IT Carlow 2-9 Letterkenny IT 1-9
The fist of Adam Steed was enough for Carlow IT to earn a place in their first ever Sigerson Cup final over Michael Murphy’s Letterkenny IT.
The half forward got on the end of a centre from Cian Farrell deep into injury time in Páirc Grattan, Inniskeen.
Moments earlier the semi-final looked set for extra-time when Letterkenny midfielder Caoimhin Marley palmed a goal himself.
The game was a slow burner for the majority. Farrell was the exception – the young Offaly forward was the game’s most impressive forward and landed three first-half points. Despite Farrell’s efforts, Letterkenny would lead 0-5 to 0-4 at the turn.
Donegal county midfielder Michael Langan singlehandedly dragged his team into contention with his ball winning and placed kicks and he put his side 0-8 to 0-6 ahead with a quarter of an hour to play.
Momentum then swung in Carlow’s favour when Letterkenny lost Darragh Black to a red card and Mark McAteer with a black. With a numerical advantage Evan Lowry found the net to spark a unanswered sequence of 1-4.
Marley thought he had secured extra-time. Farrell and Steed had other ideas.
IT Carlow: K Roche; R Ryan, R Hitchcock, J Moore; C Walsh, T Collins, C Doyle; N Hughes, S Ryan; C Byrne (0-1), A Steed (1-1), P O'Toole (0-1); C Farrell (0-4,3f 1m), J Walsh (0-1), E Lowry (1-0).
Subs: G Murphy (0-1, 145') for Walsh (38), T Griffin for J Walsh, (40) P O'Connor for Hitchcock (55).
Letterkenny IT: M Lynch; N McElwaine, M McAteer, A Gillooly (0-1); C Bonner, O Langan (0-1), L Jackson; M Langan (0-4,3f), C Marley (1-1); R McFadden, P Mogan (0-1), P Dolan; U Doherty, D Black, E McGettigan (0-1).
Subs: J Campbell for Jackson (h-t), Ethan Harkin for R McFadden (53).
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).
