London calling highlights the long road ahead of Tipp

By Darragh Leen

There are a few words that come to mind, the first being frustration, and it’s as good as any to sum up the feelings of the Tipperary camp as they made their return home from west London on Sunday evening.

Frustration that McGovern Park in Ruislip did not see the best of what Paul Kelly’s side has to offer. Frustration with some refereeing decisions. Frustration with the nature of their hot and cold display.

But above all, frustration that two Allianz Football League points were not bagged for the luggage against what is, with all respect, one of the two weakest sides in the competition.

That’s not being unfair on London. Michael Maher and the London GAA Board are clearly doing a lot of productive development work and the local accents around McGovern Park indicated that not all of the nascent talent is from the old country.

But if Kelly and Tipperary are serious about reclaiming their Division 3 berth next season, they would have targeted a win here and against Munster neighbours Waterford, who are still pointless after three rounds.

This was London’s first point of the campaign, and they were good value for it. Tempo and attitude are key components of any top level sport, and the hosts looked to have both in abundance on Sunday. Tipperary played some decent stuff, but it was sporadic and in truth they were well short of what the occasion demanded.

They might have had a penalty – in fact, they should have – but pointing towards refereeing decisions after a draw with London is not a road the Tipp players or management should be going down.

In Clonmel Commercials duo, Sean O’Connor and Jack Kennedy, Tipp had two of the liveliest players on view when they managed to get on ball, O’Connor continuing his early season form with UCC and the county.

But, in the main, London looked like the side with the bit between their teeth. Too often that was the case from a Tipp point of view. Liam Gallagher’s goal, the game’s only major, for London came at a critical juncture, three minutes before the break.

Tipp were in control, 0-6 to 0-3 in front, and there was a sense that if they tagged on another couple of scores before the interval, the road back for London was not exactly appetising. Instead, the sides went in level at the break, and it was a different London the Tipp lads faced now.

The Exiles went two points in front just after half time before it looked as if Tipp were getting a grip of things after a lengthy stoppage for an injury to London’s Cathal Lacey. By the 53rd minute London were 1-6 to 0-6 in front, but Tipperary’s most productive spell would follow.

Perhaps it was the appalling vista of a defeat in Ruislip that shifted Tipp’s into a higher gear, but Brackens’ Jack Kennedy, Peter McGarry and Clonmel’s Kennedy had them all aboard on the hour mark.

In fairness, the decent sized crowd must have sensed the worst at this stage. Certainly, Tipp had their tails up, as points from Shane O’Connell and midfielder Kennedy put them in a winning position deep into injury time. It was not to be, and veteran Laois native Cahir Healy scored a cracking point to grab a share of the spoils.

Paul Kelly was honest enough afterwards to point to their erroneous ways and sloppy play that gave London a shaft of light. The error count in possession was too high, and basic stuff like tracking runners left something to be desired on occasions too. He spoke about bad habits and that seems to be a recurring theme this spring – right back to the McGrath Cup. There were times, even in Tralee against Kerry, where the Tipp offence looked sharp and inventive, but there have been other periods when they have looked well off it.

“I think we got away with one today,” Kelly confessed in Ruislip.

Of course, the new management, the gameplan and structures will take a while to settle down for everyone, but there’s no doubt that next weekend’s Division 4 clash with table toppers, Laois, will provide a reliable barometer of where Tipp are at – and how much work they have in front of them. Certainly, on the basis of Ruislip on Sunday, the answer would have to be quite a bit.