The favourites were made work hard for it.
2024 CARLOW JFC ‘B’ Final
Rathvilly 1-13 Éire Óg 1-9
By Stephen Bambrick
Jeffrey O’Donoghue, the Rathvilly captain, promised earlier in the week during an interview with his brother Brian on The Left Wing Back podcast (former Cathaoirleach and a current Carlow County Councillor) to get Rathvilly back to Junior A for 2025. The first leg (also completing the Div 4/Junior B double) of a possible weekend championship double was secured with the pre-match mandate being delivered!
It was first blood for Rathvilly as they got scoring underway through Pauric Whyte’s fisted effort in the 2nd minute. A goal almost followed in the 6th minute, but Eoghan O’Connor Byrne doubled the advantage nonetheless. The strength of the breeze that Rathvilly were playing into was illustrated perfectly with their next score as Eoin Corcoran’s shot just about had enough gas to clear Evan Kearns’s crossbar. Rathvilly were three to the good in the 8th minute.
Ryan Donnelly Finn’s pass set Liam Ryan up for Éire Óg’s first of the day in the 9th minute, which Jack Carroll immediately cancelled out before the game’s first goal landed. Shane Murphy’s brilliant hold-up play drew the Rathvilly rearguard out, enabling Marc Corcoran in space to coolly slot home under the advancing DJ Carroll. 0-4 to 1-1 soon became a lead for Éire Óg, with Corcoran (from close range) and Ryan off his left putting two between the sides.
Rathvilly, who were now under immense pressure in their own half, managed to break free through Diarmuid Gavin to see Jack Carroll point once more, making it 1-3 to 0-5 on 14 minutes—anyone’s game still.
A lot of Éire Óg’s good attacking play throughout had and would have Shane Murphy involved. His pass gave Dan Crotty the opportunity to get his name on the scoresheet, though 1-4 would remain their first-half tally. Rathvilly shored up their defence while managing to come away with scores on most visits to the Dublin Road end goal. Eoin Curran pointed frees in the 19th and 21st minutes to tie the game up, and the clinical Jack Carroll got another pair (Paddy Reilly and Gavin being the suppliers of the final ball) in the 23rd and 25th minutes, bringing the score to 0-9 to 1-4.
With the half almost at an end, it was Eoghan O’Connor Byrne who made inroads towards the Éire Óg goal. His pass to Ger Kavanagh seemed to be going astray, but his outstretched right hand somehow retained possession and, quick as a flash, left it on a plate for Carroll to find the net. Fast forward to the last play of the half, and it was his brother DJ at the other end who saved brilliantly at the near post from Murphy, leaving it 1-9 to 1-4 at the break.
The 2nd half saw Éire Óg lose Eoin Myers right at the throw-in, the talented minor a major loss. Rathvilly’s Eoin Corcoran added more pain soon after for 1-10 to 1-4, though Murphy did almost put Donnelly Finn through to goal in the 36th minute. This let-off was punished at the far end as O’Connor Byrne got his second before a beauty from Liam Ryan gave Éire Óg their first score in 20 minutes.
The recently introduced Paul Behan (again Murphy the provider) upped their score to 1-6 in the 39th minute, though an Eoin Curran free steadied Rathvilly hearts a little in the 41st minute.
If Éire Óg had a scoreless 20-minute period, then, though they mightn’t have known it yet, Rathvilly were about to have a similar barren spell. Shane Murphy’s influence increased during this time, with the next three scores (two from play) all credited to the number 13. With 53 minutes gone, it was now 1-12 to 1-9, and Éire Óg were right back in it.
The Éire Óg dominance continued possession-wise, but the final ball in and around the Rathvilly 45-metre line let them down, with four successive attacks breaking up in this manner. The next score, if there was to be one, would be vital.
When it did arrive, it was the insurance point for the Rathvilly side. Cometh the hour (literally, as it was the 60th minute!), cometh The Briar. Substitute Alan Kelly (a busy man managing Ballon in the JFC A Final on Sunday) dissected the posts. The game ended on Lar Murphy’s whistle at 1-13 to 1-9.
Rathvilly: DJ Carroll, Robert Coleman, Senan Molloy, Kyle Lawler, Pauric Whyte (0-1), Jeffrey O’Donoghue (C), Liam Kelly, Kenneth Bello, Eoin Corcoran (0-2), Ger Kavanagh, Diarmuid Gavin, Eoin Curran (0-3f), Jack Carroll (1-4), Eoghan O’Connor Byrne (0-2), Patrick Reilly.
Subs: Denis Kelly for Lawler (36 mins), Liam Lobaiza Heydon for Kelly (44 mins), Alan Kelly for Kavanagh (49 mins), Tadhg Walsh for Patrick Reilly (49 mins), Andrew Sibbald for Bello (60 mins).
Éire Óg: Evan Kearns, Lee Mulhall (JC), Aaron Bolger, Tommy O’Donoghue, David Kenny, Dylan Salter, Ryan Donnelly Finn, Cathal Myers, Dan Crotty (0-1), James Ruth, Eoin Myers, Ruarc Murray, Shane Murphy (0-3, 0-1f), Marc Corcoran (1-1), Liam Ryan (0-3).
Subs: Philip Hegarty (JC) for Kenny (21 mins), Paul Shaw for Corcoran (HT), Cian Ray for Eoin Myers (32 mins), Paul Behan (0-1) for Ruth (38 mins), Cathal Brady for Mulhall (55 mins).
Referee: Lar Murphy (Setanta)
