London 0-12
Carlow 0-13
CARLOW PULLED OFF their second championship win of the year as they scraped by London by just a single point in Ruislip.
In dramatic closing stages, each side had a player sent off, but the visitors held on to book their place in the next round of the qualifiers.
After shocking Wexford and then giving a spirited performance, but falling to the hand of Dublin in Leinster, Turlough O’Brien’s side headed to McGovern Park in high confidence.
It was they who drew first blood through Darragh Foley, before a Rory Mason free-kick for the Exiles had the game tied on two points a-piece as the ten minute mark neared.
Opening a slight gap, Carlow were spared as Liam Gavaghan’s effort was saved.
The game was tit-for-tat for much of the first half, with three wides recorded by each heading for the break, and the scoreline reading 0-7 to 0-5 in favour of the visitors.
On the restart, London had a goal opportunity, but Mark Gottsche opted for the point, before Carlow extended their lead.
Then came the first of two marching orders.
Jarlath Branagan saw his second yellow card as he was involved in a tussle and London were reduced to 14 men, before Carlow’s Brendan Murphy followed suit just minutes later. He was dished a second yellow for grabbing former Tyrone star Owen Mulligan by the neck.
With two points in it, London battled hard and pulled one back but Carlow held on to run out winners in Ruislip, and march on in the qualifiers.
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As a fan of the League of Ireland I am delighted with this, however this is not the first time Finn Harps have been down this road, they now need to put a suitable business pan together in order to run the club with in its mean, unfortunately that may mean reducing the players and managers budget dramatically. I think Monaghan Utd may be actually the only team in the league that live within their means
As for the could of been spent on other causes, I am not 100% sure but is there not money set aside for different departments i.e. Roads, Sport & Reconciliation etc., etc.
From what I gather this was a special one off payment. They should have just burnt the money at least they’d have got some warmth off it! Just delaying the inevitable, Finn Harps is not sustainable as a business.
As for the plans for a 5,000 seater stadium in Ballybofey??! Pfft!
Disgraceful waste of taxpayers money! The roads are in sh*te and the council don’t have enough money to fix bloody potholes, yet they have 20K to waste on a completely unsustainable business. How beneficial to the local community is 100-200 people turning up to Finn Park every couple of weeks for a few months a year!?!