Sport

Cosgrove's late goal sends Marist through

Marist College 3-5 Carlow Schools 1-9: Conor Cosgrove's injury-time goal saw Marist College into the quarter-finals of the Leinster…

Sat Jan 29 2005 - 00:00

Marist College 3-5 Carlow Schools 1-9: Conor Cosgrove's injury-time goal saw Marist College into the quarter-finals of the Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship after a dramatic finish to this round three qualifier at Kiltoom yesterday.

But victory came at a price with the late dismissal of Eoin McCormack, via a straight red card, ruling the full-forward out of the quarter-final clash with St Mel's, Longford.

Carlow Schools, bidding to reach the quarter-final stage for the first time, looked set to claim a famous win until Cosgrove struck for his second goal in the third minute of additional time.

That score put Marist 3-4 to 1-8 ahead but with Longford referee Peter O'Reilly allowing over seven minutes of injury-time the drama wasn't quite finished. Deep in stoppage time, McCormack was given his marching orders for verbal abuse after a free was awarded against him.

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And although Cosgrove added a point to put Marist three clear, there was still time for Carlow to almost send the match into extra-time. They forced a 13-metre free but Paul Broderick's shot flew over the bar.

Despite dominating most of a poor quality first half, Marist only led 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time. Eight minutes into the second half, Carlow corner-forward Padraig Amond set up Broderick for a goal to give the Barrowsiders a 1-5 to 0-4 lead.

Marist responded two minutes later with a McCormack goal. Cosgrove's first goal put Marist 2-4 to 1-6 ahead nine minutes from time but Carlow fought back with two points from Broderick.

Then came Cosgrove's second goal and the nail-biting climax.

MARIST COLLEGE: J Martin; A Burns, P Larkin, S Doolin; K Tuohy, R Blaine, S Fagan; N Grehan, E O'Flaherty; C Cosgrove (2-1), D Costello (0-2, 1f), M Gavin; J Cassells, E McCormack (1-0), B Kelly (0-2, 1f). Subs: M Fox for Cassells, P Mulvihill for Costello, Neil Lynch for O'Flaherty (inj).

CARLOW SCHOOLS: D O'Neill; T Donoghue, P Townsend, P Doran; A O'Donovan, A Murphy, B Geoghegan; J Rogers, D Reid (0-1); J Ruth, D Moran, J Dowling; P Amond (0-1), P Broderick (1-6, 4f), C Rae. Subs: A McGrath for Dowling, J Gilligan for Donoghue, E Minchin (0-1) for Moran.

Referee: P O'Reilly (Longford).