Carlow inflicted Tailteann Cup heart-break on Oisin McConville's Wicklow when a late Jonah Dunne point completed an inspired comeback from Niall Carew’s men and gained revenge for the Leinster championship defeat by the same opposition only a few short weeks ago.
Leading by 1-13 to 0-11 with six minutes of normal time remaining, the Wicklow supporters in Echelon Park Aughrim were in good voice as it looked a done deal that they would be getting their campaign off to a winning start courtesy of a strong second-half showing where Conor Fee had dazzled with three points and Eoin D’Arcy had palmed home to the only goal of the game after 58 minutes.
However, Carlow had other ideas, and their stunning performance for the last six minutes of normal and the five minutes of injury time saw them eat into the Wicklow lead until right at the death. Savage work from full-back Mikey Bambrick set substitute Jonah Dunne free and he fisted over the black spot to send the Carlow supporters wild with delight in the May sunshine.
The key to Carlow’s recovery was their performance around the middle of the field in those final 11 minutes where they won four of Mark Jackson’s five restarts, allowing them launch attack after attack with the accurate Darragh Foley on hand to punish three times from frees.
Shane Clarke, Aaron Amond and Tinryland’s Dunne all fired over from play in as dramatic a finish to a game as you’re ever likely to see.
Such a thrilling conclusion seemed unlikely after a tepid opening 35 with the teams heading into the dressing rooms tied at 0-6 apiece, both missing goal chances in a half where Carlow conceded the Wicklow kick-outs and looked to turn them over and then cause damage on the counter.
Carlow were wasteful with eight wides in the opening half, 14 overall, but certainly looked the sharper with Conor Crowley, Ross Dunphy, Foley and Jordan Morrissey looking very capable.
Wicklow had a goal chance saved at the death of the opening half, and had Eoin D’Arcy, Mark Jackson and Conor Fee to thank for their six points.
The game exploded in the second half, Conor Fee scoring two sweet points in 90 seconds, and Wicklow opened up that 1-13 to 0-11 lead and looked set to record an opening-day victory ahead of their visit to Longford next week.
But back came the Carlow men, roared on by a sizable support, with Jonah Dunne firing over that precious winner and sending them through to the second round with a real pep in their step.
Wicklow: Mark Jackson (0-3, 2f, 1 45); Eoin Murtagh, Paul McLoughlin, Malachy Stone; Cillian McDonald (0-1), Paddy O'Keane, Joe Prendergast (0-1); Dean Healy, Podge O’Toole; JP Nolan, JP Hurley, Jack Kirwan; Mark Kenny, Conor Fee (0-4), Eoin D’Arcy (1-4, 1m).
Subs: Johnny Keogh for JP Nolan (50), Matt Nolan for C McDonald (inj, 55), Fintan O’Shea for M Kenny (62), Cian O’Sullivan for J Prendergast (62), Craig Maguire for J Kirwan (69).
Carlow: Johnny Furey; Shane Buggy, Mikey Bambrick, Niall Hickey; Shane Clarke (0-1), Mark Furey, Colm Hulton (0-1); Conor Doyle (0-1, 45), Jordan Morrissey; Seánie Bambrick, Ciarán Moran, Ross Dunphy (0-4); Conor Crowley (0-1), Darragh Foley (0-7, 6f), Jamie Clarke.
Subs: Jonah Dunne (0-1) for N Hickey (55), Dara Curran for S Buggy (63), Eric Molloy for J Clarke (65), Aaron Amond (0-1) for C Hulton (65), Finbar Kavanagh for C Doyle (70).
Referee: Séamus Mulhare (Offaly)
