Promotion party put on hold
Fenagh men, Sean Murphy from Carlow and London's Liam Murphy, compete for this high ball
Carlow’s hopes of promotion were put on hold when London came away from Netwatch Cullen Park with a fully deserved National Football League Division 4 round six victory on Saturday.
The eventual winners started well with Ciaran Diver knocking over two points. Eleven minutes in the visitors led by seven points and were good value for their lead. Midfielder, Liam Gallagher scored four points in the opening half included an excellent two-pointer.
Ross Dunphy was Carlow’s main threat and by half-time he had scored three points. A Conor Doyle two-pointer kept the home side in touch but they were never able to build any momentum.
Undaunted, London tacked on points from Gallagher and Shay Rafter but Carlow had the final word of the half with a Chris Blake free to leave the visitors 0-10 to 0-6 ahead at the change of ends.
With Colm Hulton picking off four points from play, Carlow threw all they had at their opponents in the second half but the Exiles always seemed to be able to keep the home side at arm’s length. The accuracy of Rafter and Joe McGill was key to keeping Carlow at bay with both of them accounting for three points each in the second period.
Carlow did get within two points of their rivals with eight minutes to go but a London attack saw Liam Murphy ghost in behind the defence and he made no mistake from close range.
Carlow created a number of goal chances in the second half and three times, goalkeeper, Andrew Walsh, brought off point-blank saves. Those series of events had a major bearing on the outcome.
Carlow finished the game with fourteen players when Sean Murphy picked up his second yellow card late on but it had no effect on the result. In injury time, the home side were awarded a penalty but Carlow misery was complete when Walsh dived to his left to make the save.
The league season now rests on what Carlow can do against Leitrim in the final round, and also results from other games.
C Diver 0-5, J McGill 0-4 (2fs), L Gallagher 0-4 (1-2p), S Rafter 0-4 (3fs), L Murphy 1-0, T Barry 0-2, J Davis 0-1.
R Dunphy 0-5, C Hulton 0-4, C Doyle 0-3 (1-2p, f), M Bambrick 0-2 (1-2p), C Blake 0-1 (f), J Clarke 0-1, L Gavin 0-1 (45), S Murphy 0-1.
Andrew Walsh; Nathan McElwaine, Matt Moynihan, Sean O’Donoghue; Conor Goggin, Conal Gallagher, Conor O’Donohue; Liam Gallagher, Tighe Barry; Joshua Obahor, Shay Rafter, Ciaran Diver; James Davis, Joe McGill, George Durrant.
Subs: Stephen Henry for McElwaine (21), Nathan Feeney for Durrant (24), Liam Crowley for Goggin (53), Liam Murphy for Barry (56), Shaun Wogan for Obahor (65).
Ben McCarron; Colin Byrne, Dara Curran, Lee Moore; John Phiri, Mark Furey, Niall Roche; Eoghan Ruth, Conor Doyle; Paddy McDonnell, Colm Hulton, Mikey Bambrick; Conor Crowley, Chris Blake, Ross Dunphy.
Subs: Jamie Clarke for Crowley (h/t), Liam Gavin for Blake (h/t), Sean Murphy for Ruth (44), John Murphy for Phiri (54), Aaron Amond for Roche (65).
Ian Monaghan (Roscommon).
