Gaelic Games

Martin Kavanagh rescues point for Carlow as Offaly fail to close out game

Home side had plenty of chances to put away their opponents but left the door ajar for comeback

Carlow's James Doyle rises high to catch the sliotar during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B match against Offaly at Bord na Mona O'Connor Park in Tullamore. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Carlow's James Doyle rises high to catch the sliotar during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B match against Offaly at Bord na Mona O'Connor Park in Tullamore. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Sat Jan 25 2025 - 17:09
NHL Division 1B: Offaly 0-19 Carlow 1-16

Carlow snatched a deserved draw as Offaly failed to put them away when they were on the ropes in a very evenly fought National Hurling League Division 1B tussle in O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Saturday.

A 73rd-minute free from Martin Kavanagh, hit from just inside his own 65-metre line, gave Carlow a draw and they were delighted with that. Offaly didn’t play particularly well on the day but will still be very disappointed at dropping a point. Their last score from a David Nally free in the 59th minute gave them a 0-19 to 1-14 lead and while Kavanagh’s 62nd-minute free reduced it to a point, Offaly had more than enough possession and opportunities to open up a two-point gap, if not bigger.

They should certainly have left Carlow needing a goal in injury-time and Kavanagh having to drop his last-gasp free in around the house. Instead, Offaly wasted a few very decent opportunities and let Carlow off the hook.

Offaly found it hard to settle and trailed for a long part of the first half. A fine passing move sent Jake Doyle in for a fifth-minute goal for a 1-0 to 0-2 lead and Carlow posed plenty of problems for the home side after this.

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They led by 1-5 to 0-6 after 17 minutes, 1-7 to 0-9 after 24 but they didn’t score again in the half, hitting some poor wides. Offaly improved as the half wore on, they sharpened up throughout the field and got four points without reply for a 0-13 to 1-7 half-time lead – with Dan Bourke and Charlie Mitchell very sharp in their attack, getting three points from play each.

Kavanagh’s free-taking was super in the second half as Carlow levelled it up at 1-12 to 0-15 after 46 minutes. They were 1-14 to 0-16 ahead seven minutes later before Offaly finally found form. Three points put them two ahead but they couldn’t close it out.

OFFALY: M Troy; P Cantwell, C Burke, J Mahon; R Ravenhill, D Shirley, D King; C King (0-1), J Sampson; K Sampson (0-2), D Bourke (0-3), O Kelly; D Ravenhill, C Mitchel (0-4), D Nally (0-9, 8f). Subs: B Duignan for J Samspon (44 mins); C Spain for D Ravenhill (47); S Bourke for King (54m).

CARLOW: B Tracey; J McCullagh, P Doyle, T Lawlor; F Fitzpatrick, D Wall, E Kealey; K McDonald (0-1), C Whelan (0-1); J Nolan, M Kavanagh (0-12, 12f), F O’Toole; Jake Doyle (1-0), P Boland, James Doyle (0-2). Subs: J Treacy for O’Toole, C Kehoe for Jake Doyle (both h-t); D Murphy for Fitzpatrick (65 mins); T Joyce for J Nolan (69).

Referee: C McDonald (Antrim), replaced by S Cleere (Kilkenny) (24 mins).