Tipp impress in beating Cavan

GAA: Allianz Football League Division 4 Round 5

Cavan1-7

Tipperary1-11

Report: Liam Hogan at Kingspan Breffni

SCORERS – Cavan: Caoimhin O’Reilly 1-2 (0-1 free); Patrick Lynch 0-2 frees; Gerard Smith, Jason McLoughlin, Gearoid McKiernan (free) 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 1-4 (0-3 frees); Sean O’Connor, Mark Russell, Jack Kennedy (1 free) 0-2 each; Teddy Doyle 0-1.

A pristine Kingspan Breffni Park played host to a great Tipperary performance when they defeated Cavan to give themselves an excellent chance of winning promotion.

Tipperary were certainly more up for the game than the display against Wexford and they played with the stiff breeze in the first half.

As perusal both sides built from the back and Cavan had slightly more possession but Tipp in numbers. With each turnover, Tipp built with confidence and a Conor Sweeney free gave them the opening point before corner forward Caomhin O’Reilly levelled in the fourth minute for the Breffni men.

Mark Russell’s brilliant point put Tipp in front three minutes later but in the ninth minute Tipp had Bill Maher black carded and throughout the next ten minutes, Tipp contained the Cavan attack and once they overturned possession they scored with Sean O’Connor scoring a delightful point in the 14th minute. Gearoid Smith pulled one back and Cavan came level in the 19th minute through wing back Jason McLoughlin.

A well-taken point by Teddy Doyle in the 20th minute and two minutes later the small Tipp following must have been delighted when Conor Sweeney scored a brilliant goal. It got better as Sean O’Connor stretched the lead to five.

However, Cavan hit back with a Patrick Lynch free before Cavan received a boost with a Caoimhin O’Reilly goal close to half time leaving Tipp 1-5 to 1-4 in front at the changeover.

Tipp, facing the breeze, really took the game to Cavan as Mark Russell moved Tipp two in front after 37th minutes. Caoimhin O’Reilly pulled one back with a free but the Breffni men indulged in persistent fouling with referee Kieran Eannetta displaying real patience in not producing a yellow card or two but at any rate Tipp took advantage of with Sweeney prospering from a free and soon after he increased the Tipp lead with a point from a mark won in the 47th minute.

Two minutes later Patrick Lynch reduced the margin with an angle free and the home side were beginning to string the passes together with one such move in the 57th minute leading to a goal chance for James Smith but Michael O’Reilly produced a tremendous save at the expense of a 45.

Stephen Quirke’s introduction was an added bonus to Tipp. He won a free in the 60th minute and Sweeney obliged to stretch Tipp’s lead to four. Two minutes later Jack Kennedy completed a four man move to edge Tipp five in front for the second time.

Was five enough, we thought, because Cavan came back and were happy with a Gearoid McKiernan free in the 66th minute. There was more from the Breffni men but they squandered a few chances for points from the thirty metre mark before McKiernan was on the end of a high ball towards the edge of the small square before he pushed the ball onto the crossbar but Tipp survived.

TEAMS – Cavan: Raymond Galligan; Evan Finnegan, Padraig Faulkner, Killian Brady; Jason McLoughlin, Conor Moynagh, Oisin Kiernan; James Smith, Michael Argue; Gerard Smith, Gearoid McKiernan, Cian Madden; Caoimhin O’Reilly, Patrick Lynch, Chris Conroy.

Subs: Killian Clarke for Argue (43); Tomas Edward Donoghue for Conroy (49); Luke Fortune for Finnegan (54); Cormac O’Reilly for Caoimhin O’Reilly (60).

Tipperary: Michael O’Reilly (Clonmel Commercials); Shane O’Connell (Golden Kilfeacle), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers); Kevin Fahy (Clonmel Commercials), Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan), Robbie Kiely (Barryroe); Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Mark Russell (Aherlow); Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Teddy Doyle (Ballina); Mickie O’Shea (Mullinahone), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen), Sean O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials).

Subs: Cathal Deeley for O’Connor (54); Willie Eviston (Loughmore/Castleiney) for Harney (60); Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers) for Russell (63); Eanna McBride (JK Brackens) for O’Shea (66); Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials) for J Kennedy (69).

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)