After successive defeats to Wicklow, Limerick and Wexford, Carlow look to have found their mojo with a convincing National Football League Division 4 win over Longford.
The Barrowsiders produced a superb first-half performance with all their starting forwards featuring on the scoreboard by the 25th minute.
Their two goals came in the opening ten minutes as both Sean Murphy and Mikey Bambrick raised green flags after running at the away defence.
While the forwards led the way, Carlow's defence showed intensity, with a willingness to work which confounded Longford as they tried to come forward.
At the interval, the eventual winners led by 17, 2-13 to 0-02.
Longford came back into the contest after the break but they were never going to reel Carlow in.
Longford's Matthew Carey brought his total for the 70 minutes to six points, with five of those coming from frees.
Carlow keeper Johnny Furey ensured he kept a clean sheet when spreading himself well to keep out a close-range shot at his right-hand post from Jack Macken.
As the game headed towards its conclusion, Carlow’s Niall Hickey fired over a 50-metre two-pointer from play.
After that Dunphy had the last word for the winners with a nice point after a passing move, which could have even yielded a third goal.
In the end, it was a simple victory for the home side, who travel to take on London next week when Longford will host table-toppers Wexford. Both teams are out of promotion contention ahead of the final round.
KEY: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Carlow: Johnny Furey; Paddy Regan, Mark Furey, Lee Moore; Mark Mullen, Ciaran Moran (0-01), John Murphy (0-01); Conor Crowley (0-02 1f), Liam Brennan; Sean Murphy (1-01), Mikey Bambrick (1-04), Paddy McDonnell (0-01); Cormac Lomax (0-01), Ross Dunphy (0-04, 1f), Aaron Amond (0-03,1 tpf).
Subs: Conor Doyle for Lomax (43), Ian Atkinson for Murphy (49), James Whelan for Moore (52), Niall Hickey (0-02, 1 tp) for McDonnell (55), Kyle Nolan for Crowley (58), Rory Maguire for Regan (65).
Longford: Michael Hughes; Patrick Fox, Oisin O’Toole, Bryan Masterson; Peter Lynn, Ryan Moffett, Caolan Lynch (0-01); Dessie Reynolds (0-01), Daire Duggan; Jayson Matthews (0-02 1f), Matthew Carey (0-06 5fs), Shane Campbell; Aaron Farrell (0-01), Cathal McCabe (0-02), Oran Kenny.
Subs: James Moran for Campbell (33), Keelin McGann (0-01) for Lynch (50), Jack Macken for Kenny (61), Ruairi Harkin for Moffett (68), Cian Brady for Lynn (62).
Referee: Niall Quinn (Clare).
Waterford 1-19 London 2-11
Meanwhile, Jason Curry kicked 11 points for the hosts at Fraher Field as Waterford held off a London rally to secure their first league win in over two years.
The Déise were 7-4 ahead at half-time in a tight contest but pulled five clear before Aidan McLoughlin fisted a goal for London.
Two two-pointers from Curry re-established a five-point advantage but Daire Rooney's 68th-minute goal ensured a nervy finish before Dylan Guiry found the net to settle it deep in injury-time.
Scorers for Waterford: J Curry 0-11 (5fs, 2 tps, 1 45), D Guiry 1-00, A Dunwoody, D Ryan (1tp) 0-02 each, M O'Brien, C Murray, J Power, W Beresford 0-01 each.
Scorers for London: S Rafter 0-06 (3fs), D Rooney, A McLoughlin 1-00 each, L Gallagher 0-02 (1f), S Tucker (f), D Clarke, J Obahor 0-01 each.
WATERFORD: P Hunt; C Walsh, D Ó Cathasaigh, L Fennell; W Beresford, B Everard, D Ryan; T Guiry, R Furlong; C Ó Cuirrín, James Power, C Murray; M O'Brien, A Dunwoody, J Curry.
Subs: Jamie Power for Ó Cuirrín (51), D Guiry for O'Brien (62), J Walsh for Dunwoody (65), D Fitzgerald for Beresford (72), C Foley for Fennell (73).
LONDON: A Walsh; D Rooney, S Taylor, N McElwaine; E Walsh, C Gallagher, A McLoughlin; T Barry, L Gallagher; J Obahor, D Clarke, K Healy; M Moynihan, S Rafter, S Tucker.
Subs: M Walsh for C Gallagher (48), R Rafferty for Tucker (48), C McKeon for Obahor (54), J Crowley for Barry (68), O Hilley for McLoughlin (72)
Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary)
