THE EQUALIZER – The ten men who shot the levelling score in Carlow SHC Finals
By Leo McGough
1: 1965: Mick McGree (Carlow Hurling Club)
2: 1978: ‘Red’ Liamy Walsh (St Mullins)
3: 1978: Eamonn Quirke (Naomh Eoin)
4: 1978: Jimmy Doyle (Naomh Eoin)
5: 1978: Pat Kehoe (St Mullins)
6: 1991: Eugene McDonald (St Mullins)
7: 1993: Pat Coady (St Mullins)
8: 1999: Micheál Ryan (St Mullins)
9: 2011: Dwaine Kavanagh (Naomh Eoin)
10: 2024: Marty Kavanagh (St Mullins)
THE STORY BEHIND EACH EQUALISER
1965: St Mullins 0-12, Carlow 1-9: While, strangely, the match report does mention who exactly shot the levelling late point, by a process of elimination it would appear the honour fell to Kilkenny native Mick McGree, who lined out at left half forward for Carlow Hurling Club, then popularly known as the Pearses.
St Mullins won the replay 2-13 to 2-4.
1978: Naomh Eoin 0-16, St Mullins: 2-10: ‘Red’ Liamy Walsh with a long free from the sideline in the 56th minute earns St Mullins a draw.
1978 Replay: Naomh Eoin 1-16, St Mullins 2-10: Eamonn Quirke, under severe pressure, steered the second last puck of the game over the bar and from his less preferred right hand side.
1978 Second Replay: Naomh Eoin 0-21, St Mullins 4-9 (after extra-time): Naomh Eoin’s Jimmy Doyle, from a considerable distance out, hoisted a shot at goal which seems to hang in the air for a long time, before it went straight and true between the posts, just before the final whistle.
Into extra-time, which was then 15 minutes-a-side, Naomh Eoin led by a goal with seconds to go but there was yet another twist in this memorable saga. Throwing everything into one final assault St Mullins worked their way up field – Brendan Walsh did good work on the edge of the small square, hand-passed in to the unmarked Pat Kehoe who sent a rocket-like shot to the Myshall net, the last score of an epic 90 minute contest.
Naomh Eoin won the unprecedented fourth instalment 1-8 to 1-6.
1991: Naomh Eoin 2-7, St Mullins 3-4: St Mullins’ Pat ‘Moses’ Murphy, in the 59th minute, his side a goal down, sped in towards the Myshall posts before firing in a goal bound shot which richoched off the stick of Naomh Eoin goalkeeper Tom Byrne with Eugene McDonald, who began the game at right half back, whipping the rebound to the net.
Naomh Eoin won the replay 1-14 to 1-6
1993: Naomh Eoin 3-9, St Mullins 1-15: St Mullins goalkeeper Richie Kielthy, following Naomh Eoin’s lead goal, dropped a long puck-out down the left wing where Pat Coady gathered and arrowed the sliotar between the Myshall posts just three seconds before the final whistle sounded.
Naomh Eoin won the replay 3-12 to 1-13.
1999: St Mullins 4-8, Naomh Eoin 3-11: Micheál Ryan, the St Mullins No 9, uses his strength and skill to steer over the levelling point in the 55th minute of a great final.
St Mullins won the replay 4-13 to 1-7.
2011: Mount Leinster Rangers 1-7, Naomh Eoin 0-10: Four minutes into stoppage time and four minutes from the final whistle Damien Roberts wins a Naomh Eoin free on half-way, close to the terrace side-line. Up steps Myshall’s captain Dwaine Kavanagh to take the pressure free, his high dropping shot dropping over the Deerpark End bar.
Mount Leinster Rangers won the replay 2-12 to 3-5
2024: Mount Leinster Rangers 2-19, St Mullins 3-16: Paudie Kehoe gains possession outside his own D line after a long Richie Coady ball broke from himself and Eddie Byrne, Paudie drove the sliotar ball downfield, where inside the 45m line Jason O’Neill, at the second attempt, got off a hand pass to Marty Kavanagh on the edge of the D, ‘Mouse’ cuts into the 13m line slightly to the left of the posts, lets fly low and hard, the net bulges, the ball taking a deflection en route.
The replay is, of course, on Sunday.
