Sport

Carlow's strong run brought to a shuddering halt

National Football League Division Four : Carlow's footballers' recent good run under manager Paul Bealin came to a shuddering…

Mon Feb 11 2008 - 00:00

National Football League Division Four: Carlow's footballers' recent good run under manager Paul Bealin came to a shuddering halt at Dr Cullen Park on Saturday when Offaly thrashed the Barrowsiders by a 20-point margin.

The big home support in the attendance of 2,000 got little to cheer about as Offaly dominated throughout. A 1-7 to 0-6 interval lead for Offaly did not seem insurmountable for Carlow, but the second half was a disaster for the home side as Pat Roe's men hit a succession of unanswered points and stormed 1-13 to 0-6 ahead by the 46th minute.

For Offaly this was a second big away win, after their opening league victory over London. But for Carlow it was a serious reality check.

Wicklow's footballers got their league campaign back on track at Dungarvan when a 60th-minute debatable penalty award, clinically converted by Paul Earls, proved decisive. All six Wicklow forwards and both midfielders got on the score-sheet.

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Tipperary recovered from a sluggish start to steer their way to a deserved win over Clare at sunny Ardfinnan. The home side were very slow off the blocks and trailed by 1-2 to no score after 10 minutes with Mike O'Shea bagging the Clare goal.

But the Premier County slowly but surely gathered themselves with the help of top-scorer Barry Brogan, who went on to claim a total of eight points, four from play.

The match at Casement Park was over by the 20th minute with Antrim already leading Kilkenny by 2-9 to 0-1 - with the goals hit home by Mark Dougan and Terry O'Neill within a minute of each other.

Antrim led 2-15 to 0-3 at half-time.

SCORERS

Offaly: N McNamee 1-6 (0-4 from frees; T Deehan 1-2; C McManus 1-0; P Kelleghan, N Smith, K Casey, J Reynolds; N Grennan, D Egan, G Comerford. Carlow: B Kelly 0-5 (four frees); M Nolan, JJ Smith, E McCormack (free), P Walshe 0-1 each.

Wicklow: S Furlong 0-7; P Earls 1-3; D Daly, T Walsh, JP Dalton, T Hannon, J McGrath, D Odlum 0-1 each. Waterford: W Hennessy 0-5; K O'Keeffe 0-4; G Hurney, M Ahearne, D Casey, G Power 0-1 each.

Tipperary: B Grogan 0-8; S Grogan 0-2; C Morrissey, D O'Brien, D Darcy 0-1 each. Clare: D Turbidy 0-4; F O'Dea 0-3; M O'Shea 1-0.

Antrim: P Cunningham 0-11 (six frees); M Dougan, T O'Neill 1-2 each; M McCann, T McCann, E O'Neill 0-2 each; M Pollock, J Loughrey, S Kelly, J Crozier 0-1 each. Kilkenny: E Brennan 0-5 (all frees); D Herity 0-1.