Carlow 1-17 Wicklow 1-12
Carlow are into the second round of the football qualifiers thanks to an inspirational performance from Brendan Murphy at Dr Cullen Park helped his side to a 1-17 to 1-12 victory over Wicklow.
Murphy goaled in the fifth minute to help his side into a 1-09 to 1-05 lead at the break, and despite Paul Cunningham reply for Wicklow there was no way back for Johnny Magee's side, who tasted defeat for the second time this summer.
Carlow had the breeze behind them in the first-half and they used it to full effect as they raced into a 1-06 to 0-01 lead before the 20th minute.
The first point from play didn’t come until Wicklow corner-back Aaron Murphy scored in the 24th minute, but in the meantime Carlow raced clear with Darragh Foley on form from frees.
Carlow full-back Daniel St Ledger scored the first point inside the opening minute and Foley scored their second soon after, before Brendan Murphy broke through for the Carlow goal.
He collected the ball burst past the challenge of Stephen Kelly and finished past Robert Lambert in the Wicklow goal.
It was a huge score and Wicklow didn’t have time to compose themselves as Foley made it 1-03 to 0-00 with his second free in ninth minute.
Paul Cunningham finally got Wicklow on the scoreboard with a free in the 11th minute but Foley added three more scores by the 18th minute and Carlow had moved clear.
Darragh O’Brien was shown a black card for an off the ball incident, but Carlow showed no signs of a let up.
But Aaron Murphy ended the scoring drought for Wicklow, and although Foley put Carlow 1-07 to 0-02 ahead, it was all Wicklow for the rest of the half.
Rory Finn and Cunningham reduced the arrears with two efforts and then with one minute of normal time remaining in the half Cunningham scored the Wicklow goal.
Paddy Byrne looked set to take his point, but he sent Cunningham through and he blasted the ball to the net.
But Carlow responded with points from Chris Blake and Brendan Murphy before a Cunningham free left Carlow leading 1-09 to 1-05 at half-time.
Carlow got the first two points of the second-half with Foley on target twice as they began to stretch clear again, but Wicklow hit three points in a row to bring themselves back into the game.
Darren Hayden stepped up to score two, and Cunningham reduced the margin to just three points but they couldn’t get any closer.
Graham Power got a vital point for Carlow and although Cunningham cancelled that out, the teams went point for point from here until the final quarter.
Carlow hit three in a row before Mark Kenny grabbed a consolation for Wicklow and Carlow saw it out with Sean Gannon’s black card making no difference.
Carlow: R Molloy; K Nolan, D St Ledger (0-03, 0-03f), BJ Molloy; G Kelly, J Murphy, B Kavanagh; Brendan Murphy (1-04) S Gannon; A Kelly, D O’Brien, H Gahan; D Smithers, D Foley (0-08, 0-05f), C Blake (0-01).
Subs used: G Power (0-01) for O’Brien (16, black card), D Moran for G Kelly (53), Brian Murphy for J Murphy (60), J Murphy for Brendan Murphy (65, black card), B Cawley for Gannon (72, black card)
Wicklow: R Lambert; C Hyland, P McLoughlin, A Murphy (0-01); J Snell, S Kelly, D Healy; N Gaffney, A McLoughlin; M Kenny (0-02), P Cunningham (1-06, 0-04f), D Hayden (0-02); P Byrne, R Finn (0-01), M Lennon.
Subs used: S Thompson for Lennon (35), D Woods for Gaffney (44), R O’Brien for McLoughlin (52), P O’Connor for Finn (59), M O’Connor for Byrne (69), J Crowe for Hayden (70).
Referee: P O’Sullivan (Kerry)
