CARLOW SFC FINAL REPLAY Old Leighlin 1-11 Rathvilly 0-7:OLD Leighlin lifted the Conlon Cup for just the second time in the club's history after a deserved victory over Rathvilly.
While many believed they had blown their chance to claim the title after last week’s draw, their ability to close down the space and create it at the other end proved an unstoppable combination.
Swapping scores with Rathvilly the sides looked to be going in at the break level until Cathal Coughlan fired a penalty into the top corner with the last kick of the half to make it 1-5 to 0-5.
The expected Rathvilly onslaught never came and when International Rules midfielder Brendan Murphy was given a late red card, there was no way back.
OLD LEIGHLIN: J Clarke; R Burke, M Meaney, S Daly; D Dowling, J Hayden, G Hickey; P Hickey (0-1), M Brennan; D Kelly (0-1), C Coughlan (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free), H Gahan (0-1); W Minchin, D Bambrick (0-3), S Kinsella (0-2, 0-1 free). Subs: S Kinsella (0-1)for Minchin (15 mins, inj), B Lawlor for Gahan (60 mins), J Nevin for S Kinsella (60 mins).
RATHVILLY: R Molloy; J Kehoe, T Bolger, K Byrne; A Bolger, S Kavanagh BJ Molloy; K Doyle, Brendan Murphy; Brian Murphy (0-3, one free), Alan Kelly, E Finnegan (0-1); D O'Brien, JJ Smith (0-3, 0-1 free), Danny Molloy. Subs: J O'Donoghue for A Bolger (half-time), G Dempsey for O'Brien (37 mins), D Byrne for Finnegan (43 mins), B Leonard for Kavanagh (51 mins).
Referee: K Kelly(Fighting Cocks).
