Penalty joy sees Crettyard into next round of Leinster
Bagenalstown’s Roy O’Neill has his shot blocked by Crettyard defender Fionnan Brennan. Pic:© Michael O'Rourke Photography 2025
Crettyard beat a determined Bagenalstown side to advance to the next round of Leinster on Sunday morning, a competition that is steeped in the club’s history having been the first Carlow side to reach the final of the competition six years ago. It was end to end and both sides will know they could and should have won this game.
Crettyard went ahead after three minutes as Dylan Waters slotted into the bottom left hand corner to give Crettyard a lift after three games in a row without a win. Six minutes later, Paddy McDonnell hit an effort wide from the left. A cross from the left from Charlie Nolan from the right for Bagenalstown was met at the back post by Jake Doyle who headed wide on the far side. Jamie Maher went close through a free from the right that was cleared. Mark Lyons hit a free from his own half but it was cleared. Maher went close on 18 minutes but his effort was parried away by Sean Treacy in the goal. The resulting corner from James Dowling on the left was cleared. Two minutes later, Danny Doyle levelled the game as he rounded the Crettyard ‘keeper, Matt Kelly and fired into an empty net. Bagenalstown kept up the intensity as a Jake Doyle free from the right was parried away by Kelly. On the half hour mark, Waters put an effort wide on the left. Three minutes later, Crettyard were ahead again as Maher put them 2-1 up. Just before half-time, a Jake Doyle effort from distance was hit wide on the right.
Two minutes after the half-time break, a cross from the right found Danny Doyle in the middle and he hit his effort off the crossbar. Two minutes later, a Padraig Hynes free from the right was hit wide on the far side before a Danny Doyle cross from the left just missed the man in the middle. On the hour mark, a Dowling corner from the right was headed wide at the back post by Ryan Byrne. Jack Treacy put a ball into the box for Jack McCullagh but he couldn’t get on the end of it. Midway through the half, Charlie Nolan broke down the right, and cut in, beat Matt Kelly who tried to get the ball, diving in but Nolan stayed on his feet, and hit the ball in to level up the game again. With 15 minutes to go, Danny Doyle fired in a cross for Nolan at the back post who hit past the ‘keeper to give Town the lead for the first time. Five minutes later, a Treacy corner from the left was headed wide on the near side by Nolan. With seven minutes to go, Gearoid Cuddihy fired in a cross from the right into the back post where Riogan Doran headed in at the back post to bring the game level for a third time. In stoppage time, a Cuddihy cross from the right just missed Doran at the back post. A Cuddihy corner from the left was bundled wide on the near side.
With neither side able to break the deadlock, the game went to extra-time. Danny Doyle found himself in on goal but he hit wide on the left. A McDonnell effort was deflected wide on the left. At the death both sides will have felt like they should have had penalties but neither was given.
With no breakthrough in sight, the match needed to be settled by spot kicks. After Cuddihy had dispatched his effort into the bottom left hand corner, making amends for his missed penalty against Bagenalstown in the league a few weeks ago, Danny Doyle saw his effort saved by Matt Kelly to give Crettyard the early boost. However, James Dowling’s spot kick was saved by Treacy, leaving Jack Treacy to level things again. Both sides converted their remaining penalties, bringing on sudden death. It was Bagenalstown who blinked and made the error, Charlie Nolan steering his effort wide on the left after Ryan Byrne had dispatched his effort, leaving Crettyard to pick up a much needed victory.
