Character and bravery, primary components in Carlow's display at Tullamore yesterday, narrowly failed to allow them salvage a draw in an entertaining game, much to the relief of the eventual winners, Louth.
Denuded of their Old Leighlin contingent, who were on club championship duty in Parnell Park, Carlow narrowly failed to upset favoured opponents: their final agony was the injury-time failure of full forward Colm Hayden with a 30-metre free.
The Eire Og man will in no way feel culpable for his side's defeat, despite a surprisingly weakly struck free that was gratefully clasped, waist high, by Louth goalkeeper Niall O'Donnell. Hayden contributed eight points to his side's total, with a variety of superbly-struck frees from the hand.
The Carlow players may also feel aggrieved at two incidents after the interval, both of which were resolved in favour of the victors. Referee Noel Cooney awarded a free rather than a penalty after Pat Nolan was fouled, despite the fact the player was at least three paces inside the 14 metre line.
The other controversy surrounded a point from a free by Louth's Stefan White on 48 minutes, signalled wide by one umpire, only for the second to signal a point: the second umpire prevailed, much to the chagrin of Carlow goalkeeper James Clarke.
In truth, though, Carlow would not have been within striking distance at the finish were it not for profligate shooting by the Louth forwards, who conjured nine second half wides. White's placed ball accuracy was exceptional, as Louth squandered a surfeit of possession.
That ascendancy after the interval can be ascribed to a double substitution three minutes after the interval, when Ciaran Nash replaced Niall Flynn at midfield and Ray Rooney gave way to Declan O'Sullivan.
Louth had begun the match without first choice midfielders Paul Kelly and Gerry Curran, and it was in this area that Carlow thrived most in the first half with Philip Nolan and Ronan Donnelly intelligently breaking ball for their industrious half forward line.
Louth's corrective surgery provided the perfect tonic as Stephen Melia, the excellent Mark Stanfield and Martin Farrelly received plenty of possession. But it was White who proved to be Carlow's tormentor-in-chief, kicking five second half frees.
Carlow asserted themselves quickly, racing into a three-point lead, 0-6 to 0-3, by the 16th minute, only to allow Louth wrest the initiative from them. Ollie McDonnell used his pace to race 35 metres, leaving Aaron Hoey trailing, and as the Carlow backs watched one another he squared the ball for full forward Stanfield to punch home.
It wasn't actually until the 45th minute that Louth took the lead with a close-in free from White, but on doing so, they kept the pressure on their opponents, with veteran right corner forward White adding two further scores.
Trailing by three points, Carlow's fate appeared sealed when corner back Shay Doorley was sent off, needlessly striking White having cleared the ball downfield. As so often happens, it merely galvanised Doorley's colleagues, and Carlow closed the match menacingly, if ultimately unsuccessfully, with points from Hayden and Donnelly.
New Louth boss Paddy Clarke was pleased with his team's performance: "Last year was the first time we entered this competition so it is nice to make progress quickly. This is a good competition to bring the younger players on and that is what we have done. Ten of this side are under 22.
"I am delighted to have won. Carlow played some lovely football and after their performance last week (in the National League against Laois), I have to admit I was worried about this one."
Carlow's Bobby Miller was similarly upbeat despite defeat. "I was very pleased with the way the team performed. We are going in the right direction but we could do with some bigger players that would give the team a greater physical threat."
Louth: N O'Donnell; B Philips, G O'Neill (capt), D Brennan; R Rooney, B Keenan, A Hoey; P Kelly, N Flynn; O McDonnell, S Melia, M Farrelly (0-2); S White (0-7, six frees, one sideline), M Stanfield (1-1), A Doherty (0-1). Subs: D O'Sullivan for Rooney, 34 mins; C Nash for Flynn, 34 mins.
Carlow: J Clarke; B Hannon, A Corden, S Doorley; J Murphy, B Farrell (0-1), C Kelly; Philip Nolan, R Donnelly (0-1); N Doyle, J Morrissey, Pat Nolan (0-2); W Quinlan (capt) (0-1), C Hayden (0-8, seven frees), L Kelly. Subs: D Tracey for Philip Nolan, 41 mins; B Hayden for C Kelly, 45 mins; D O'Donoghue for L Kelly, 56 mins.
Referee: N Cooney (Offaly).
