Tipp suffer first league defeat at the hands of Carlow

GAA: Allianz National Football League Division 4 Round 3

Tipperary 1-2-10 (17)

Carlow 1-2-13 (20)

Report: Stephen Barry at FBD Semple Stadium

Photos: Enda O’Sullivan/SportsFocus

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Colm Hulton (Carlow)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Steven O’Brien 1-2 (1x2 free); Cian Smith 0-5 (3 frees); Seán O’Connor 0-3 (1 free, 1 penalty); Mark Stokes 0-2 (2play); Daithí Hogan, Killian Butler 0-1 each.

Carlow: Chris Blake 0-7 (1x2play, 1x2free, 3 frees); Colm Hulton 0-5; Ross Dunphy 1-0; Conor Crowley 0-3; Paddy McDonnell, John Murphy 0-1 each.

Seán O’Connor had a late penalty saved to dent Tipperary’s promotion hopes with a three-point defeat against high-flying Carlow in round 3 of the National Football League on Sunday.

The Premier had constructed a wind-assisted seven-point lead during the first half, but were overhauled by the visitors entering the final twenty minutes. They hung in the contest, but Ben McCarron’s brilliant 64th minute stop to push O’Connor’s shot over the crossbar was the crucial moment for the Barrowsider’s to protect their ten-point turnaround.

Corner-back Mark Corcoran was selected for his debut in Niall Fitzgerald’s only change from victory over Antrim. JP Mbokha Tansia also earned his debut as a half-time substitute, although the Ballina man was withdrawn before the end. Five of UL’s Sigerson Cup-winning squad featured. Two more, Paddy O’Keeffe and Jack O’Neill, were late withdrawals from the bench.

In a lively opening passage, both keepers were called into action within two minutes. Mikey Bambrick’s pace cut Tipp open, not for the last time, but Shane Garland got down well to save the visiting captain’s shot.

Jack Harney’s coast-to-coast running got him in at the other end, after clever interplay with O’Connor, but McCarron smothered the corner-back’s rushed effort. The keeper did handle the loose ball on the ground to grant Cian Smith a tap-over free.

After Paddy McDonnell’s leveller, Tipp’s strong tackling and aggressive kick-out press began to gain dividends. When O’Connor earned a turnover foul, Steven O’Brien landed the two-point free. Cian Smith intercepted a kick-out for the next point. He completed the four-in-a-row streak by slotting a routine free after O’Connor was brought down on the edge of the square.

Carlow were level by the 19th minute. Bambrick created both scores. First, he laid on the first of five Colm Hulton points. Then, he raced through to release Ross Dunphy in the square. The Éire Óg man, who has Tipp connections, was initially denied by Garland and hit the ground. But the ball ricocheted off the luckless Micheál Freaney and Corcoran, falling for Dunphy to punch in the rebound; 0-5 to 1-2.

Daithí Hogan and Hulton traded points before Tipp produced a 1-2 burst. After Smith’s smart decoy move to score, the 27th minute goal arrived from some direct play. Steven O’Brien drifted inside to field Paudie Feehan’s long ball. With the attacking mark advantage, the Ballina man turned to lash a rocket from the 14-yard line into the bottom corner. O’Connor’s free pushed Tipp five ahead.

Hulton pulled one back after more hard running by Bambrick. But the momentum was flowing in one direction as Smith punished a McCarron kick-out, which failed to travel beyond the 40-metre arc. When Feehan was fouled after fielding the subsequent kick-out, Mark Stokes took the potshot opportunity from outside the arc. It was a credit to the Semple Stadium pitch that the ball was able to bounce and clear the crossbar for an orange flag and a 1-11 to 1-4 lead.

Carlow took three off that deficit by the break, with a Conor Crowley score followed by a Chris Blake two-point free; 1-11 to 1-7 at midway with Tipp having had the aid of the fresh breeze in the opening half.

The Barrowsiders continued to nibble away at the gap with points from Hulton, a Blake free, and John Murphy. The free was the subject of much dispute as James Morris seemed to be wrongly called for a throw. James Regan ultimately advanced the kick to the 14-metre line. Blake almost benefitted from Garland giving away possession from a free, but the Monaghan native got back to save.

Despite losing Bambrick to injury, Carlow caught and passed Tipp after the 50th minute with a pair of Crowley points. A Blake free made it 1-13 to 1-11.

When Sean O’Connor split the posts after 54 minutes, it wasn’t just Tipp’s first point of the second half, it was their first shot. A huge Blake orange flag gave Carlow a three-point cushion.

Tipp soon had the chance to level. Kieran Costello, Emmet Moloney, and Paudie Feehan turned defence into attack, and though the captain’s initial shot was blocked, he was fouled by Conor Doyle for a penalty. Sean O’Connor fired powerfully down the middle, but McCarron managed to reach back to divert the ball up and over the bar.

Killian Butler cut the deficit to the minimum but Tipp missed their next three chances to equalise with wides from Darragh Brennan, Hogan, and a disputed Stokes kick, which was adjudged to have gone around the post. They ended with eleven wides to Carlow’s five.

Mark Furey fluffed a Carlow goal chance under pressure from Costello, but Hulton’s fifth point, sent whizzing just over the bar, and Blake’s seventh proved the insurance scores.

Tipp had one final play to seek a goal, but Sean O’Connor’s palmed effort was comfortably handled by McCarron. The goalkeeper celebrated by punting the ball into the stand to the delight of their small band of jubilant supporters.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Shane Garland (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 7); Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers 7), James Morris (Clonmel Commercials 7), Mark Corcoran (Clonmel Commercials 6); Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers 6), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule, Capt 7), Mark Stokes (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 7); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials 6), Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields 6); Charlie King (Ballina 6), Steven O’Brien (Ballina 7), Micheál Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 5); Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials 7), Seán O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials 6), Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s 6).

Subs: JP Mbokha Tansia (Ballina 5) for Freaney (HT); Emmet Moloney (Portlaoise 7) for Boland (49); Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers 7) for King (50); Darragh Brennan (Ballyporeen 6) for O’Brien (58); Mark Russell (Aherlow 6) for Mbokha Tansia (60).

Carlow: Ben McCarron (6); Colin Byrne (7), Dara Curran (7), Lee Moore (6); Eoghan Ruth (6), Niall Roche (6), Pádraig Bolger (5); Mark Furey (6), Conor Doyle (8); Paddy McDonnell (7), Colm Hulton (8), Mikey Bambrick (Capt 7); Conor Crowley (7), Chris Blake (7), Ross Dunphy (7).

Subs: John Murphy (7) for Bolger (HT); Tadhg Roche (6) for Bambrick (49 inj); Seán Murphy (6) for Dunphy (52); Adam Burgess (6) for Ruth (69).

Referee: James Regan (Cork).