Leitrim outgun Tipp in second half

A battling Tipperary side, who only trailed by a point at the interval, put in up to Leitrim in the first half of Sunday's final round National Football League game at Carrick-on-Shannon.

GAA: Allianz National Football League Division 4 Round 7

Leitrim 0-15

Tipperary 0-9

Report: PJ Leddy at Avant Money Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Ryan O'Rourke (Leitrim).

SCORERS – Leitrim: Darragh Rooney 0-7 (5 frees); Ryan O’Rourke 0-6 (2 frees); Tom Prior, Donal Wrynn 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jack Kennedy 0-4 (1 free); Mark Russell, Evan Comeford, Shane Neville, Conall Kennedy, Paddy Creedon 0-1 each.

After the restart, the home side upped their game and created more scoring opportunities in the second half than Tipp and proved to be the decisive factor for Leitrim as Tipp's first half defensive performance certainly contained their opponent's attacking threat very effectively.

However, the game's final result did give Leitrim victory at the end by six point's margin and promotion to Division 3 for next season after Wexford defeated Longford by nine points, by virtue of the head-to-head record.

Victory for Leitrim was sweet on Sunday as they gained promotion from Division 4 for the second time only since the GAA introduced the present four divisions system. Leitrim were last promoted from Division 4 in 2019 along with Derry who next Sunday will contest the Division 1 final in Croke Park against the Dubs.

At the start after gaining possession from the throw-in, Tipperary dominated the opening three minutes of play. But somewhat against the run of play it was Leitrim who got the game's first score when Darragh Rooney pointed a free on the four minute mark after Ryan O'Rourke was fouled. A purple-patch followed for the home side over the next eight minutes with Darragh Rooney firing over from play and a free to put Leitrim up by three points after twelve minutes.

Jack Kennedy opened Tipperary's account when he converted after winning a sixteenth minute mark. The Tipp men took control of the proceedings for the next eight minutes with goalkeeper Evan Comeford hitting a spectacular point from over fifty metres out to reduce Leitrim's lead to the minimum and then Conall Kennedy levelled matters. A Paddy Creedon point in the 24th minute after he made a fine run into Leitrim territory from inside the 45 metre line put Tipperary ahead for the first and only time in the game.

Following that it was tit for tat for the remainder of the half. Leitrim, who had been held scoreless for thirteen minutes, drew level with Tipp when Donal Wrynn fired over a 25th minute effort. Then Leitrim's Darragh Rooney and Tipperary's Jack Kennedy swapped a point each at opposite ends to maintain the stalemate.

Two minutes later, Tipperary goalkeeper Evan Comerford made a fine reflex save with his right boot to deny a goal-bound Darragh Rooney shot from close range. But it was even stephen again close to the interval when Rooney from a free traded a point with Tipp's Shane Neville.

Just before the half-time whistle, Darragh Rooney punished a foul on Leitrim's Tom Prior by converting the resulting free to leave the home side ahead at the break, 0-7 to 0-6.

After the restart, Leitrim pulled four points clear in the opening eleven minutes of the second half. Ryan O'Rourke split the Tipperary posts twice while in between O'Rourke's scores Darragh Rooney tapped over a free after Tom Prior was fouled. In reply, Jack Kennedy opened Tipperary's second half account when he popped over a 47th minute point.

Following that, Ryan O'Rourke for Leitrim and Jack Kennedy for Tipperary traded points at opposite ends which left the Premier County men four points in arrears as the game's third quarter came to a close.

At the start of the final quarter the gap remained at four points after Tipp sub Mark Russell and Leitrim's Tom Prior with a fisted effort swapped points at opposite ends.

With the Tipp challenge beginning to fade somewhat Ryan O'Rourke converted a 54th minute free to give Leitrim a five point advantage for the first time. Jack Kennedy responded with a Tipp free tap over when registering his side's last score of the day.

Leitrim finished strongly in the final ten minutes of the action (four of which was added time for stoppages) with Ryan O'Rourke adding a point from play and a free before the long whistle.

In the concluding minutes of play Tipperary's James Morris and Leitrim sub Niall Walsh were shown yellow cards for separate clumsy fouls on opposing players.

TEAMS – Leitrim: Nevin O'Donnell (8); Conor Reynolds (6), Donal Casey (7), Aidan Flynn (7); Donal Wrynn (6), Mark Diffley (8), Jack Foley (7); Jack Gilheaney (6), Pearce Dolan (7); Mark Plunkett (7), Ryan O'Rourke (9), Barry McNulty (8); Tom Prior (7), Darragh Rooney (8), Riordan O'Rourke (6).

Subs: Shane Quinn (6) for Plunkett (49); James Rooney (6) for Reynolds (52); Paul Keaney (6) for Prior (60); Niall Walsh (6) for R O'Rourke (64); Evan Sweeney (NR) for D Rooney (69).

Tipperary: Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 8); Tadhg Condron (Clonmel Commercials 6), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule 7), James Morris (Killenaule 6); Stephen Grogan (Cahir 5), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule 6), Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields 5); Shane Neville (Cratloe 6), Conall Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials 7); Teddy Doyle (Ballina 6), Peter McGarry (Clonmel Commercials 5); Michael Lowry (Arravale Rovers 5), Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Jack Kennedy (Cahir 8).

Subs: Conor Cadell (JK Brackens 6) for Lowry (HT); Mark Russell (Aherlow 6) for Creedon (42); Jack Kennedy (JK Brackens 6) for McGarry (53); Jack Leamy (Golden Kilfeacle 6) for Neville (57); Rory O'Dowd (Clonmel Commercials 6) for C Kennedy (61).

Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan).

Attendance: 1,213.