Tipp beat Carlow to edge closer to promotion

Allianz Football League Division 4 Round 6

Tipperary 2-16

Carlow 0-11

By Liam Hogan at FBD Semple Stadium

Tipperary are one win away from promotion as they defeated Carlow by eleven points on Sunday.

The win was all the more impressive given that they had to play over half of the game without their chief man in Conor Sweeney who had to depart the scene with a leg injury in the 33rd minute. By then Tipperary had the look of winners as they led 0-9 to 0-4 at the time.

Playing with the stiff breeze they raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after fifteen minutes thanks to great scores by Mark Russell and Conor Sweeney (2 each), Mikey O’Shea, plus a wonderful Jack Kennedy effort. Jamie Clarke doubled his tally with a free, but Tipp moved on as O’Shea, Russell and Sean O’Connor stretched Tipp’s lead to five.

And while they could score almost at will there were some moments of panic at the other end, but Mark Russell put in a great block on Carlow full back Shane Buggy.

That was the first sign of what Carlow could do and with Jamie Clarke adding the frees plus a Conor Crowley score from play the margin was down to three when half time arrived with the scoreline reading Tipp 0-9 Carlow 0-6.

Facing the breeze in the second half was going to test Tipp but their problems eased when Mikie O’Shea found the net with a goal in the 37th minute. The goal was going to be the difference and over the next fifteen minutes the teams shared six points equally with Sean O’Connor securing all Tipp’s scores from frees. In the 48th minute he had a penalty saved by Carlow keeper Kuba Budzisz.

Tipp were well on top, and they increased their lead to eight (1-14 to 0-9) after Stephen Quirke and Teddy Doyle scored from play. Ross Dunphy was Carlow’s biggest threat up front, and he scored in the 60th minute but O’Connor made it 1-15 to 0-10 with a free. Colm Hulton pulled one back in added time to leave seven between the teams.

However, displayed real hunger and 1-1 from the boot of Kevin Fahy put the game beyond all doubt as thoughts turn to London for the final game next Saturday evening.

Scorers for Tipperary: Sean O’Connor 0-5 (4 frees); Mikie O’Shea 1-2; Kevin Fahey 1-1; Mark Russell 0-3; Conor Sweeney 0-2; Jack Kennedy, Stephen Quirke, Teddy Doyle 0-1 each.

Scorers for Carlow: Jamie Clarke 0-4 frees; Darragh Foley (1 free), Conor Crowley 0-2 each; Sam Bambrick, Ross Dunphy, Colm Hulton 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Michael O’Reilly; Shane O’Connell, Jimmy Feehan, Jack Harney; Kevin Fahey, Colm Shaughnessy, Robbie Kiely; Conal Kennedy, Mark Russell; Shane O’Connell, Jack Kennedy, Teddy Doyle; Mikey O’Shea, Conor Sweeney, Sean O’Connor.

Subs: Cathal Deeley for Sweeney (33 inj); Martin Kehoe for Shane O’Connell (34); Stephen Quirke for Russell (51 inj); Tommy Maher for Kiely (62); Luke Boland for Doyle (69 inj).

Carlow: Kuba Budzisz; Liam Roberts, Shane Buggy, Dara Curran; Jordan Morrissey, Mikey Brambrick, Conor Doyle; Darragh Doyle, Seanie Bambrick; Niall Hickey, Jamie Clarke, Eoghan Ruth; Conor Crowley. Darragh Foley, Colm Hulton.

Subs: Ross Dunphy for Curran (33); Paraic Hynes for Doyle (48); Owen Roberts for Hickey (66); Paraic Deering for Roberts (69).

Referee: David Murnane (Cork)