Carlow come from behind to stay top after gritty away win over Tipperary in league clash

Carlow maintained their unbeaten start to the Allianz National Football League Division Four with a hard-earned 1-17 to 1-14 win over Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday, as a dominant third-quarter surge proved decisive.

The visitors trailed for long spells in the first half and went in four points down at the break, 1-11 to 1-7, after a Steven O’Brien goal had helped Tipperary build control.

However, Carlow stayed in touch thanks to a late Conor Crowley point and a superb Christopher Blake two-pointer just before half-time.

Carlow had earlier landed the game’s first goal when Paddy McDonnell rifled home in the 19th minute, and they came roaring into the contest after the restart.

Aided by the breeze, they wiped out the deficit by the 49th minute and pushed ahead soon after as Blake continued to punish the Tipp defence with two-point frees.

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Tipperary were handed a lifeline when a penalty was awarded late on, but Ben McCarron got fingertips to Sean O’Connor’s powerful effort, deflecting it over the bar.

Carlow closed it out with late scores from Colm Hulton and Blake, the latter sealing the win with an injury-time free.

Colm Hulton led the way for Carlow with five points from play, while Christopher Blake was again deadly from placed balls. Paddy McDonnell’s goal proved crucial, with strong support from Dara Curran, Mark Furey and Conor Crowley as Carlow stayed top of the table after three games.

Carlow scorers: C Blake (0-7, 1f, 2 2ptfs), C Hulton (0-5), P McDonnell (1-1), C Crowley (0-3), J Murphy (0-1).

Tipperary scorers: S O’ Brien (1-2, 2ptf), C Smith (0-5, 3fs, 12ptf), S O’ Connor (0-3, 2fs), M Stokes (0-2, 2ptr), D Hogan, C Butler (0-1 each).

Carlow: Ben McCarron; Colin Byrne, Dara Curran, Lee Moore; Niall Roche, Mark Furey, Padraig Bolger; Eoghan Ruth, Conor Doyle; Paddy McDonnell, Colm Hulton, Mikey Bambrick; Conor Crowley, Christopher Blake, Ross Dunphy.
Subs: John Murphy for Bolger (h/t), Tadhg Roche for Bambrick (48 mins), Sean Murphy for Dunphy (51 mins), Adam Burgess for Ruth (66 mins).

Tipperary: Shane Garland; Jack Harney, James Morris, Mark Corcoran; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan, Liam Boland; Joe Higgins, Kieran Costello; Charlie King, Steven O’Brien, Micheal Freaney; Cian Smith, Sean O’Connor, Daithí Hogan.
Subs: JP Bokha Tansia for Freaney (h/t), Emmet Moloney for Boland (48 mins), Killian Butler for King (50 mins), Darragh Brennan for O’ Brien (58 mins), Mark Russell for Bokha-Tansia (60 mins).

Referee: James Regan, Cork.