Gaelic Games

Offaly do enough in injury-time rally against Carlow

Brendan Murphy injury slows down the Carlow charge

Offaly manager Pat Flanagan and selector James Stewart will be delighted with their team’s hard earned win against Carlow. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Offaly manager Pat Flanagan and selector James Stewart will be delighted with their team’s hard earned win against Carlow. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Sun Mar 15 2015 - 18:59

Offaly 0-14 Carlow 1-10

A very relieved Offaly side kept their Division Four promotion hopes very much on track when they snatched a late victory at home to Carlow.

Centre half back John Moloney fisted over the crucial winning point a minute into injury time as Offaly did just enough to secure the two points.

Cormac Mullins’ point had put Carlow in front with just a minute left before Offaly rallied. They were very fortunate to win against a brave Carlow team who will go away thinking that they deserved at least a share of the spoils. Yet after losing their way after the outstanding Brendan Murphy went off injured with twelve minutes left it became a very uphill battle.

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Offaly led by 0-5 to 0-4 after playing against the wind in a very closely contested first half. Ten minutes into the second half, Pat Flanagan’s team still led by 0-9 to 0-6 before Carlow then produced their best spell.

Scoring 1-3 without reply, the goal via Darragh O’Brien, but Offaly quickly fought their way back into it to set up a grandstand finish.

OFFALY: A Mulhall; B Darby (0-1), P McConway, J O'Connor; D Hogan, J Moloney (0-1), N Darby; G Guilfoyle, N Smith; E Carroll (0-1), N McNamee (0-2), K Mullally; B Allen (0-7, 4f), N Dunne, W Mulhall (0-1). Subs: A Sullivan for Mullally (35m), P Sullivan for Guilfoyle (51m), J Evans (0-1) for Dunne (62m).

CARLOW: C Kearney; BJ Molloy, S Redmond, K Nolan; M Fitzgerald, D St Ledger (0-1), B Kavanagh; S Gannon (0-1), B Murphy (0-2); C Moran (0-1), H Gahan, D Bambrick; E Finnegan (0-1), J Murphy (0-1), D O'Brien (1-2). Subs: D Foley for Gahan (44m), C Mulins (0-1) for Moran (48m), J Kane for Murphy (58m), M Meaney for Finnegan (Black card, 70m).

Referee: D Maher (Westmeath).