Sports reporting during the ‘Emergency’ (I.e. the second World War) was hampered by the rationing of paper which meant that newspapers were often confined to four pages. This constrained all the news (local or otherwise) that could be reported and meant that match reports were often brief.
This coincided with Carlow’s run in the Leinster Senior Football Championship (which they won, for the only time). The newspapers carried few photographs of the games so the photo here is of the team that played Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final that year.
(Image from http://carlowfifteen44.blogspot.ie/)
This is the match report from Carlow’s first match in Leinster that year, against Kildare in Athy, taken from the Nationalist and Leinster Times of 20th May 1944:
The outstanding, feature of Sunday’s match between Kildare and Carlow at Athy was the enormous attendance in the present circumstances.
Heavey opened the scoring after Archibold had cleared from J. Martin. Morris, who played one of his best games, sent a long one up to Rea and Carlow was nicely placed but failed to score. Kildare resumed pressure from a long drive by Dowling. Kelly beat his man for possession and drove a long one up to Moore who slipped past Geraghty and shot from a distance. In it goes over the square with the forwards en masse, but Waters eased the attack by punching to McGoey. In a second Kildare was at the other end where Doyle handled a high one perfectly and slipped past to put his side on. Rea was prominent in a solo run that made ground and M. Byrne had hard luck in missing by inches. They returned from the goal kick and Moore punched over the bar, 0-2 to 0-1.
Kelly led a move to the scoring area but a free arrested progress. They returned once, Farrell fielded a high one and drove ahead. Waters returned with interest and Geraghty started an attack that was checked by Morris who passed out to Moore who sent a skyer to the square and Waters cleared, but Farrell fouled.
Doyle put a free on the target making the score 0-1 to 0-4. Brosnan and Martin make ground and Fox has it across it goes to O’Hara, but a free let Carlow loose. Off a free by Dowling, Doyle (goal) made a lovely save that was applauded. A free by Geraghty goes straight on the target and Waters again did the needful. Young Hosey snaps a loose one and puts his side to 0-6. Carlow missed a grand chance from a cross by Hosey to Moore. Whelan playing a great game was everywhere. Joe Martin lessens the margin with a pass from Heavey (Carlow 0-6 Kildare 0-2). Kildare swarm into Carlow area and the clash was terrific. Then comes a great goal for the “All Whites ” when Fox and Martin slip close in to finish in the net. Kildare 1-2 to Carlow 0-6 and the whistle goes far the interval.
On resuming Kildare centres go clean through and a clash, in the square is finished by It. Martin with a white flag, 1-3 to 0-6, and the teams are again level. Rea put Carlow in front again from a fine opening of Kelly up to Byrne who is fouled. Two misses from nice scoring positions for Carlow went astray, but they partly made amends when a nice passing movement by Whelan, Doyle and Rea put up the white flag. A long ball from Geraghty reaches Graham out to J. Martin who adds a point to make the score 1-4 to 0-8. Hosey added another to his side and the totals are 1-4 to 0-9. Carlow’s confidence got a bad shock when Kildare found the net from far out. Kildare leads by a single point but Martin widens the margin with a lovely shot from an angle. The time is precious. Doyle (goal) brings down the house with a beauty of a save and a clash in the goalmouth is luckily cleared by Maher and Archibold. Brady nipped in to foot a pass out to Corcoran and the danger is passed. Carlow come again per Morris and Kelly supported by Byrne and Moore. Rea is pulled down and Doyle puts up the white flag in reply. Kildare 2-5 to Carlow 0-10. F. Dowling drives one all the way from the 50 mark for a point. Carlow made a glorious effort to wipe out the lead. Brosnan slips back to clear. Geraghty is hurt and Farrell comes on. J. Martin, adds another point to make the score 2-7 to 0-10, and it looks like Carlow going under. However, they staged a grand revival. Kelly and Morris led an attack, that reached close quarters and the whistle goes for a close in free and from a melee the leather is put asleep in the net by M. Byrne and the scores are Carlow 1-10 Kildare 2-7.
Final Score: Carlow 1-10 Kildare 2-7
And here is the (very brief) match report on the replay from the Irish Press of 29th May 1944:
A crowd of about 9,000 saw Carlow decisively beat Kildare at Carlow yesterday in the replay of the first round of the Leinster S.F. Championship.
Combining better, Carlow were deserving winners and in the second half they dominated the game. In fielding and catching Carlow were superior to Kildare, who were weak in both forward and back divisions. Best for Carlow were Hosey, Kelly, Morris and Doyle, and for Kildare, Martin, Mulhall and Geraghty.
Kildare never recovered from a bad start, as Hosey (1-2), Kelly (1-0), Rea and Delaney gave Carlow a commanding lead before Geraghty and Dowling had a point each for the losers. Rea (1-4) and Doyle (0-3) had further scores for Carlow, Martin (2-1) and Mulhall replying.
Final Score:
Carlow 3-11 Kildare, 2-5
Sources: Nationalist and Leinster Times 20th May 1944; Irish Press, 29th May 1944.
the goals will come 