Tipp leaving themselves too big of a hole in games
There is definitely a sense of déjà vu when it comes to Tipperary’s performances in this years National Football League.
Coming away from Newbridge, you couldn’t help but wonder if Tipperary could play the first fifty minutes in games like they do the last twenty, they wouldn’t find themselves in the predicament they are now where their relegation fate is out of their hands, even if they were to beat Clare on the final day.
If they had managed to take a point from Kildare last Saturday it would have been a huge boost but it wouldn’t have been deserved because for long stages Tipperary were really poor while the home side were wasteful, kicking seven second half wides when in control.
Scoring only three points in the board after 52 minutes, Kildare didn’t have to play that well to be in a commanding position going into the closing stages, yet when the board for five minutes of added time went up, the home fans must have feared the worst as Tipperary were coming like a train.
As they had done successfully against Donegal where they came from four points down with twenty minutes to go to win and eating cutting an eight point deficit to three against Cork last time out, Tipp keep plugging away and a 60th minute goal from sub Liam Boland really ignited them into life.
When fellow sub Dan O’Meara added another nine minutes later, it looked as if Tipp would perform a smash and grab job on the hosts when Brian Fox levelled in added time.
With the wind and momentum behind them, there only appeared like one winner but in fairness to Kildare, they weathered the storm well and showed great composure in working the last two points to see them to victory despite Liam Boland finding the target with the last kick of the game for the visitors.
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