Carlow ... 3-6 Clare ... 0-14Mick Condon , Carlow's football coach, tasted success for the first time as the Barrowsiders came from behind to snatch a dramatic win against visitors Clare in this entertaining Division 2B tie at Dr Cullen Park yesterday.
As the game entered injury time, Carlow looked set for a third straight league defeat when trailing 2-5 to 0-14.
But then a substitution paid off when Tinryland's Gary Morrissey, only minutes on the field, smashed a superb levelling goal.
A draw now seemed inevitable. But Carlow's best player, Thomas Walsh, set his side on the attack, a Carlow forward was tripped and won a 40-metre free, and left full forward Brian Kelly kicked a magnificent winning point.
After conceding a 16th-minute penalty gaol by Carlow's Simon Rea, Clare had come back to lead 0-8 to 1-4 at half-time and with corner forward Stephen Hickey in fine form seemed at one point to be headed for victory - but Carlow's fighting spirit won the day.
CARLOW: J Clarke; C McCarthy, B Farrell, B English; J Kavanagh, J Hayden, W Power; D Byrne, P Kiernan (0-1); J Nevin, M Carpenter, D Nolan (1-0); S Rea (1-1), T Walsh (0-1), B Kelly (0-3). Subs: W Minchin for Byrne, P Nolan for Nolan, W Morrissey (1-0) for Rea, J McGrath for Kiernan.
CLARE: D O'Brien; P Gallagher, C Whelan, K Nugent; D Hedigan, N Griffin, M O'Connell; P Cosgrove, D Russell (0-1); D O'Driscoll (0-1), O O'Dwyer (0-2), P McMahon (0-2); J Enright (0-3), M O'Shea (0-1), S Hickey (0-4). Subs: A Clohessy for Griffin, M Daly for Hickey.
Referee: Broderick (Cavan)
