Shane O’Neill’s last gasp free sent Palatine into their second Carlow senior football championship final in three years after they edged holders Éire Óg by 3-10 to 2-12 at Netwatch Cullen Park last night.
Jamie Kenny’s goal gave the 2022 champions the perfect start four minutes in and they’d have the ball in the net again via Finbarr Kavanagh as many minutes later to lead by 2-2 to 0-0.
Éire Óg would eventually get off the mark through a Niall Quinlan free but Jack Darcy’s 18th minute goal left them with it all to do, as their opponents moved towards a 3-4 to 0-8 half-time lead.
A Quinlan goal early in the restart would be just what the doctor ordered for the defending champions and, after drawing level through Ross Dunphy in the 50th minute, a goal from the same player surged them 2-12 to 3-8 in front with five minutes left in normal time.
This thriller had another twist however, and it saw Palatine landing the last three points via Andrew Kehoe (mark), Ciaran Moran and O’Neill (free) to snatch the sweet victory.
TweetMatch Highlights | Thriller in NCP last night as @PalatineGAA knock Co Champions @Eireogcarlow out at the semi final stage to march on to Co Final on the 6 th Oct
— Carlow GAA (@Carlow_GAA) September 22, 2024
Comm Credit : @kclr96fm https://t.co/ozI3YDsF8C