Tipp exit tamely, as do Leitrim

GAA: Tailteann Cup Group 1 Round 3

Leitrim 3-9

Tipperary 0-10

Report: Stephen Barry at TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Tom Prior (Leitrim)

SCORERS – Leitrim: Jack Flynn, Tom Prior 1-1 each; Joe McGloin 1-0; Ben Guckian, Riordan O’Rourke 0-2 each; James Rooney, Jack Foley, Barry McNulty (free) 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Cian Smith 0-7 (1x2play, 1x2free, 3 frees); Daithí Hogan 0-2; Emmet Moloney 0-1.

Tipperary’s Tailteann Cup campaign ended on a bum note as they fell to an eight-point defeat against Leitrim on Sunday.

In the end, Antrim’s identical victory over London meant that the Premier would’ve needed a four-point win to progress but they fell well short of that.

A win never looked on the cards as Leitrim struck for goals through Jack Flynn, Tom Prior, and Joe McGloin. The victors will regret a handful more chances they left behind after falling short of qualification by five points on score difference.

Cian Smith kicked seven points, including a pair of two-pointers. Otherwise, Tipp desperately struggled for scores.

They began with a decent breeze at their backs but didn’t score from the 20th minute as they reached half-time 2-2 to 0-3 in arrears.

Shorn of defensive regulars in Jimmy Feehan and Jack Harney, Tipp U20 star Eoin O'Connell came in for his first start at full-back alongside Emmet Moloney. James Morris was a significant absentee from the bench, where U20 duo Charlie King and Killian Butler were included for the first time.

Leitrim targeted goals from the off. Moments after they met for the coin toss, Steven O’Brien slid in to strip opposite captain Mark Diffley before he could aim for the net.

Then, Ben Guckian got inside only for Manus McFadden to produce a goal-saving block, which resulted in the corner-back exiting the game.

From the subsequent move, Tipp opened the scoring with a lovely two-pointer by Smith, having been teed up by Moloney.

Leitrim didn’t land a score until the sixteenth minute, but it was worth the wait for their supporters. Guckian played a one-two with McGloin before slipping the ball to Flynn. Shane Ryan got a solid touch to Flynn’s shot, but it bounced in off the crossbar.

After some wayward outside-the-arc shooting, O’Brien’s kick-out mark led to a breakaway point for Moloney. It was the only time the sides would be level.

Guckian’s pacy point moved Leitrim ahead before striking for a second goal in the 27th minute. Goalkeeper Daire O’Shea booted a free-kick long, Barry McNulty won it on the run, and he released the influential Prior, who confidently picked out the bottom corner.

McNulty won and converted a free, and it remained 2-2 to 0-3 at half-time, despite a couple of late goal chances.

Paudie Feehan drew a kick on a loose ball, which Diffley stopped. Leitrim countered through Donal Casey, but Jason Madigan got in the way of his shot. Then, deep in stoppage time, Jack O’Neill and Darragh Brennan combined to find Smith, but the back-tracking Prior dived across to take the sting out of his effort.

On the resumption, Moloney’s turnover led to another goal opening worked by Brennan and O’Neill. The youngster handpassed across the posts towards Seán O’Connor, but Kieran Clancy got a hand in. Feehan regathered the ball for Daithí Hogan’s opening point.

Riordan O’Rourke and Flynn got Leitrim up and running with the wind before Hogan won a free for Smith to convert.

The Wild Rose County pressed home their advantage through Guckian and O’Rourke points. After a Smith free, won by O’Neill, Leitrim struck for their third goal. Conor Quinn produced a diving block on O’Connor, and they countered with Diffley squaring for McGloin to palm home.

Prior could’ve tacked on a fourth goal but chose to point for a 3-7 to 0-6 lead. O’Neill and Brennan linked up again for the latter to shoot at goal. It was blocked by Diffley, who then limped off.

Mikey O’Shea drew a two-point free, which Smith stroked between the posts. The Clonmel Commercials sharp-shooter tagged on a single after O’Brien’s attempt to turn the ball towards goal was gathered by Daire O’Shea, who overcarried.

In stoppage time, wing-backs James Rooney and Jack Foley pointed, before a Hogan response.

Leitrim came close twice more in the dying moments. However, McNulty and O’Rourke fired wide of the net.

TEAMS – Leitrim: Daire O’Shea; Kieran Clancy, Mark Diffley, Éanna McNamara; Jack Foley, Donal Casey, James Rooney; Barry McNulty, Cillian McGloin; Jack Flynn, Keith Keegan, Tom Prior; Ben Guckian, Joe McGloin, Riordan O’Rourke.

Subs: Conor Quinn for C McGloin (23 inj); Tom Hughes for Diffley (65 inj); David Feeney for J McGloin (67); Evan Harkin for Keegan (70).

Tipperary: Shane Ryan (Clonmel Commercials); Manus McFadden (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), Emmet Moloney (Portlaoise); Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers), Mark Stokes (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Jack O’Neill (Ardfinnan); Paudie Feehan (Killenaule), Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields); Micheál Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Steven O’Brien (Ballina, Capt), Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials); Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s), Darragh Brennan (Ballyporeen), Seán O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials).

Subs: Jason Madigan (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for McFadden (6-14, temp); Madigan for McFadden (30 inj); Conor Fahey (Upperchurch/Drombane) for Freaney (34 inj); Eoghan Power (Ballina) for Feehan (52); Mikey O’Shea (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone) for O’Connor (57); Mark Russell (Aherlow) for Boland (60 inj).

Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).