Carlow put their name on the Irish Daily Star Camogie League Division 4 roll of honour for the first time in the most dramatic of circumstances at Cusack Park, Mullingar writes Daragh Ó Conchúir.
Full-back Marian Doyle was the unlikeliest of heroines, as she stole forward to strike the winning goal deep in injury time, giving Carlow a 2-4 to 2-6 victory over a shellshocked Tyrone.
The vanquished side did have time for one last attack but it proved fruitless and Carlow were able to shed the memory of last year’s final defeat.
The Red Hands seemed to have done enough in the first half, with Caoimhe Rafferty’s goal after just 10 seconds sending the on their way.
They had the a very considerable wind in their favour and Niamh McNulty’s 23rd minute goal – finished clinically after being left completely unmarked – put them in prime position.
Ciara Quirke struck for a crucial goal for Carlow just before half time though that left them trailing by 2-3 to 1-1 at the change of ends.
With the elements in their favour, there was plenty of hope for the Leinster outfit but despite points from Quirke, Margaret Coady and player of the match Kate Nolan (free), Tyrone still held the minimum advantage entering the fourth minute of injury time.
Although only managing one point in the second half, from an Aisling Corr free, Tyrone had defended courageously, with Niamh Gavin and Siobhán Hughes in the vanguard, and while Carlow shot 10 second-half wides, much of those wayward shots were forced.
They drew numbers deep in an attempt to deny Carlow the goal they needed. That led to incessant pressure though, as Emma Brennan, Ciara Mullins and Tara Wilson drove Carlow forward.
Ironically, it also led to Doyle being on hand to latch onto a break from a Nolan delivery before shooting to the net from a narrow angle.
See highlights video for a recap of the entire Carlow v Tyrone match.
SCORERS – CARLOW: C Quirke 1-2(0-2fs); M Doyle 1-0; K Nolan (f), M Coady, L Abbey, A Ruschitzo 0-1 each
TYRONE: N McNulty 1-1; C Rafferty 1-0; A Corr 0-2(fs); O O'Neill
CARLOW: J Joyce; SJ Burke, M Doyle, Margaret Coady; K Nolan, E Brennan, E Murphy; C Mullins, T Wilson; L Abbey, C Quirke, K O’Byrne; S Williams, Mary Coady, A Ruschitzo. Subs: P Whelan for Burke (ht); R O’Dwyer for Mary Coady (49); N Canavan for Williams (49)
TYRONE: KA Fay; J Canavan, S Hughes, A Fox; N Gavin, J Lagan, A Donnelly; S Jordan, A Corr; N McNulty, E McAliskey, M Jordan; O O’Neill, C Rafferty, E Fitzgerald. Sub: O Foley instead of Jordan (45)
REFEREE: L Dempsey (Kilkenny)
