Gaelic Games

Late points earn Éire Óg a replay against Rathvilly in Carlow

Eoghan Ruth and Cormac Mullins land vital scores in football decider

Eoghan Ruth scored late on as Éire Óg earned a draw against Rathvilly in the Carlow SFC Final. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho
Eoghan Ruth scored late on as Éire Óg earned a draw against Rathvilly in the Carlow SFC Final. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho
Sun Oct 08 2017 - 19:29

Rathvilly 1-9 Éire Óg 0-12

Late points from Eoghan Ruth and substitute Cormac Mullins rescued ÉireÓg in a tense and exciting Carlow SFC final at Netwatch Cullen Park.

There was a sensational start for the attendance of 3,500 when Alan Kelly's lobbed effort into the Éire Óg goal area in the first minute fell kindly for Rathvilly full forward Gary Dempsey, who found the net. Dempsey quickly added a pointed free as the townsmen struggled to establish a foothold.

Rathvilly led 1-3 to 0-5 at break and by the 41st minute had forged 1-7 to 0-6 ahead. But Éire Óg gradually reduced the gap with Benny Kavanagh, Seán Gannon and Derek Hayden prominent. In the end it left to Ruth and Mullins to rescue Éire Óg and bring the sides to a second meeting.

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RATHVILLY: R Molloy; BJ Molloy, C O'Brien, T Bolger; J O'Donoghue, W O'Donoghue, J B Leonard; Brendan Murphy, K Doyle; A Kelly (0-3), E Finnegan, R Ryan; Brian Murphy (0-2, one free), G Dempsey (1-2, one free), JJ Smith (0-2).

Subs: D Molloy for Ryan (47 mins); C Byrne for J B Leonard (50 mins); J Moore for J O'Donoghue (injured, 50 mins); B Smith for Doyle (57 mins).

ÉIRE ÓG: R Moore; F O'Toole, M Fitzgerald, B Kavanagh; J Lowry, P McElligott, R Dunphy; S Gannon (0-1), K Chatten; D Hayden (0-1), E McCormack (0-3, all frees), E Ruth (0-2); D O'Brien (0-3, one free), C Blake, M Furey.

Subs: C Mullins (0-1) for McCormack (41 mins); N Quinlan (0-1, free) for Blake (45 mins); J Morrissey for O'Brien (52 mins).

Referee: D Hughes (Erin's Own, Bagenalstown).