Hogan goal inspires Tipp to win over Antrim

GAA: National Football League Division 4 Round 2

Tipperary 1-0-13 (16)

Antrim 1-2-5 (12)

Report: Stephen Barry at St Flannan’s Park, Moneygall

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Daithí Hogan (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Seán O’Connor 0-7 (5 frees); Daithí Hogan 1-3 (0-1 mark); Cian Smith 0-3 frees.

Antrim: Dominic McEnhill 0-5 (2x2p); Paddy McAleer 1-0; Pat Shivers 0-2 frees; Niall Burns, Conhuir Johnston 0-1 each.

Daithí Hogan’s goal and a late string of Seán O’Connor points saw Tipperary maintain their unbeaten start to Division 4 of the National Football League on Sunday against an Antrim side who finished the game with thirteen men.

The visitors had been touted as leading promotion contenders, but Tipp inflicted a mortal blow to those hopes by exploiting their numerical advantage across the final 37 minutes of play.

The Premier already appeared to have mitigated Antrim’s early wind advantage when John Carron received a straight red card for elbowing Paudie Feehan before half-time.

Once Hogan rocketed Tipp ahead in the 38th minute, they were never equalled in front of a small home crowd. The Saffrons still reeled them back within one point down the stretch, but O’Connor scored the final three points of a 0-7 tally. Pat Shivers was sent off for a second booking in stoppage time.

With FBD Semple Stadium deemed unplayable on Friday following heavy rain, St Flannan’s Park, perched right on the Tipp-Offaly border, stepped in to host its first-ever inter-county football match.

There were two late changes to the published Tipp team. Eoin Craddock missed out due to injury, while Cathal Deely dropped to the bench. There were first starts of the year for wing-forwards Mark Stokes and Micheál Freaney. Steven O’Brien was again named as no.23 but lined out from the off.

Despite choosing to play with the wind, Antrim only got off six shots in the first half as Tipp bossed possession with a series of slow attacks in heavy underfoot conditions.

After winning the throw-in, they held uninterrupted possession for three minutes before a Luke Boland wide. But when a misjudged bounce on the soft pitch undid Antrim’s first attack, Tipp countered rapidly through O’Brien and James Morris for Hogan’s opening point. The hosts had the first four shots of the game, but that was their only conversion.

When Antrim came forward, they quickly picked off three points. Dominic McEnhill was among four late additions to their team and he cut inside for a two-pointer. They cracked the subsequent kick-out for a Niall Burns single.

O’Brien and Hogan were involved again in O’Connor’s opening point. However, a catalogue of misses meant Tipp only converted two of their first nine attempts.

Antrim’s indiscipline was evident early as they twice coughed up 50-metre advancements. O’Brien sent a two-point free wide. O’Connor opted for the simple one-pointer from the next free to level.

When Tipp lost cheap possession over the sideline, Antrim came up field for McEnhill to curl over his second two-pointer. It would be the last of the afternoon.

Sean O’Connor won and tapped over a free before the game turned on Carron’s red. Experienced line umpire Conor Lane spoke with referee Ian Monaghan, who indicated a strike with the elbow to Feehan’s head. A Cian Smith free levelled at 0-5 apiece at the break.

Conhuir Johnston slalomed through to give Antrim one last lead before a quick-passing exchange by O’Connor and Freaney created the opening for Hogan to blast home; 1-5 to 0-6.

Cian Smith added a free before Shivers and McEnhill brought it back to a one-point game. Tipp kicked the next three through a Hogan mark and frees from O’Connor and Smith.

The Saffrons were right back in the mix after 54 minutes. Dominic McEnhill’s shot dropped short and pinballed for Paddy McAleer to slide to the net; 1-9 to 1-8.

Micheal Freaney almost profited from a similar situation when Paudie Feehan’s point attempt hit the post, but John McNabb and Eoghan McCabe scrambled his palmed effort off the line. A Sean O’Connor solo-and-go allowed Hogan to complete his 1-3 total.

Ryan McQuillan and McAleer had another goal chance in the 63rd minute, only for their shots to be blocked. A Shivers free cut the gap to one before his dismissal.

From there, Tipp won every break to see it out with O’Connor points in the 69th, 72nd (both frees), and 74th minutes.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Shane Garland (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 6); Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers 6), James Morris (Clonmel Commercials 7), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney 7); Charlie King (Ballina 7), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule, Capt 7), Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers 6); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials 6), Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields 7); Mark Stokes (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 6), Steven O’Brien (Ballina 7), Micheál Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 6); Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials 6), Seán O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials 8), Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s 9).

Subs: Mark Russell (Aherlow 7) for Higgins (58); Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers 6) for King (58); Cathal Deely (Clonmel Commercials 6) for O’Brien (58); Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers 6) for Smith (63); Jack O’Neill (Ardfinnan NR) for Stokes (68).

Antrim: John McNabb (7); James McAuley (5), Joseph Finnegan (6), Kavan Keenan (7); Eunan Walsh (6), Eoghan McCabe (Capt 7), Marc Jordan (6); Paddy McAleer (7), John Carron (4); Ronan Quinn (6), Oisín Doherty (7), Niall Burns (6); Pat Shivers (6), Conhuir Johnston (6), Dominic McEnhill (8).

Subs: Cathal Hynds (6) for Burns (42); Patrick McBride (6) for Quinn (49); Ryan McQuillan (6) for Doherty (61); Conor Hand (NR) for Keenan (69).

Referee: Ian Monaghan (Roscommon).