Cadbury’s U21 Leinster Football Championship
Wicklow 1-6
Carlow 0-13
Venue: Baltinglass
Referee: Brian O’Shea (Dublin)
Wicklow produced an error ridden and ill disciplined performance to lose out to a competent but by no means brilliant Carlow side in Baltinglass this evening writes Alan O’Brien.
Wicklow carried the favourites tag into this first round U21 Leinster Championship tie with the old enemy but were found wanting against a well organised Carlow team who hit the ground running from the off.
Luke Dempsey’s charges opened the scoring with two frees, the first a well worked effort that caught Wicklow asleep. Carlow let Wicklow off the hook with a couple of wides before McCrea fired past Darren Murphy in the Carlow goal to give Wicklow a surprise lead. Carlow levelled but Conor McGraynor boomed over a big effort to push Ronnie Philips men in front again.
Carlow rallied again and capitalised on poor Wicklow discipline to score the next 3 points without reply. Tommy Kelly responded for Wicklow but the home team were making basic mistakes, pushing in the back, bouncing the ball on heavy ground and taking the ball into contact were all common and frequent errors.
At half time Carlow led 0-9 to 1-2.
Wicklow were back on the pitch early and flew out of the blocks in the second half. Tommy Kelly and Eamon Woulfe were among the scores as Wicklow reduced the arrears to 0-1. The Garden County pushed forward in search of the equaliser but poor shot selection undid the good approach work.
With Wicklow pushing forward they left gaps at the back and a swift Carlow counter attack led to a penalty for the visitors. After a lengthy delay Will Hender Philips dived right and saved well to keep Wicklow in the game.
However that was to be the highlight for Wicklow and the closest they got to Carlow as the barrowsiders played clever football to tag on points and win the day.
Wicklow gave away a free a minute and while it would be easy to blame the referee but he was not the one with his hand in the back of the Carlow player. Eamon Woulfe seen red late on for two yellows, the second after he won the free and reacted by shoulder charging his marker.
Young men demonstrated old failings. And as such Wicklow danced to a familiar tune. The sound of disappointment.
