The former Kilkenny attacker showed superb hurling awareness and a golden touch when helping himself to a massive 2-4 from play which gave 'Irelands victory over Dicksboro in this thrilling and hugely competitive relegation final at wet Thomastown.
Carter's reading of the game was wonderful. During the first half he scored 1-2, which matched the efforts of the entire 'Boro team.
However, when the game entered the closing two minutes with nothing decided and everything to play for Carter produced one last trick to nudge 'Irelands over the winning line. Dick Carroll and Paul Kehoe combined well to get the ball across from the right wing at the town end.
Not for the first, second or third time during the afternoon, Carter had lost his marker. He was exactly where the ball landed, on the edge of the 'Boro square, when it came across. He took it to hand, and from no more than five yards blasted the sliotar into the net and 'Irelands into a 2-10 to 1-10 lead.
Saved 'Irelands
Carter saved 'Irelands in that moment of magic. He also condemned Dicksboro to intermediate hurling next season.
In the wind-up Shane Maher (free) and 'Irelands goalie, Martin Carey (65) swopped points, but by that stage Carter had the contest decided.
"Charlie was wonderful," insisted Young Irelands manager, Cathal Fitzgerald afterwards. "His love of the game shone through the way he acted as a leader for the team all season. He has had a massive influence on the other players. It was vitally important that we stayed up."
'Irelands, who also beat the drop last season, are hanging on hoping that time will help them bridge the gap between the heady days of the Carter/Carey (D.J.) road show to the time of a talented new generation. Now they have bought themselves another season, at least.
This was a contest that took winning. Dicksboro, for all their troubles, took the lead for the first time in the 55th minute. Thomas Manning won a good ball in midfield from a delivery by warrior like defender, Darren Tyrrell. He galloped off towards the 'Irelands goal, and after taking the ball to hand twice, he shot a great point off the camán when in full flight.
The score was 1-10 (D) to 1-9.
Three tension filled minutes passed before 'Irelands got a chance to equalise. They were awarded a free in the centre about eight metres inside their own half. Goalie Martin Carey tried his luck. He hit the target. It was 1-10 each.
'Boro beaten
There were two minutes left. Seconds later came Carter's second goal. The 'Boro were beaten!
'Irelands, who were without the injured Tom Drennan, opened against the breeze but they always looked the slightly better team.
'Irelands, who were without the injured Tom Drennan, opened against the breeze but they always looked the slightly better team.
With the rain belting down and the surface of the pitch slippy, the early exchanges were raw, full of effort and lacking a bit of finesse. Like in the previous game, the referee could have been more on top of things and could have ruled with a stricter hand.
Carter clipped over the opening point after eight minutes. By the end of the quarter Sean Kehoe (65) and James Fitzgerald (2) joined the scoring to take the winners 0-4 to 0-1 ahead.
The 'Boro had their second score in the 14th minute, a nice point from Paul Flynn. Their next score, in the 20th minute, put them in front. Shane Maher took delivery of a good, low ball. He turned his marker before charging through to score a goal (1-2 to 0-4).
Ollie Carter levelled before Charlie Carter worked hard for a like lead score after winning a line ball delivered in from the right by his namesake. Four minutes off the rest, the match star nabbed a goal.
In the lead up Paul Kehoe rifled in a whistling shot from the right. Goalie Sam Morrissey did well to block the shot, but the ball ran free. Charlie Carter appeared on the scene.
He tapped the ball home from a matter of yards to leave 'Irelands 1-6 to 1-2 clear at the break.
The next six scores were equally divided – C. Carter shot two points - as the hurling opened up and the quality of the offering improved. All the time the 'Boro were improving, if ever so slightly, with the strong play of Darren Tyrrell and sub Enda Malone in particular driving them on.
Advantage wiped
A 41st minute foul on Paul O'Flynn earned free taker Shane Maher a point, which was followed by a second in like fashion following a foul on David Ryan. As the third quarter drew to an end, Paul O'Flynn pointed at the end of a determined run to slice the difference to the minimum (1-9 to 1-8).
That 'Irelands advantage was wiped in the 47th minute when Eddie O'Donoghue pointed a huge free from 80-metres. Moments later the 'Boro lost a chance to hit the front when they failed to convert a handy enough free.
By this time the contest had opened up completely, and the hurling was hell for leather.
There were nerves all round. J.J. Lennon (YI) missed a chance at one end. Adrian Stapleton was off target at the other.
Dicksboro goalie Sam Morrissey dashed off his line in the 52nd minute to stop Davy Carter gaoling. Then the 'Boro missed two chances before Manning, as mentioned earlier, produced a great run and point to edge the losers 1-10 to 1-9 ahead.
'Irelands, via a goal from Charlie Carter and two pointed frees from goalie Martin Carey, got up to steal a win in the end. It was an invaluable victory, shaped by the vision and genius of Carter, who had brave and true cohorts in Stephen Byrne, Eoghan Farrell, James Fitzgerald and goalie Carey, whose puck-outs were gigantic and a big boon to the team.
The teams
Young Irelands – M. Carey, C. Carroll, S. Byrne, M. Carter, M. Walsh, E. Farrell, D. Phelan, O. Carter, S. Kehoe, D. Carroll, J. Fitzgerald, T. Carroll, P. Kehoe, C. Carter, D. Carter. Sub – J.J. Lennon for S. Kehoe (inj).
Dicksboro – S. Morrissey, D. Carroll, K. Cuddihy, D. Tyrrell, P. Henderson, M. Fagan, J. Maher, J. Fagan, P. Hogan, T. Manning, M. Rouseman, E. O'Donoghue, P. O'Flynn, S. Maher, A. Stapleton. Subs – E. Malone for P. Henderson; D. O'Neill for Rouseman; D. Ryan for J. Fagan.
Referee – E. Crowley (Mooncoin).
