Ruth could sense a difference in Carlow's attitude
Eoghan Ruth beats Dessie Reynolds to a kick out Photo: Pat Ahern
35-year-old Eoghan Ruth had a dream day. His legs usually don’t usually last for a full seventy minutes any more but here in Croke Park, the Field of Dreams, he played the entire game, the first ten minutes of extra time and only came off when shipping an injury in the 81st minute.
One of the few in the squad remaining from Carlow's last Division 4 in 2018, Ruth said there was a different feeling coming into this game.
“Brilliant. Just reflecting on the last time I was here, I was confident coming into this one. The vibe. The confidence in the group. Everything like that,” he pointed out. “
His comments echoed those of his team mates but it cannot be forgotten that Carlow never trailed over the ninety minutes plus injury time.
“We didn’t make it easy on ourselves. You don’t prepare for going behind. You prepare for endless attacking. Stick to what we know. I thought we were getting good scores. There were good moves. If we get the ball back, we will score. It was battle, battle, battle. Get your hands on the ball, play it through the hands and see if you can get it to someone who will put it over the bar.”
Not once did Carlow panic or feel that this was not going to be their day.
“We are confident. We know what we are doing. You just go for it then. You are not going to take it easy and feel sorry for yourself. If we lose this ball, it is next ball,” said Ruth.
Askea’s John Phiri’s dream season continues. He has been immense in Carlow final two games. The first in the last game of the league against Leitrim and again on Saturday in Croke Park. His broad smile lit up the dressing room underneath the Cusack Stand.
“Honest to goodness. We made it hard on ourselves at times. We let Longford back into it at times. The mentality was we would not give up. We would put our best foot forward and wherever that got us, once we know we have given everything, we will be happy,” the defender noted.
He was unable to explain why Carlow couldn’t drive on when it looked as if they had the momentum.
“It was mad. You feel you are doing well in the first half. Unfortunately Longford kept coming back, nipping at our heels and to be level three times at half-time, at full-time and half time in extra time-mad,” he said.
As the ad says on television, “there is no rest for the wicked”. Carlow will have little time to celebrate. On April 12th they have a Leinster championship date with their neighbours in Netwatch Cullen Park.
“We will enjoy this one because we worked hard for it but we will dust ourselves down. Wicklow will be looking to right a few wrongs which they feel they have.”
