Tipp get the result they need to avoid the drop

GAA: Allianz Football League Division 3 Round 7

 

Leitrim     0-15
Tipperary 2-11

Report: Shane Brophy in Carrick-on-Shannon

 

MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Donal Wrynn (Leitrim)
SCORERS – Leitrim: Keith Beirne 0-6 (5 frees); Conor Dolan 0-4; Cillian McGloin, Shane Quinn, Ryan O’Rourke, Darragh Rooney 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 0-3 frees; Kevin O’Halloran, Liam Casey 1-0; Liam Boland, Brian Fox, Jack Kennedy (frees) 0-2 each; Conal Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan 0-1 each.

It wasn’t pretty but the result was all that mattered for Tipperary as they retained their National Football League division 3 status with victory over Leitrim on Sunday.

Tipperary will have played better in games and lost so to come through this encounter getting the job done in avoiding a second successive relegation will be relatively pleasing, even if the performance wasn’t much to write home about.

That said, there were mitigating circumstances with Covid-19 restrictions meaning that Tipperary had to abandon plans to travel to Leitrim the night before, with the majority of the players having to make the three hour drive from South Tipp to Carrick-on-Shannon and as anyone who drives for a long period of time, it can leave you sluggish.

That said, Tipperary started brightly and led 1-5 to 0-3 after 24 minutes, playing into a stiff breeze. However, thereafter they struggled, playing second fiddle in terms of possession as Leitrim worked their way back into the contest. The home side had a lot to play for as they needed the win to have any chance of avoiding the drop and ten minutes into the second half when they went into a two point lead, things looked precarious for Tipperary.

However, there is one thing that can’t be questioned in this Tipperary squad and that is spirit as they fought their way back with Liam Casey’s goal on 66 minutes proving to be the key score in securing the win and the two points which sees Tipperary end the campaign in a comfortable mid-table position.

In games like these where the result is the most important aspect, the performance can suffer, and the players will be disappointed in how they failed to build on their promising start. Playing into the stiff breeze, they used the ball well, making some strong runs, particularly Conal Kennedy and Kevin Fahey from deep and worked some good scores, including Kevin O’Halloran’s goal on thirteen minutes, the Portroe man finishing a flowing move involving Conor Sweeney, Robbie Kiely and Michael Quinlivan whose vision in picking out O’Halloran for the close range finish was superb.

However, after the first water-beak, Tipperary lost their way, particularly at midfield where Leitrim pushed up on the kickout and forced Evan Comerford to go long where the home side took control with Donal Wrynn imperious in the air. 

That Leitrim won ten of Comerford’s 22 kickouts, which is a high percentage in the modern game is a concern and can’t all be put down to missing Steven O’Brien through injury. While he is a long, there is enough quality there in Jack & Conal Kennedy and Liam Casey to ensure a greater number of them are won.

With the midfield under pressure, it put strain on the defence who did well for the most part, maintaining a good shape and not allowing Leitrim clear sight of goal, although in the second half the home side kicked some superb points into the wind from Cillian McGloin and Conor Dolan, the latter superb all through.

Colm O’Shaughnessy and Jimmy Feehan were particularly strong, however, and were given good protection by a deep lying half back line. 
In the soft conditions, they were conducive to Tipperary’s athletic half back line of Bill Maher, Kevin Fahey and Robbie Kiely from raiding forward to great effect but you could see what they were trying to do and maybe on better surfaces, starting next Sunday against Clare they might have more joy.

In attack, Tipp lived off scraps for long stages, but you couldn’t say any of the starting six played particularly well with only 2-2 coming from play. It was the introduction of Liam Boland in the second half which injected some much-needed urgency with the Moyle Rovers clubman kicking two points as well as two wides in a busy cameo.

Relegation to division 4 would have been a disaster for Tipperary football so to have avoided that renders last Sunday’s trip to Carrick-on-Shannon a good day’s work overall.

TEAMS – Leitrim: Brendan Flynn (6); Donal Casey (7), Paddy Maguire (7), Conor Reynolds (7); Aidan Flynn (6), Jack Gilheany (7), Cillian McGloin (6); Donal Wrynn (8), Mark Plunkett (7); Shane Quinn (6), Keith Beirne (8), Domhnaill Flynn (6); Conor Dolan (8), Ryan O’Rourke (7), Darragh Rooney (7).
Subs: Evan Sweeney (7) for Plunkett (HT); Niall Brady (6) for Rooney (56); Oisin MacCaffrey (6) for O’Rourke (60 inj); David Bruen (NR) for McGloin (70+5).
Tipperary: Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 6); Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers 7), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule 7), Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan 7); Bill Maher (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 7), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials 7), Robbie Kiely (Barryroe 7); Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials 6), Liam Casey (Cahir 7); Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials 7), Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials 6), Brian Fox (Eire Og Annacarty 7); Kevin O’Halloran (Portroe 6), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen 6), Riain Quigley (Moyle Rovers 6).
Subs: Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers 7) for Quigley (40); Colman Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials 6) for C Kennedy (56); Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials 6) for O’Halloran (56); Alan Moloney (Rockwell Rovers 6) for Fox (60); Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch NR) for Casey (70+6).
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh).