Midfielder Brendan Murphy kicked the injury-time winner as Carlow pulled off a famous victory over Louth in Portlaoise.
Murphy (0-03) and Daniel St Ledger reeled off the last four points to send Luke Dempsey’s side into the semi-finals of the Leinster Championship.
Wind-backed Louth were 0-08 to 0-05 behind at half-time, with defender Dessie Finnegan sent-off for his second bookable offence.
Shane Lennon hit six points to inspire Louth’s fight back and they looked in good stead at 0-13 to 0-10 ahead, but the Barrowsiders outlasted them in a thrilling finish.
Last year’s beaten Leinster finalists were boosted by the return of Mick Fanning to their defence, while a fully-fit Lennon was restored to the full-forward berth.
Carlow pressed three players into Championship action for the first time – goalkeeper Trevor O’Reilly, full-back Conor Lawlor and wing forward Ed Finnegan – and Murphy, who injured his ankle in a recent challenge game against Cavan, was rated fit enough to start.
The early exchanges were typically fast-paced and physical and it was Carlow who hit the ground running. They opened up a 0-03 to 0-01 lead courtesy of points from Patrick Hickey, Daniel St Ledger and Sean Gannon.
St Ledger launched over an inspiring free in the 12th minute, and Gannon put the finishing touch to a free-flowing move.
Lennon and David Reid registered Louth’s first points and they would have been celebrating an early goal – but for excellent save by O’Reilly as Liam Shevlin tried to find the net.
By the midpoint of the half, a fascinating midfield duel between Murphy and Brian Donnelly, both former Australian Rules hopefuls, was playing out. Brian Murphy, the corner forward, kept Carlow on course at 0-04 to 0-02.
Donnelly replied to a Darragh Foley free with a thumping effort off the ground which should have driven Louth on. Instead, their defence was far too sluggish and captain Paddy Keenan was also struggling to make an impact in centre-field.
The two-point buffer remained as St Ledger and Keenan exchanged points amid a period pockmarked by wides. As half-time approached, newcomer Finnegan opened his Championship account with a well-taken seventh for his side.
Louth suffered an untimely setback when corner back Dessie Finnegan pulled down Gannon and picked up his second yellow card. St Ledger delighted the Carlow support by pointing the resulting free from close to the sideline.
There was still time for Derek Maguire to add a final point to Louth’s tally, with Peter Fitzpatrick’s charges profiting from a long ball tactic which had caused Carlow some problems over the first 35 minutes.
Still, the underdogs, chasing their first Championship win since 2006, were full value for their interval advantage. They had the benefit of the wind behind them for the second period, but Louth improved immediately.
Lennon clipped over two frees and Derek Crilly added his name to the scoresheet, with half-time substitutes Ronan Carroll and Andy McDonnell keen to get involved.
Darragh Foley converted his second free for Carlow to nudge them ahead again (0-09 to 0-08), yet Louth were beginning to click in attack. They moved the ball at pace and Keenan kicked them level.
Carlow were guilty of coughing up possession far too easily and Lennon showed his accuracy again from frees, splitting the posts with two more. Carroll chipped in with a point too, leaving Carlow in trouble.
Brian Murphy ended Carlow’s scoreless spell, however Lennon replied with his sixth of the afternoon and Lawlor earned his corn when denying the full-forward a goal-scoring opportunity.
There was a sense that a goal or another couple of points would get 14-man Louth over the finish line, but the scores never came due to poor shooting and also some tenacious play from Carlow.
Brendan Murphy fired over a monster point to draw comparisons with Maurice Fitzgerald’s majestic sideline score for Kerry from 2001, and the Rathvilly clubman then reduced the arrears to just one with five minutes remaining.
50 metres out from goal, corner forward St Ledger levelled the sides with a booming free and the knockout blow came from man-of-the-match Murphy, who drilled over after good approach work from Paul Cashin and substitute Johnny Murphy.
Wexford, such impressive winners over Westmeath last night, will provide the opposition for Dempsey’s men at Croke Park on Sunday, 26 June.
CARLOW: T O’Reilly; A Murphy, C Lawlor, B Kavanagh; P Cashin, S Redmond, K Nolan; Brendan Murphy (0-03, 0-01sl), D Foley (0-02, 0-02f); P Hickey (0-01), T Walsh, E Finnegan (0-01); Brian Murphy (0-02, 0-01f), S Gannon (0-01), D St Ledger (0-04, 0-03f).
Subs used: P Murphy for Kavanagh (55 mins), C Mullins for Finnegan (61), J Murphy for Foley (63), E Ruth for Hickey (68).
LOUTH: S Connor; D Byrne, A Hoey, D Finnegan; R Finnegan, M Fanning, L Slevin; P Keenan (0-02), B Donnelly (0-1, 0-01f); D Crilly (0-01), D Reid (0-01), A Reid; D Maguire (0-01), S Lennon (0-06, 0-04f), JP Rooney.
Subs used: A McDonnell for Rooney, R Carroll (0-01) for D Reid (both half-time), P Smith for McDonnell (63), S Fitzpatrick for Crilly (70).
Referee: Derek Fahy (Longford)
