Louth and Carlow don’t share a colourful history. They do now.
The Leinster club intermediate football championship got off to an explosive start on Saturday when Kilbride of Carlow and O’Connells of the Wee County finished the game with just 20 between them on the pitch.
O’Connells marched onto the quarter-finals with a 2-10 to 1-8 victory over the visitors at Castlebellingham but Kildare referee Noel McKenna flashed more red cards than the umpires waved flags for Kilbride scores.
- Kilbride (Carlow) finished with nine men (six sent off).
- O’Connells (Louth) finished with 11 men (four sent off).
It all started as a bit of craic.
Referee issuing plenty of yellow cards here in the Grove
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
But then it just escalated to reds being brandished in every which road.
The Carlow outfit raced into a lead early on and then had a man advantage too.
AIB @gaaleinster IFC Latest. O’Connells 0-0. Kilbride (Carlow) 0-4 #GAA
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
O’Connells down to 14 men as Paul McKeever gets a straight red card
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
Despite losing two men, O’Connells managed to get in all square at the break.
O’Connells down to 13 men now with Robert Quigley receiving a second yellow card
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
AIB @gaaleinster IFC – Half Time O’Connells 0-4 Kilbride (Carlow) 0-4 #GAA
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
As the Louth champions raced into a lead with two less men, Kilbride decided to start levelling it up in the referee’s book.
Another Red here in the Grove. This time Kilbride number 7
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
We just got our 4th Red Card of the game. 13 a side now
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
Kilbride then missed a penalty with a chance to go one clear and the deficit opened up in the red card stakes too.
Two more Red Cards for Kilbride it’s now 13 v 11. @gaaleinster
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
We could’ve handled six reds. But they just kept coming.
Ah no Two more red cards
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
And coming.
Kilbride down to 9 men here in the Grove, O’Connells down to 11 men
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 21, 2017
In the end, Kilbride were never going to win with nine players on the pitch, were they?
They started the game with just 19 fit players to choose from and they lost six to red cards but, according to Carlow manager Turlough O’Brien, they might feel hard done by.
All over. Bizarre decisions 2-10 1-8
— Turlough O Brien (@TurloughCarlow) October 21, 2017
