Liam Gavin’s late free saved a 1-10 to 2-7 draw for Rathvilly against Palatine in today’s Carlow senior football championship final at Netwatch Cullen Park.

Bidding for their second title in three years, Palatine got off to the perfect start here with a fourth minute Josh Egan goal and they’d go on to hold a 1-3 to 0-2 lead midway through the opening half.

Rathvilly steadied their ship however and an unaswered 1-2 from them, including an Eric Molloy goal, late in the half saw them go in with the lead (1-5 to 1-3) at half-time.

The lead was halved before Palatine hit the front again with a Stephen Reilly goal in the 45th minute and, from there, the 2022 champions looked on course as they’d go on to hold a two-point lead with three minutes remaining.

Molloy’s point kept the heat on however, and a pressure free from Gavin snatched a draw for Rathvilly that ensures the sides will meet again next weekend.

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