London calling for Tipp Footballers

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary make their first trip to London in a decade when they take on the exiles in round three of the National Football League this Sunday (1.00pm).

February 2014 was the last time Tipperary made the trip across the Irish Sea, when also in division 4, Peter Creedon’s charges won 1-17 to 1-9.

The sides most recent meeting was in 2022 when Tipperary won 1-14 to 0-12 at FBD Semple Stadium in the final round which secured promotion to division 3. The stakes won’t be as high this Sunday but Tipp would see a victory in London as being key if they are to have a successful promotion push.

Off the back of the win in Longford, Tipp should make the trip in a good mental space with manager Paul Kelly outlining, after the win in the midlands, how they were going to use the first break in the league schedule.

“This week will about refurbing the bodies and giving the lads a cognitive rest,” he said.

“Next week isn’t about an overnight stay in London, it is about two points and a performance.”

With Kelly and his management team still in the infancy of their work with this group of players, even this mini camp can have its benefits in terms of bonding and getting to know the players as individuals, but it won’t be without taking their eye off the ball.

“It has its benefits,” Kelly agreed in terms of the timing of the drip, adding “as budget wise, we might struggle to get time away, so from that point of view this is a structured programme of a game away, but the focus solely will be on the game and being in the right place and hopefully coming home with the two points.”

Tipperary captain Steven O’Brien is likely to miss the game after sustaining a hamstring injury against Longford, while goalkeeper Evan Comerford is nearing a return from a calf problem which saw him miss the first two league games.

The visitors will be keen to build on the win over Longford where they played a lot of front foot football against a London side that have lost both their opening two games, although both narrowly, at home to Wexford (4 points) and current table-toppers Leitrim (5 points).