Nobber into provincial decider after thriller

Phew! What a game this Leinster Club IFC semi-final turned out to be. What a rollicking, topsy-turvy encounter, full, as it was, of all the good things you should see in a Gaelic football game - and some of the things that should never be seen on the field of play. A good-sized crowed turned up at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday and they certainly got their money's worth. This was a contest between two very evenly-matched sides who stood toe-to-toe and slugged it out, trading blow for blow for 60 minutes that were never less than enthralling. The last score came from Darren Lambe who fired over from about 25 metres. There was still five minutes of normal time left at that stage and two minutes of added time. Considering what went before, both teams looked set to add to their accounts. Remarkably they failed to do so yet despite the lack of scores, the closing stages bristled with tension and drama. In those final minutes Lambe had a great chance for a sealing point only to see his effort fall short while the exhausted home side also threatened to get the equaliser that would have forced extra-time. Neither happened and Nobber were left to savour a famous victory. After all the energy-sapping action it was the Meath side who were left standing, a little punch drunk, but still with their ambitions intact. The fact that they won this game at all is a testament to their formidable spirit and determination. No-one took more blows for the cause than Brian Farrell who was rightly identified early on as Nobber's main dangerman and the Carlow side set about curtailing his influence with a variety of strategies. Early in the game Farrell became entangled with Naomh Eoin's full-back Declan O'Brien. Both were booked after they ended up in a little scrum with arms and legs flying. Then after taking considerable punishment from other markers Farrell picked up a yellow card in the last few minutes, this time for dissent. If the frustration had been bubbling up in him during the course of the game it would have been entirely understandable. There were times when two, at one point three, Naomh Eoin players were consignedto try and curtail him. Invariably they still had to haul him down. The home side also put an extra man in front of the full-back line with Dinny Joe Regan given the task of patrolling the area in front of the posts. The aim was to prevent ball going into the Nobber number 14. The various ploys worked, but only up to a point as Farrell's impressive haul of nine points indicates. He slotted over a superb point from an awkward angle in the third minute and set the tone for the afternoon. He went on to register two more points from play and five frees, teasing and tormenting the Naomh Eoin defence who could have been forgiven if they watched him get on the bus after the game and cheered, hoping, no doubt, never seen him again. Fiachra McEntee and Lambe were the only two other Nobber players to get on the scoresheet and that must be a worry to Davy Cahill and his selectors. Five points from Farrell, which included three, well-hit frees made up Nobber's first-half haul yet it was the home who led at the interval, 1-4 to 0-5, with Noamh Eoin's dangerman Brian 'Red' Murphy getting all their scores. The goal arrived after 21 minutes when Naomh Eoin capitalised on a little spell of dominance to put together a passing move that started in their own square. It ended with Shane Kavanagh shooting goalwards, Nobber's Andrew O'Brien got a block, the ball spun in the air before Murphy fisted to the net from close range. The goal put the Carlow side in the lead for the first time and at that stage Murphy, who was a real threat, looked set to scupper Nobber's ambitions. However, O'Brien was latter to curb Murphy's influence and this was a big factor in turning the game in Nobber's favour. Midway through the second-half the Meath side still trailed by a goal and it looked like the game was slipping away from their gasp. To their great credit they kept battling away with players such as Padraig Weldon, Gordon Weldon, Alan Farrell and Gavin Farrelly leading the charge. The play flowed, end-to-end. The Carlow side kept their noses in front until the 53rd minute when McEntee confidently split the posts from a free to level matters. Soon after Lambe kicked what turned out to be the winning score. Few could have expected this would be the last score of the day. The game was there for whoever wanted it most. In those final, tense closing minutes Lamble had a great chance to fire over, but his effort didn't have the legs, Andrew Hayes had an effort rebound off the woodwork and Brian Farrell released Conor Halpin who was one-on-one with the Naomh Eoin goalkeeper who saved. Understandably the skilful, agile Carlow side faded towards the end as eight of their players were involved in a u-21 hurling final the previous day, which they won. This time it was Nobber's turn to celebrate a marvellous victory, dug out with the help of some north Meath steel. Nobber - C O'Reilly; P Weldon, B O'Reilly, A O'Brien; G Weldon, C Clarke, B Heffernan; A Farrell, G Farrelly; N Farrell, A Hayes, P Fox; F McEntee (0-2, one free), B Farrell (0-8, five frees), D Lambe (0-1). Subs - B Meade for A Farrell 44 mins; T McCormack for Fox 46m; C Halpin for N Farrell 56m. Naomh Eoin - A O'Brien; J O'Hara, D O'Brien, T Nolan; D J Regan, S Kavanagh, G Tracey; M Mullins, T Minchin; A Kenny (0-1), K Foley, S Smithers (0-1); C McCabe (0-1), E Kavanagh, B Murphy (1-4, three points, frees). Subs - J M Nolan for Mullins 47mins; R Foley for Smithers 48m; R Nolan for E Kavanagh 51m. Referee - Fergal Kelly (Longford).