As is their way, an outsider tends to pull the strings for Carlow's Eire Og. Since his arrival as manager, Pat Critchley, the former Laois dual player, has fine-tuned the engine sufficiently to ensure they remain an impressively strong force in club football.
Yesterday, in the AIB Leinster championship at St Brigid's Park in Dundalk, a potentially troublesome assignment was negotiated with the minimum of fuss as Eire Og - with a particularly effective second-half display in which Leo Turley was the star turn - fended off Clan na Gael, who were the victims of their own indiscipline.
Clan na Gael actually led for most of the match but, from the moment that Martin Kerley was sent off in the 40th minute for his second bookable offence, they were on an unstoppable downward spiral. Eire Og used the extra man more imaginatively than many teams who suddenly find themselves with a numerical superiority and didn't need to be asked twice to twist the dagger.
For a team who didn't nose into the lead until the 37th minute of a match played in front of a goodsized crowd, Eire Og showed tremendous confidence (which consequently led to fluid football) for much of the second half as they overcame a two-point halftime deficit to eventually run out winners by eight points.
Eire Og odysseys and championship runs applied the finishing touch. Fittingly, it was a home-bred player, Carlow minor Bernard Hennessy, who scored the game's only goal. Only on the field for about 20 seconds, he got on the end of a four-man move to blast home.
Clan na Gael could have been further ahead at the break, however. They led by 0-7 to 0-5 and, in that opening period, won copious amounts of possession. The O'Hanlon brothers, Seamus and Cathal, kicked some lovely points and Cathal could only watch in some disbelief towards the end of the half when Eire Og goalkeeper John Kearns pulled off an exceptional save, diverting the closerange shot around the upright.
Yet the first indicator that perhaps it wouldn't be their day had arrived in the 16th minute when Seamus O'Hanlon had to retire with the recurrence of a hamstring injury. His loss was a huge one. Eire Og got around to applying began to apply the pressure.
Although the Louth men were on top in the first half, there were signs of brittleness. They conceded 19 frees to just seven by their opponents and three players were booked in this period. an McCormack's little black book. The home side had just fallen behind for the first time in the match when Kerley was dismissed and, within minutes, Turley and Garvan Ware had taken points.
Turley turned in a tour de force. He kicked five points in the second half, four of them from play, and gave his marker, Sean Dixon a torrid time. However, much of the damage was performed further outfield where Ware and Jody Morrissey won increasingly good ball while the halfback line was the launch pad for numerous attacks.
In fairness, David Staunton and Cathal O'Hanlon attempted to provide some resistance and kicked points that reduced the gap to two points and raised the possibility that a goal could rescue them. It didn't work out that way as Eire Og finished with 1-3 to no reply in the final seven minutes. Eire Og story hasn't run its course just yet.
EIRE OG: J Kearns; B Hayden (0-1, 45), A Corcoran, J Dooley; J Murphy, P Doyle, A Callinan; G Ware (0-4, one free), J Morrissey; JJ Eyres, P Kingston, H Brennan; B Carbery (0- 4, all frees), L Turley (0-5, one free), W Quinlan. Subs: K Haughney for Eyres (48 mins); P McCarthy for Brennan (48 mins); B Hennessy (1-0) for Kingston (59 mins).
CLAN NA GAEL: N O'Donnell; P Fallon, S Dixon (0-1, 45), R McShane; S Hearty, T Staunton, P Fitzpatrick; S O'Hanlon (0-1, sideline), G Curran; P McEnaney (0-1), M Kerley, B Duffy; C O'Hanlon (0-2), B O'Connor (0-1), N O'Hagan (0-1). Subs: D Staunton (0-2) for S O'Hanlon (16 mins); B O'Hanlon for O'Hagan (40 mins); G Smith for Hearty (59 mins).
Referee: S McCormack (Meath).
