Its a funny old game, a well known soccer pundit who’s name I cant for the life of me remember, once said. GAA fans in Antrim I suppose are like GAA fans everywhere and as we carried reports on Antrim’s defeat to Laois at the weekend in that very important hurling play-off game and on Antrim loss to Carlow in a very important National Football league game one thing became apparent to me.

A county hurling game and a county football game on the same day usually ensures that our viewing figures are up considerably  but on Sunday that wasn’t the case and they were indeed considerably down. I’ve no doubt that double defeat was the reason. ‘It’s a great game when your winning’ a dear friend of mine, now deceased used to say. The first time he said it it didn’t quite sink in but later when I thought of what he had said it made a lot of sense.

Hopefully Antrim hurlers and footballers will put their weekend disappointments behind them and return to winning ways after all Antrim, while winning only one game in the NHL Division 1B performed very well this year and prior to Sunday the footballers had dropped only one point.

While Antrim fans get over their disappointment and reflect on what might have been I wondered just how Carlow players and fans reacted to a first promotion in 33 years. I waited for a time after the game at Corrigan as their hardy bunch of supporters and players remained on the Corrigan pitch to celebrate this once in a lifetime achievement and the words of that old friend came back to me ‘It’s a great game when your winning’

So how would their new found success and promotion be greeted in Carlow? I contacted John Foley, Sports Editor of the Carlow Nationalists for whom I was doing some photographs at the game and he very kindly sent me a report and reactions from Sunday’s game.

National Football League Division 4

Carlow clinch promotion as they make it six from six

Carlow 1-12 Antrim 0-12

By Kieran Murphy (Carlow Nationalist)

REMEMBER the date. Remember the venue. March 18 2018. Corrigan Park.

The home of St John’s GAA on the Whiterock Road in West Belfast sits proudly on a hill between the Ballymurphy Road and Falls Road areas.

It was here on Sunday Turlough O’Brien’s charges put the final part of the National Football League Division 4 jigsaw promotion surge into place when making it six wins out of six. Irrespective of what happens when Laois come to Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday, Carlow are going up.

The Barrowsiders can also look forward to a league decider, hopefully in Croke Park on the weekend of April 7/8.

That won’t be decided by those on the Croke Park fixtures committee until later. The northerners have two more games to get it right but Carlow won’t mind who they play in the divisional final. Bring it on. Laois or Antrim.

And the beauty is that no-one can say they didn’t deserve it. They also did it the hard way. Four wins on the road makes their achievement all the sweeter. The pressure is off now and the players will surely remember this St Patrick’s weekend for the rest of their lives.

In their own inimitable style they started this game just as they have started many of their previous challenges. As soon as one player gets his hands on the ball others move in different directions, attacking space and making themselves available for the pass. This careful and planned approach sucks the energy out of the opposition.

Three times in the opening eight minutes Paul Broderick knocked over points from placed balls when Antrim frustration drew frees. Conor Murray replied for the home side who themselves enjoyed a purple patch when drawing level with two frees from CJ McGourty.

The visitors never trailed over the 70-odd minutes. For 10 minutes of the half they had to work hard to re-impose themselves. They were successful in this when Broderick landed two more frees and Darragh Foley finally got Carlow off the mark from play after just under a half an hour. The strong wind blew across the pitch from the city end of the ground but significantly it favoured Carlow ever so slightly in the second half. In terms of morale and confidence their 0-6 to 0-4 interval lead was huge.

Even more so when Eoghan Ruth flighted over another point within a minute of the restart. The cheer from the Carlow supporters just behind him spoke volumes as to how they were feeling. They dared to believe.

McGourty replied for Antrim but again Carlow hit back with further points from Foley and Broderick to put the visitors four points ahead. Substitute Kristan Healy knocked over a good point for the Saffrons who were hanging on at this stage. Another dead ball effort brought it back to a two-point game.

Up to this, a number of tackles from either side were punished with yellow cards. Stephen Beatty, who had replaced the black carded Kevin O’Boyle, then clashed with the onrushing Jordan Morrissey. Another yellow surely? Not this time. The substitute saw a straight red and Antrim’s hopes of victory took a massive blow.

With 10 minutes remaining, Paul Broderick stood over a difficult free out on the right side and into the wind. He struck his effort well. His attempt looked as if it was going over the bar but the ball dipped viciously and came back off the crossbar. It looked to be dropping over the goal line and all Chris Kerr, the Antrim keeper, could do was claw it away. He couldn’t get any force on his save and Darragh Foley hammered the loose ball home. This might not be the most spectacular goal the Kilbride man has ever scored, but it will live long in his memory.

Playing against 14 players with a five-point lead, this was now Carlow’s to lose. They still had to withstand a late revival from Antrim who dug deep in the final minutes. Four minutes of injury time seemed to go on for ever. McGourdy and subs Odhran Eastwood and Paddy McBride all pointed as Antrim looked to get something out of the game. In reply Eoghan Ruth’s second point was vital for Carlow.

Carlow nerves jingled in the countdown to the final whistle but they finished on a high, working the ball down the field where the visitors won a free.

All Broderick had to do was to make sure the ball went dead. His effort skimmed the right-hand upright and deflected wide. It didn’t matter. The final whistle came on the kick-out.

Players, the management team and supporters who had made the long journey from a snow-covered Carlow to this Belfast venue gathered together as one. Memories are made of this.

Carlow: Robbie Molloy (Rathvilly); Chris Crowley (Palatine), Shane Redmond (Tinryland), Conor Lawlor (Palatine); Jordan Morrissey (0-1, Éire Óg), Daniel St Ledger (Kildavin-Clonegal), Ciaran Moran (Palatine); Brendan Murphy (Rathvilly), Sean Murphy (Fenagh); Sean Gannon (Éire Óg), Darragh Foley (1-2, 0-1 free, Kilbride), Eoghan Ruth (0-2, Éire Óg); Paul Broderick (0-7 frees, Tinryland), Darragh O’Brien (Éire Óg), John Murphy (Grange). Subs: Cian Lawlor (Tinryland) for O’Brien (48 mins), Mark Rennick (Palatine) for Gannon (62 mins), Benny Kavanagh (Éire Óg) for Morrissey (65 mins), Lee Walker (O’Hanrahan’s) for Foley (67 mins). Rest of panel: Craig Kearney (Palatine), Diarmuid Walshe (Tinryland), Danny Moran (Tinryland), Jamie Clarke (St Andrew’s), Liam Sheppard (Fighting Cocks), Conor Crowley (Palatine), Kieran Nolan (Fighting Cocks), Mark Furey (Éire Óg), Jack Kennedy (St Patrick’s), Liam Roberts (Kildavin-Clonegal), Shane Clarke (St Andrew’s), Simon Doyle (O’Hanrahan’s), Darren Lunney (Ballinabranna), Brian Cawley (O’Hanrahan’s), Barry John Molloy (Rathvilly)

Antrim: Chris Kerr; Peter Healy, Patrick Gallagher, Niall Delargy; Kevin O’Boyle, Mark Sweeney, James Laverty; Ricky Johnston, Paddy McAleer; Matthew Fitzpatrick (0-1), Conor Murray (0-1), Ruairi McCann; CJ McGourty (0-7, 6fs), Colum Duffin, Ryan Murray. Subs: Kristan Healy (0-1) for R. Murray (h/t), Stephen Beatty for O’Boyle (black card 48 mins), Odhran Eastwood (0-1) for Sweeney (black card 63 mins), Paddy McBride (0-1) for Laverty (66 mins).

Referee: Barry Judge (Sligo)

Carlow’s John Murphy (15) and Shane Redmond (3) in action at Corrigan on Sunday

‘Goal came at perfect time’: Murphy

By Kieran Murphy

JOHN Murphy is the sort of fella who takes it all in his stride. He doesn’t seem to get too downhearted when faced with sporting disappointment while, on the other hand, his analysis of what Carlow achieved on Sunday was measured as he chose his words well. He said he never gave up hope that he would be involved with a Carlow team who achieved promotion.

“I wouldn’t like to say never, but look at last year. We lost to Leitrim when we shouldn’t have. That was a good learning curve. We talked about this being a big game but every game is a big game. The London game was massive as there was hype coming into the season. If we had lost to London the whole season could have come crashing down. We were able to build on every game,” said the Carlow captain.

He agreed Darragh Foley’s strike was crucial.

“The goal came at a perfect time and put four in it. We stretched it out to five. They got it back to three but never looked like scoring a goal.”

Murphy said the Carlow tactics required patience and self-belief.

“It makes you work hard and focusses the mind in terms of nerves and things like that. You have your job to do and you focus on that. When you have that game plan, even in the second half when they got back to within a point, they were finding it very hard to score and get through us. I was a question of keeping to the game plan and keeping the heads.

“Even near the end there were times when we had chances of shots which might have been Hail Mary shots but we stuck to the game plan. Run the ball hard, get the ball down field and run with the ball down the field. I might not be pretty to look at, but it is effective,” said Murphy.

“The lads are incredible. The majority of the team are in their late 20s and a few young lads have added a bit to it this year.”

Jordan Morrissey is one of those who has made the transition from talented teenager. In his first year with the senior team he has done something which many before him were unable to do.

“It is a good group of lads and good management that has all come together at the one time. I am just lucky to be involved at such a time,” he said.

Darragh Foley fires home the Carlow goal in Sunday’s win over Antrim

‘Sweet feeling’ is a reward for perseverance

By Kieran Murphy

IN 2015 and 2016 Darragh Foley captained Carlow. Benny Kavanagh wore the skipper’s armband for the previous two years. They have been through thick and thin so it was fitting the two lads made a contribution in Belfast on Sunday.

Kavanagh has come out of cruciate troubles which threatened his career. He could have been forgiven if he had retired in 2017. He didn’t and his perseverance has been rewarded.

“It is a sweet feeling. I wouldn’t say there were bad years. We had wins along the way, but today makes it all worthwhile,” said the Éire Óg man.

Darragh Foley referred to disappointing days in a Carlow jersey but he says he was never going to throw in the towel.

“Unreal. It is a testament to the group of lads there. After nine years with the county team they are after making my dreams come through,” said the Carlow goalscorer.

“We had lots of dark days. Meath put us to the sword in Dr Cullen one day. It is always hard to come back but Brendan Murphy is one of the best footballers in the country. I don’t want to be singling lads out but lads like Sean Murphy, Paul Broderick… there is a good team. There is great talent there and thankfully we have seen it come to the fore.”

It’s interesting that he should remember the Royal County. Mark Rennick’s father, Niall, played for both the Meath and Carlow senior footballers. Now here was the young Palatine man enjoying one of the great days for Carlow football. He is now part of Carlow footballing folklore.

“It is completely different comparing club to county. It is hard to compare the two. This is so different. It is so hard to get out of the basement,” said Mark.

Foley would surely endorse that comment.

“I suppose since Turlough (O’Brien) took over and Steve (Poacher) came on board with the management team, we could see a progression taking place. We knew we were good enough and now we are unbeaten in nine national league games [including last season] which is unbelievable for us,” he said.

Even before he had left the ground, Kavanagh was looking to a bright future for Carlow football.

“The thing is they are coming into a good atmosphere. I refer back to when it was tough going. These lads don’t know any different now and we have to keep that mentality going. We are in Division 3 now and that was always the goal.”

 

Carlow’s Brendan Murphy dives in to win possession from Antrim’s Kevin O’Boyle

BRENDAN Murphy is one of the most talked about footballers not alone in Carlow, but in the entire country. Behind his size and strength lies a bottomless pit of skill and match awareness.

There have been disappointing days but even then he gives his all whether it be with club or county. He gave it in spades on Sunday. His post-match comments came from the heart when he asked if he thought this day would ever come.

“No. Never. That’s being honest. Never thought it,” the Rathvilly man confessed who went on to pinpoint where he felt the success came from.

“For two or three years we have stuck together. It was a good move bringing in Steve Poacher. I have never met a man like him in the way he thinks about football and how he analyses football. Along with the entire management team.”

He praised the Carlow manager for putting personal pride to one side when making the decision to bring in outside help.

“For Turlough it is all about Carlow and us doing well. Turlough doesn’t care. He is the proudest man in Ireland today.”

Murphy played with Carlow in a Leinster minor football final in the late 2000s.

“This is 100 times better. This is our All-Ireland,” said the Rathvilly midfielder.

Like Murphy, Eoghan Ruth has won county titles with his club, Éire Óg. Is it right to compare club success with intercounty achievement?

“It is a fair question,” said Ruth. “It is intercounty. You can win a couple of county titles and the media cover it at home, but this is Carlow getting to the Division 3. It is huge. It is a bigger game. It is more physical. Yes, it is a bigger prize.”

Ruth talked about previous days in a Carlow jersey when they started off new seasons full of hope but saw that hope cruelly dashed.

“Every year I was with a Carlow panel we had a meeting at the start of the year and promotion was mentioned. Some years it took longer than other years, but usually it ended in disappointment. This year was completely different.”

Ruth said the players tried not to look too far ahead.

“The pressure mounted. In other years five out of five might have got us up. This year it didn’t. We knew we had to come to Belfast. A tight pitch, a tricky pitch. The crowd on top, but we knew what we were waiting to do and got over the line,” said Eoghan.

With 2-28 to his name in five league games, Paul Broderick had to know that there were levels of expectation on his head. He handled it well and his two early successfully converted frees on the right at a tricky angle instilled confidence into the entire effort.

“I suppose a lot of the scores (I get) are frees but I am more than happy to take them when lads go down,” said Carlow’s leading scorer.

At the final whistle, even in defeat, the Antrim players, their management team and some of their supporters took time out to congratulate the Carlow team and their supporters. Broderick alluded to this afterwards.

“Conditions were difficult. In fairness to Antrim, they looked after us. The dressing rooms were top notch and we were delighted we got to play it.

“You think the worst when you come to club pitches. You could be left in a cold dressing room but I have to say St John’s pitch has been top-notch. It was a tough game but there was no real edge past the dirty mark with it.”

THANKS and all might not yet be lost

Our thanks to the Carlow Nationalist and Carlow who may well have ended our promotion hopes on Sunday could still turn out to be a useful allay. If they were to beat Laois or even draw with them at Dr. Cullen park on Sunday and if Antrim were to defeat Limerick in Limerick, then a win in Antrim’s final game of the season in Portlaoise wouls still ensure them promotion to division 3.