Carlow 0-17 Laois 0-17
Carlow centre back David English held his nerve to snatch a draw with the final puck of the game against Leinster neighbours Laois at Netwatch Cullen Park.
The likelihood of a draw was always on the cards as the sides were level 10 times over the course of a hard-fought game in which the home side lost their left half back Edward Coady to a second yellow card on 49 minutes. At that stage Carlow had turned around a half time deficit of 0-9 to 0-7 to lead by 0-11 to 0-9 through a brace of Seamus Murphy points from play.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Carlow then went four points clear with a well-taken score from midfield by substitute Eddie Byrne and a pointed Marty Kavanagh free helping them to a 0-16 to 0-12 lead with just six minutes remaining.
But Laois dug in and the introduction of Neil Foyle, Lorcan Burke, Mark Dowling and Charles Dwyer as second half substitutes helped turn the game back their way. With Mark Kavanagh deadly accurate from frees, the O'Moore County hit five unanswered points to put them in front with the game well into injury time.
Then came the English leveller to earn his side a share of the spoils and a second draw in this year’s campaign.
Carlow: B Tracey; A Corcoran, P Doyle, M Doyle; E Nolan, D English (0-1, 0-1f), R Coady; J Kavanagh (0-1), S Whelan; J M Nolan (0-1); M Kavanagh (0-8, 0-6f, 0-1 '65); S Murphy (0-3); J Doyle, T Joyce, C Nolan (0-2). Subs: J Nolan for Joyce (34 mins), E Byrne (0-1) for J M Nolan (44), R Smithers for M Kavanagh (66).
Laois: E Rowland (0-4, 0-4f); J Phelan, M Whelan, D Hartnett; J Kelly (0-1), R Mullaney, J Cranny; J Lennon, S Downey; A Dunphy (0-2), E Lyons, P Purcell; M Kavanagh (0-8, 0-5f, 0-2 '65s); W Dunphy, S Maher. Subs: N Foyle (0-1) for Lennon (39 mins), L Burke for Kelly (46); M Dowling for Maher (50), C Dwyer (0-1) for Lyons (59).
Referee: C McAllister (Cork).
