Carlow have claimed their first point of the Leinster SHC in sensational fashion against the might of Kilkenny.
The Cats visited Cullen Park as overwhelming favourites, with Carlow yet to win a game in the Leinster championship since the round-robin format was introduced and Kilkenny entering the game as back-to-back All-Ireland runners-up.
The first glimmer of hope for Carlow arrived midway through the first-half, when Kilkenny's Killian Doyle was sent off with his side leading by seven points.
Kilkenny were still five points up at the break, and would extend their advantage to eight points in the first six minutes of the second period.
Carlow's resilience was remarkable, however, and a goal from Conor Kehoe with ten minutes to play was ultimately the ignition point for a memorable finish to the game.
Long-serving forward Martin Kavanagh would have the final say, levelling the game for Carlow with the final puck of the game - but the manner in which the free-in was awarded was most unusual.
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Seamus Hickey explains why Carlow were awarded late free v Kilkenny
A cross-field ball appeared to have bypassed Donagh Murphy as the clock ticked past the allotted five minutes of injury-time with Carlow a point down.
Murphy, however, managed to knock the ball against Kilkenny man Tom Phelan to earn a sideline ball. The Cats man followed the ball over the sideline and threw it away - with the referee suddenly awarding a free-in to Carlow, which Kavanagh converted.
11 May 2024; Martin Kavanagh of Carlow celebrates after scoring an injury-time free to level the match during the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Carlow and Kilkenny at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Appearing on GAAGO's coverage of Carlow v Kilkenny, All-Ireland winner Séamus Hickey explained why the home side had been awarded the crucial free in the dying seconds of the game:
Tom Phelan gets the ball over the line but when he throws it into the stand it's the equivalent of fouling a man taking a line ball. That's why it turns into a free.
Tom Phelan will feel pretty stupid at the end of the day to be caught for something so small and so silly. But, ultimately, it turned a fairly non-threatening situation into a levelling score. It's a tough one to be pulled up on but technically that's what happened.
It's a remarkably obscure rule to have been pulled up on, but it handed Carlow a thoroughly deserved draw and one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Leinster senior hurling championship.
The equaliser was Kavanagh's ninth point of the day, as he played an instrumental role on a famous day for Carlow hurling. Kavanagh spoke to GAAGO after the game and summed up how big an achievement a draw was for the county he has represented for the last 13 seasons.
It's just unbelievable. We've a small outfit in Carlow and we're trying our best to compete with the best.
We've been competing well in the last few games and we're delighted now to get a result. We fell short in the last few weeks but, look, we got a few bounces of the ball today, a few breaks. When you're the likes of Carlow, you're delighted to get a result.
We've been there and thereabouts against Dublin and Galway as well and fell away in the second-half. In the first 15 minutes of the second half Kilkenny came out and got the first two or three scores...we didn't panic and we stayed going.
It's [up towards the] top of the list between the Christy Rings and the Joe McDonaghs as well. This is probably up there because we strive to do what Kilkenny do and we'll keep trying to push the barriers. We'll keep believing and driving on in the county and see where we go.
Saturday's Leinster action leaves Dublin top of the round-robin table by one point ahead of Kilkenny, though the Dubs are yet to face the Cats or Henry Shefflin's Galway.
Shefflin's side are in danger of being eliminated from the championship, however, with Wexford currently sitting in third place after their victory over Galway last week.
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