O'Hanrahans, from Carlow town, the 2001 Leinster club champions, captured their fourth county football title in five years when they overcame a battling Old Leighlin side in this replayed decider at Dr Cullen Park yesterday.

The standard of football was an improvement on the drawn match and the scores came more frequently. However, O'Hanrahans, while always looking the better side, made life difficult for themselves by shooting 12 wides to their opponents' three.

The lack of a reliable place-kicker looked as though it might prove costly for the townsmen as they failed with three routine close-in frees in the opening half.

At half-time Old Leighlin led 0-5 to 0-3, having played with the wind and not recorded a wide.

Within eight minutes of the restart points from Philip Nolan, David Bermingham and Pa Kavanagh (free) put O'Hanrahans in front for the first time.

The sending-off of Old Leighlin forward Willie Minchin midway through the second half proved crucial and, inspired by centre forward Mark Carpenter, O'Hanrahans claimed their 17th title.

O'HANRAHANS: J Brennan; V English, N English, D Walker (0-1); W Kinsella, K Kavanagh, B English; K Walker, P Nolan (0-1); G Walker, M Carpenter (0-3), D Bermingham (0-2); B Walker (0-1), A Kavanagh, P Kavanagh (0-1). Sub: R Walker for Bermingham.

OLD LEIGHLIN: S Bambrick; Seán Kinsella, N Bambrick, R Burke; D Dowling, J Hayden, D McGrath; M Brennan (0-1), A Nolan; W Minchin, J Nevin, A Brennan (0-2); B O'Brien, P Hickey (0-3), Séamus Kinsella. Subs: R McGrath for Séamus Kinsella, J Carey for N Bambrick (inj), K Hayden for O'Brien.

Referee: B Duffy (Kildare).