Carlow to provide Tipp’s stiffest test to date

GAA: National Football League Division 4 Round 3 Preview

By Stephen Barry

TIPPERARY v CARLOW

FBD Semple Stadium

Sunday, 15th February

Throw-in @ 2.00pm

Referee: James Regan (Cork)

The rallying cry at Tipperary training this week is clear; beat Carlow on Sunday and go top of the Division 4 of the National Football League.

That task is easier said than done. Still, the Premier County enter this game with grounds for optimism. They find themselves in a reinforced position after building upon their late draw in London by trumping 13-man Antrim.

Now, manager Niall Fitzgerald’s side will hope to maximise home comforts on their return to FBD Semple Stadium, which should cater for their desired expansive, front-foot style of play.

The fortnight’s break will have allowed tired bodies to get some rest. The Ballina duo of Steven O’Brien and Charlie King played through knocks against Antrim. The late addition of Darragh Brennan to the subs bench indicates that the dangerous Ballyporeen forward is nearing game time after a hamstring injury.

It hasn’t been all downtime as Tipp’s UL contingent came through an epic extra-time battle against Queen’s University in last Friday’s rescheduled Sigerson Cup semi-final. King started in that encounter, while Micheál Freaney, Daithí Hogan, and Killian Butler were introduced off the bench by David Power.

They face a quick turnaround for Wednesday’s final against UCC at Croke Park, which will be televised live on TG4, before switching back to county duty.

Meanwhile, Eoin Craddock, who was a late omission from the Antrim match, played in another extra-time contest for the Mary I hurlers last week. They beat DCU to make Friday’s all-Limerick final against UL at GAA HQ.

Up front, Tipp have been reliant on Seán O’Connor (0-16), Cian Smith (0-10), and Hogan (1-4). That trio have scored 1-30 out of the team’s 1-34 total. Otherwise, some errant finishing and poor shot selection meant that Tipp leant on frees for the majority of their scores against Antrim.

On the slower Moneygall surface, Tipp were able to nail some defensive improvements. Having seen London raise 20 flags against them, the hosts limited Antrim to just thirteen attacks that ended in shots. The visitors tallied eight scores across the seventy minutes.

It will likely be higher scoring against Carlow, whose manager Joe Murphy recently professed that “sometimes, the best form of defence is attack”.

After Shane Curran’s chaotic departure last March, Murphy installed an all-Carlow management team. He has received a vote of confidence from the squad, not just retaining the full group for 2026, but luring back some players who had previously departed. That cohort includes the county’s all-time top scorer Darragh Foley, this year’s top scorer Chris Blake, and another forward threat in Colm Hulton.

The table-toppers’ attacking depth is underlined by all six forwards working the scoreboard in both games to date. Only two scores of their 3-31 total have come from placed balls.

Bolstered by that continuity, the Barrowmen have taken down Antrim and Wicklow in the opening rounds. That’s now five wins on the spin for Carlow, who captured the pre-season O’Byrne Shield with victories over Wexford, Laois, and Wicklow.

They are unbeaten in their three most recent contests with Tipp, although Philly Ryan’s side battled back from eight points behind to draw at Dr Cullen Park last January.

“Anyone can beat anyone in the league,” said Fitzgerald.

“We have a tough game next against Carlow. They're flying high. They seem to be motoring really well. They've accounted for Antrim and Wicklow in the last two games. Antrim and Wicklow would have been the favourites at the outset to get promoted. They've a lot of hard work done there already.

“That's going to be a tough game for us. There may be a little bit more experience in their group, but the lads will be really excited and looking forward to it.”