They battled the mud, superior size and a few hairy decisions to clinch their second successive set of NFL points, at Ardfinnan on Sunday.

It was far from championship glamour, before less than 200, and little visiting encouragement, but the team put in a knock-out performance and rose considerably in stature in the eyes of the few who followed them the 65 miles to the Tipperary venue.

It is easier to limp through the motions in such a dreary February fixture, but this crew showed bottle and heart against the ‘02 Munster final-ists, and with up to a dozen of that panel on duty.

Unfortunately the buzz was dampened when Peter Kiernan broke his led in a collision with Benny Hickey in the 23 minute; the crack audible in the stand. It was more than 30 minutes before the Clonmore midfielder was removed by ambulance.

It’s an ill wind... and the upshot of the accident was that Peter’s replacement, lanky auctioneering student Thomas Walsh stepped in to play the proverbial blinder at No. 8; he and the hardworking John McGrath depriving the towering Aidan Fitzgerald and the linking Fergal O’Callaghan of the freedom their size would have suggested.

It would be easy to patron-ise the occasional win by a normally unsuccessful county, but the depth of commitment was quite remarkable, and from many players unaccustomed to the upside of the scoreboard.

Defending the town end and with the gentle breeze, Carlow put the first digit on the board when Simon Rea converted a free in the third minute after good introductory work by the rejuvenated Pat Nolan at No. 14, Rea and the fouled David Byrne.

But Tipp were not about to surrender the initiative and retorted through a pointed Peter Lambert free 30 second later. Carlow swarmed again and McGrath finished a move involving John Hayden and Rea into the sixth minute.

Then a blow when a mix-up between the vigilant Paudge McGrath and Brian Farrell, saw a cross from the right fall loose and the tall Benny Hickey slid it low to the net in the 19th minute.

‘Scally’ Nolan had Carlow on terms two later and Rea freed them ahead again in the 23rd.

But the twin dangers of Tony Doyle and Declan Brown were a constant threat and the latter forced parity again with one of four points from frees in the 28th minute.

Just as it seemed Carlow had lost the edge, the ball was worked through Cormac McCarthy, McGrath, Nolan and Johnny Kavanagh with Rea gliding across the goal from the right and pumping a shot wide of Philly Ryan.

Brown converted another free but a factor in the Barrowside win was their high-note finish to the half with points from a pumpedup Johnny Nevin and Johnny Kavanagh in the 42nd and 43rd minutes to see Carlow break 1-7 to 1-3.

Mind you, they could have stretched that lead but for a few erratic shots at goal -not all of the six wides caused by home covering.

With the breeze at their backs Tipp. were not far off the pace, but they got a roasting from a Carlow defence which was quite splendid - McCarthy, Barry English, John Hayden and Willie Power up against quite an urgent home attack in the second half.

For moments it seemed that Fitzgerald would tilt the scales in the middle, while the movement of Doyle and Brown was menacing. The latter pointed a free in the fourth minute, but Nolan closed a superb raid involving Nevin, who was playing behind mid-field, and very successfully, Nolan and David Byrne. Then Rea converted a free and McGrath pumped a long, long shot over the Tipp bar in the tenth minute.

‘Keeper McGrath made some very timely interceptions in this half and none more valuable than foiling Brown who seemed through from Fitzgerald and Doyle. And the Clonmore last liner was in lights moments later when he prevented Hickey from finding the net also after some nifty play from Brown, John Paul Looby and Paul Cahill.

It was some testament to the Carlow defence that Tipp failed to score between the third and 17th minutes, and although the home team finished powerfully, they were out of the picture after McGrath and Kavanagh put Rea in the scoring zone to bring the score to 1-10 to 1-4 and with the backs flying.

Although Tipp outscored the visitors 4-3 in the closing quarter, Carlow confidence was rising with the ebbing minutes and it was significant that the final four Tipp scores came from Doyle and Brown (two frees).

Tipp had one real goal opportunity in the 21st minute when Brown threaded through a marvellous eye-of-the-needle dispatch to Doyle who thudded a goal-intended shot off the crossbar and over for a point - their last real chance of salvaging anything from the game.

Nevin played like a teenager, defending for most of the second half. Walsh could be answer to previous lack of height in the middle. The six backs were like sellotape, led well by Hayden while at the other end Nolan led the charge, particularly in the opening half, with Rea and Kavanagh working like beavers.

It may be a long way from May, but if this improvement is maintained, perhaps they will again believe that they can topple Westmeath. It won’t for want of work-rate.

Carlow were awarded 19 of the 46 frees (they soaked up the additional pressure admirably) and kicked eight (6-2) wides to Tipp’s eight also (3,5).

Next on the menu is a 1.30 start against Derry on Sunday and looking at the northerners facile win last weekend it will be an even stiffer test for the Barrowsiders.

CARLOW: Paudge McGrath (Clonmore) Cormac McCarthy (Eire Og) Brian Farrell (Palatine) Barry English (O’Hanrahans) Willie Minchin (Old Leighlin) John Hayden (do) Willie Power (Tinryland) Peter Kiernan (Clonmore) John McGrath (do) 0-2 Johnny Nevin (O. Leighlin) 0-1 David Byrne (Kildavin-Clonegal) Johnny Kavanagh (Leighlin) 0-1 Simon Rea (Eire Og) 1-4, three frees Pat Nolan (Fenagh) 0-4 Brian Kelly (Palatine) Subs: Thomas Walsh (Fenagh) for Kiernan (inj 15), Damien Power (Tinryland) for Willie Power (32) Mark Carpenter (O’Hans) for Kelly ((59) Gary Morrissey (Tinryland) 0-1 for D. Byrne (76) John Kavanagh (Asca) 0-1 for Rea (80).

TIPPERARY: Philly Ryan (Commercials) Shane Maher (Burgess) Niall Kelly (Kildangan) Liam Cronin (Moyle) Damien Byrne (Fethard) Niall Fitzgerald (Moyle) Patrick Hally (Rockwell) Aidan Fitzgerald (Fethard) Fergal O’Callaghan (Commercials) Kevin Mulryan (JK Brackens) Eamon Hanrahan (Comm) Benny Hickey (Cahir) 1-0 Tony Doyle (Killenaule) 0-1 Peter Lambert (Ardfinnan) 0-1 free Declan Brown (Moyle) 0-6 four frees. Subs: Paul Cahill (Grangemockler) for Mulryan (26) Liam England (Inane Rovers) for Lambert (inj 33) John Paul Looby (Fethard) for Hally (35) Michael Webster (Loughmore) for Aidan Fitzgerald (63)

REF: Raymond Doone (Antrim).

 

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