The sides will meet again next weekend with survival on the line after Offaly inflicted a 4-8 to 1-10 defeat on Carlow at miserable Dr Cullen Park.

With Laois losing to Dublin in Parnell Park this afternoon, a draw here would have been enough to see the Barrowiders into the last eight of the league, but instead they slip into the 1B relegation final against the Faithful County, who were already there having lost their opening four games.

In the pummeling rain, sleet and snow, twin terrors Shane Dooley and Joe Bergin each registered two goals for Kevin Martin’s men, who will fancy their chances of repeating this win in seven days' time to preserve their top-flight status. Three of the four goals arrived within a devastating seven-minute spell in the second half, Carlow pointing a penalty in between. The losers missed another penalty at the death, goalkeeper Brian Tracey firing his effort left and wide.

The winners led by 1-5 to 0-6 at the break, Bergin’s three-pointer the key score in a keenly-contested opening period.

Marty Kavanagh’s free had tied the scores up in the third minute after Conor Langton had opened the scoring but Bergin lashed the sliothar to the Carlow net 60 seconds later to make it 1-1 to 0-1. Kavanagh stroked over another free at the old sugar factory end but the goal separated the teams after ten minutes, 1-2 to 0-2.

It was tit for tat from there to the interval as the Faithful County retired with a narrow advantage. Dooley's first major on 47 minutes, when he flicked Bergin's dangerously-dropping '65' to the net, made it 2-7 to 0-7 and Bergin foraged his second - Dooley this time the provider - at the three-quarters stage, moments after Kavanagh's penalty had flown over the bar at the other end. Within seconds, Dooley ended the game as a contest.

Seamus Murphy netted a late consolation for Colm Bonnar's side, who will - like the rest of us - be hoping it's warmer in Tullamore next Sunday.

Offaly - E Cahill; P Rigney, N Houlihan, B Conneely; D Egan, P Camon, A Treacy; C Gath (0-1), S Kinsella; J Bergin (2-3, 0-3f), S Dolan, K Dunne; K Connolly, C Egan, C Langton (0-2). Subs: S Dooley (2-1) for K Connolly, C Taylor for C Egan, J Gorman (0-1) for C Gath, D Shortt for S Kinsella.

Carlow - B Tracey; A Corcoran, P Doyle, M Doyle; E Nolan, D English (0-1f), K McDonald; J Kavanagh (0-1), S Whelan; S Murphy (1-0), M Kavanagh (0-6, 5f, 1pen), E Byrne; J Doyle, D Murphy (0-1), C Nolan (0-1f). Subs: R Coady for E Nolan, T Joyce for D Murphy, R Smithers for M Kavanagh, J M Nolan for J Doyle, J Nolan for C Nolan.

Referee - J Ryan.

Tweet

Most Read Stories