Neighbours Carlow and Laois produced an epic Joe McDonagh Cup third round tie on Saturday.
Hero of the day was Marty Kavanagh who converted a penalty with the last puck of the game to give Carlow a share of the points.
At times this result looked beyond the home team as Laois outplayed Carlow at different stages of the contest. But, crucially, when they had opportunities they didn't take them and they also had Fiachra C Fennell sent off at the end of the third quarter when the corner-back picked up a second yellow card.
The loss of the player didn’t seem to trouble Laois though as they produced some of their best hurling in the final quarter and looked certain winners when two points from Stephen Maher and a long-range free from Enda Rowland put them three clear in injury time.
But in hindsight, this game was always going to head to a dramatic conclusion.
Maher was the Laois standout player in the opening half when he was deadly accurate from frees but also knew where the posts were when he had the ball in his hand. Midfielder Ross King scored four points from play in the half and at one stage the visitors led by six.
With Kavanagh pulling the strings up front and his brother Jack working hard in defence, Carlow built some momentum. With half-time approaching they only trailed by a solitary point but Maher’s final strike of the half nudged Laois into a 0-14 to 0-12 interval lead. Carlow had their keeper, Brian Tracey, to thank to as he made three superb saves at different stages of the half.
The Laois goal came in the opening minutes of the second half when Patrick Purcell found enough space to pass inside to Stephen Bergin. The corner forward still had it all to do and while his strike wasn’t picture perfect he still found the net from the edge of the small square.
Carlow were facing an uphill battle from there. Maher and Jack Kavanagh swapped points before the side in arrears made their bid.
Marty Kavanagh converted two frees and after taking a pass from Chris Nolan he found the posts from an awkward angle on the left.
The sides were level when Carlow supporters assumed Chris Nolan had been awarded a free. To their consternation, Laois were awarded a free out. Momentum changed and Maher pointed from play to put his side back in front. He added a free, as did keeper, Enda Rowland. Three points up in injury time, Laois were looking good.
In Carlow’s last attack, they won a free on half-way. Marty Kavanagh delivered it short and in the ensuing scramble a Carlow forward was fouled. Up stepped Kavanagh. He had missed a penalty in the Leinster club semi-final with his St Mullins club. The memory of that disappointment had obviously been banished.
He gave Rowland, his former Fitzgibbon Cup colleague, no chance with a low shot to the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
With the short puck-out came the final whistle. Laois were left bitterly disappointed while Carlow remain unbeaten.
Laois: Enda Rowland (0-2fs); Fiachra C Fennell, Liam O’Connell, Donnchadh Hartnett; Ryan Mullaney, Padraig Delaney, Ian Shanahan; Aidan Corby (0-1), Ross King (0-4); Patrick Purcell (0-1), Stephen Maher (0-10 4fs), James Keyes (0-1s/l); Martin Phelan (0-2), Gearoid Lynch, Stephen Bergin (1-1). Subs: Jack Kelly for Mullaney (50), PJ Scully for Phelan (55), Tomás Keyes for Lynch (58), John Lennon for King (58), James Duggan for Bergin (73).
Carlow: Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Conor Lawler, Jack McCullagh; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Diarmuid Byrne, Kevin McDonald; Jack Kavanagh (0-3), James Doyle; Jon Nolan, Marty Kavanagh (1-13, 1-0 pen, 65, 0-8fs) Conor Kehoe (0-2); JP Treacy, Paddy Boland, Chris Nolan (0-2). Subs: Jack Treacy for Treacy (25).
Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny)
