fairly new in this role. Maybe unlike Carlow teams over half a century we have something to build on. I mean it was not all for nothing. If that was the end today and we were going back to Division 4, square one again then that would be a difficult place to be.
“But we’re not. We have built a foundation this year. We have achieved. We won two trophies and the big one which we wanted to win. We just have to keep moving forward, keep building and add to the numbers and add to the quality which we have there.”
Such is the importance of the two-pointer nowadays, the joint efforts of Leitrim goalkeeper, Killian Gaffey and Paul Honeyman who produced five between them in the second half was crucial.
The Man of the Match gong goes to the corner forward who scored three two-pointers from play and was also a constant threat to Carlow in that second half.
It wasn’t one moment which turned the game in Leitrim’s favour. That second quarter where the home side limited Carlow to three scores and scored three points themselves in the final eight minutes of the first half was huge.
Media pundit, Stephen Bambrick, who is also a member of the Carlow PR team, tweeted on X after the game that the second half lasted over 48 minutes and asked would 13 minutes of injury time have been added if the hooter was not in operation.
Carlow’s senior football intercounty season is over now. It is back to the clubs for the players with the football championship scheduled to start in the third week of July.
