Their equalising free from Martin Kavanagh at the end of the three minutes of injury time may have been in very hit-and-hope territory, but Carlow still deserved a share of the spoils when they held a very disappointed Offaly in O'Connor Park on a 0-19 to 1-16 scoreline.
Kavanagh’s strike was just inside their own 65-metre line and Carlow’s celebrations when it floated over showed who felt they had won a point and who felt they had dropped a point here.
Overall, Offaly can have no complaints at the result. Their performance wasn’t fluid or consistent enough on the day but they still should have been able to close the game out in the closing 10 minutes.
0-13 to 1-07 ahead at half-time, Offaly had lost their way badly in the first 20 minutes of the second half.
With Martin Kavanagh displaying radar like accuracy from frees in the second half, Carlow punished every Offaly foul as they quickly got back into the game.
The visitors got five of the first seven points to level it up at 1-12 to 0-15 after 46 minutes.
After Charlie Mitchell settled Offaly with a fine point, Kavanagh got two more frees to give Carlow a 1-14 to 0-16 lead after 53 minutes.
Staring disaster in the face, Offaly clicked to life after this and restricted Carlow to just two more points, both Kavanagh frees.
The home defence was outstanding in the closing quarter but the forwards didn’t finish the job off further up the field.
Two frees from David Nally and a Killian Sampson point gave Offaly a 0-19 to 1-14 lead with 11 minutes left. Nally’s 59th-minute free, however, proved to be the final score and Offaly have only themselves to blame for not winning.
They had plenty of possession, ample sights of the posts to leave Carlow needing a goal if not more in injury time and they paid the price as Kavanagh fired over frees in the 62nd and 73rd minutes to leave it all square.
Offaly were also inconsistent in the first half, only finding real form in the closing 10 minutes as they got the last four points without reply for that 0-13 to 1-07 lead. They had struggled a bit in the first 20 minutes as an excellent fifth minute goal from Jake Doyle gave Carlow a 1-00 to 0-02 lead.
Carlow were marginally the better side in the first quarter plus and Offaly had reason to be grateful to Dan Bourke and Charlie Mitchell, who were very lively in their attack and fired over three lovely points apiece.
Carlow held a 1-05 to 0-06 lead after 17 minutes and they were 1-07 to 0-09 ahead after 24 minutes.
They would have been further ahead but for some uncharacteristic misses from Marty Kavanagh who could very easily have got an extra 1-02 to go with his five first-half points.
Carlow didn’t score again in the first half after the 24th minute and Offaly played much better.
David Nally got two frees and Killian Sampson and Dan Bourke floated over fine points for that three point half time lead and they were in a strong position.
Offaly: Mark Troy; Padraig Cantwell, Ciaran Burke, James Mahon; Ross Ravenhill, Donal Shirley, David King; Cathal King (0-1), Jason Sampson; Killian Sampson (0-2), Dan Bourke (0-3), Oisin Kelly; Dan Ravenhill, Charlie Mitchel (0-4), l, David Nally (0-9, 8f). Subs – Brian Duignan for J Samspon (44m), Colin Spain for Dan Ravenhill (47m), Sam Bourke for King (54m),
Carlow: Brian Tracey; Jack McCullagh, Paul Doyle, Tony Lawlor; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Dion Wall, Jevan Kealey; Kevin McDonald (0-1), Ciaran Whelan (0-1); Jon Nolan, Martin Kavanagh (0-12, 12f), Fiach O’Toole; Jake Doyle (1-0), Paddy Boland, James Doyle (0-2). Subs – Jack Treacy for O’Toole (HT), Conor Kehoe for Jake Doyle (HT), Donagh Murphy for Fitzpatrick (65m), Ted Joyce for J Nolan (69m),
Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim); replaced by Sean Cleere (Kilkenny) 24m.
